I am relatively new to jewelry making....I would like to know what type of soldering iron,etc, that I should purchase to solder sterling silver wire. Any help that anyone can give me would be great....thanks in advance...Rose

You cannot solder sterling silver with a soldering iron. You have to use a blowtorch as silver solder has a very high melting point.

Use the advanced search and you will find several threads about this.

Melanie

Thanks Melanie.....but if you really want to help me, you will tell me exactly what I need to purchase in order to solder the sterling silver......thanks again. Rose

Rose,

Take a look at this link... [:)]

http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=41362

Good luck!

Deb

Thanks Deb....I will try using your advise..........wish me luck....I'm gonna need it!

Rose

The equipment you'll need is dictated by the kind of work that you want to do. If all you're gonna be soldering is small stuff such as jump rings, then the equipment described in the link Deb gave should be sufficient. However, if you want to solder large pieces, you'll need a torch with a lot more "oomph", so you may want to consider a more "professional" set up such as acetylene.

Soldering irons have been discussed a LOT on these forums. If you want more details as to why they won't work (technically what we do is "braze" silver, not solder), then try doing an advanced search for "soldering iron" and set the date back a year or so. FYI, the regular search function on these boards is pretty much useless.

Hope this helps and welcome to the forum.

Sorry for the short reply but I had a phone call as I was typing it and couldn't concentrate enough to give full details.
Thanks for the others for stepping in.
Melanie

Thanks to both Melanie and Deb for the advise......All I am really interested in is small stuff, like earrings and such. Being so new to this I am at a loss as of where to begin....kind of like a baby starting to walk as it were......guess I have to start somewhere....I just don't have the first clue how to begin so your advice is a start....I do know that I don't want to invest alot of money for such small projects.... Also, thanks for welcoming me to the forum........I will probably be on here alot asking questions....
Rose

Dear Rose,

Hi!

I don't know whether you are in the UK, or the US, for anything smaller than a quarter or a 10p piece you can use a creme brulee torch, which you should be able to find in a department store or hardware store, they are fueled by butane cigarette lighter fuel.

For larger pieces you may want to buy a larger torch,either a plumber's torch or the torches described by Deb in her post, Rio Grande has them in the US, you would probably need to phone them to see if they sell to the UK, I tend to know more about beading resources in the UK than metals ones.

www.riogrande.com

If you have a local school, or college has a metals, or basic jewellery making class, I would take it, it really helped me when I was learning the basics and I still take them when I can afford them, they will show you how to handle the tools, prepare your metals and what to look for at each stage, plus you get a chance to try different tools before you make an investment in expensive equipment, I'm gradually putting together a small set up at home, but I use the larger torches and rolling mill and kilns at the art center when I go as I can't afford my own just now. Your local library, or google should help you find a class in your area.

My basic soldering set up is a creme brulee torch, a solderite pad over an annealing pan and pumice, everything sits on a large baking tray (not to be used for food). I have a set of locking tweezers, a soldering pick, a third hand which is useful for holding already soldered chain links away from the rest, and some copper tongs which I use to pick up hot pieces to drop them into a baking tin full of water to quench them, if you can find an inexpensive crock pot (slow cooker) you can use that as a pickle pot, you use the copper tongs to put stuff in the pickle - if you use steel pliers you will copper plate everything in the pot!

You will also need flux and solder you will need at least 2 of the grades for soldering bezels I have hard and medium at home and next month I will probably buy some easy solder, for chain paste solder can be very useful as you can put it where it is needed, I bought my sheet solder through Santa Fe (Rio has it too) and Monsterslayer has the paste solder similar to the type I have, I bought mine from Dave's Rockshop in
Evanston Illinois.

www.sfjssantafe.com

www.monsterslayer.com

hope this helps get you started,

Love, Jan[:)]

Thanks Jan....I am in the US....in the midwest...........I will look into some of the classes you suggested....that might help me get started.....so glad to have all of you to give me advice.....hopefully someday I can be a success at it..........Again.....thanks.

Dear Rose,

Hi!

I'm in the midwest too, Chicago, so there are some great jewellery making resources in this area that I can recommend if you are near Chicago.

Love, Jan

Sorry Jan .......I am in the midwest but I am in Nebraska.....close to Omaha....guess I will have to do some searching in the area..............do you know of anything here??? Ha! It's good to have your input...Rose

I'm in Canada so can't help you with local classes but would add my opinion that I think this is a GREAT way to proceed. Apart from the obvious advantages of leanring in that kind of an environment, you'll get to play with all kinds of tools, including some pretty expensive ones. You can then use this experience to sort out your "needs" and "wants" list (hard to believe but there is a difference - lol!!!) and shop accordingly.

Here is a link to a list of things you will need
http://reviews.ebay.com/Tools-used-to-solder-sterling-silver-Jewelry_W0QQugidZ10000000000046799
and here is another thread with some info
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11894
and here is a video which will show you how to solder
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6IOqbGJ7gc&mode=related&search=
If you scroll down on the rifght side you will find other videos - just ignore the ones that use a soldering iron.

Melanie

QUOTE: Originally posted by rogger56 Thanks Melanie.....but if you really want to help me, you will tell me exactly what I need to purchase in order to solder the sterling silver......thanks again. Rose

That's one of the rudest things I have ever read.
Maybe she didn't know exactly what you needed to purchase but at least she knew just enough info to tell you what NOT to waste your money on.
Couldn't you be grateful for that?
No you have to demand she give you all the answers.
[:(!]