Hello there... The challenge lies in crafting the ring to the correct size while maintaining a uniform thickness. This isn't achievable with pipe fittings. I provide rings in all sizes to my customers. Pipe fittings might suffice if uniform thickness isn't a priority and you're okay with offering a limited range of sizes.
Hi Sir, what a fine piece of jewelry, thanks for sharing your technics. My experience with copper is, it's quick weathering and staining on the skin. I'd be thankful if you shared an advice to those issues. Thanks and have a great day
Thank you very much. Unfortunately, there's not much that can be done about copper's reactivity with oxygen. There are several methods used to try and prevent copper oxidation, but they are all relatively temporary and will require reapplication. These include benzotriazole, nano-ceramic coatings, lacquer, and other clear barrier sprays. The truth is, maintaining the cleanliness of copper jewelry should become a weekly ritual for the owner.
I've watched sooo many RU-vid videos (not too many regarding coppersmithing out there) as I'm just starting out. I've made maybe 3 pendants and I'm getting ready to make a ring for my husband. The info I received from this video was invaluable! Thank you!! I'd love to see more videos regarding working with copper. I'm learning that it's considerably different than working with silver! And yet, the resources for working with it are much fewer and far between. 🤔
Appreciate the kind words. Comments like yours really motivate me to make more videos. I do a lot of hand fabrication, but I also have a lot of equipment such as cnc mills, engraving and cutting lasers, and pulse arc welders etc. I was thinking about doing some video lessons on those as well, but may just make a separate channel for it. Not sure yet. I am definitely going to do more technique and project videos on this channel in the near future. I just got overwhelmed with life and business for awhile there.
@ezridaeus Totally understandable! I cant imagine it's easy balancing all of the things, as well as having a RU-vid channel. Well, either direction you decide to go, I'm excited to see what you come out with next! 😊
Gorgeous! Any chance of some more tutorials coming our way? You had mentioned a pendant video. Would love to see more from you as you are an excellent instructor and inspiration! Thank you for sharing this and I learned so much!❤
may i ask you what solder you used? because i ve been trying soldering copper ring with copper solder but ended up in different color(gray-ish color). yours is all beautiful copper color...!!!
Hi there... Copper and Bronze solder will not be as strong and will always have a bit of an off color. They just aren't good color matches. If you have really good heat control then you can mitigate the problem to a point. Get in and get out as soon as it flows. I personally only use hard or extra hard Silver solder in almost everything that I do. If you prep the join like I do in the video and then run thin sandpaper between the join you won't have any silver line.... or if you do it will be imperceptible to most people.
As I watched your video, your reasoning for doing it this way it became pretty clear. In the past, I have laminated silver, and copper together as a sheet, and then made the rings out of them. That works too. But the precision required to keep that little silver line from the joint from showing up on the surface of the rain, can you get to be tedious. I think I’ll use your technique in the future. Thanks for sharing.
I think many of us have laminated the sheets together before rounding into a ring. Visible solder lines irritate me so I decided to change up my method. Never fails me. :-)
Interesting technique. I’ve done that when adding a gold insert to a ring. Hadn’t considered it for silver. Dimension you’re rolling Mill in the video. I’d have to say that anyone who wants to be seriously involved and JEWLERY should invest in one. There are several good meals out there. But I avoid those that I find on eBay and Amazon from China. I tested those out. They weren’t really all that good , and some of them were absolutely horrible. To brand names that I actually trust and use our Durston and pepper tools. Pepe tools are made in America.
May I ask why my solder won't flow into the join, the solder just keeps heating up until it's red but never Flows in. Can I get help I've been stuck on it for so long
Hi there... Torch is probably taking too long to heat up the area before oxidation takes over and forms a film. When that happens the solder will not flow very easily. What type of torch are you using? Reducing flame? Oxidizing flame? What kind of flux? Are you heating the whole band or the join and the solder directly?
@@ezridaeus hi thanks for helping out, i am usin a sandard butane kitchen torch. The flux i am using is La-Co sandard flux paste, i have tried tto water it down 1:1 raio, and i think the heat isnt the problem because he copper ring will go all red ho in a matter of 10-ish seconds. Im heating the joint directtly as shown in the video
@@Aaron-ux1mr That flux is for soldering pipes and similar that require much lower temps than jewelry. We are actually brazing when we "solder" jewelry and brazing temps will burn that flux up and cause it to carbonize before the silver brazing wire gets to flow temp. You need to use a true brazing jewelry flux like Cupronil, Handy Flux, Batterns, Riogrande's Ready Flux, My-T Flux etc... That will fix your issue.
@@Aaron-ux1mr You're welcome... Handy Flux is a paste. There are a lot of solder pastes that are for soldering pipes and electrical wiring. Those will not work for jewelry soldering. You really need a flux that handles the high temps of jewelry brazing/soldering. I would go with a known brand like the ones I mentioned above. You'll have less trouble in the long run.
There really isn't a permanent solution. You can treat Copper with Benzotriazole, but it is only moderately effective and will need to be repeated. A nano ceramic electroplating would work, but expensive to get set up. Lacquer is the cheapest solution or Ren wax. Most of my customers buy Copper rings thinking there is some health benefit and they want the skin reaction to take place. Some people just prefer the look of tarnished Copper.
People think that Copper rings have some type of healing effect or offer pain relief from Arthritis. That represents the majority of my customers... and 7 year anniversaries. I offer rings with Silver linings for people that do not want the green skin to occur. Also... my comments are not fake... If you can't be respectful then don't bother commenting anymore.
Hi there.... I use a 3/0 for most of my work. Never cared much for that 3 teeth per thickness of material suggestion. 3/0 does a good job on the join prep and also for a lot of piercing work that I do.
Thanks you very much for the comment. For cleaning after soldering I recommend Citric Acid pickle... For general cleaning on a finished piece I use Wright's Brass and Copper polish....but any non abrasive Copper or Brass polish will work.
Your video inspired me to have a go at making a copper ring. I've done a silver ring not perfect but I was pleased. Anyway I used same solder and flux for copper ring but the solder kept nling up and not flowing. Any suggestions what m doing wrong? Thanks again for an I formative video
@@ezridaeus hi, I was using butane micro torch, silver solder medium and I heated whole ring and as the solder wasn't melting I put hottest part of flame on joint. I didn't have problem soldering silver ring. Thanks
@@cathmaguire7887 Ah... Copper has a higher thermal capacitance. The heat will sink away a lot more quickly from the join. You will need to use at least a jumbo butane torch for the Copper.
@@cathmaguire7887 Straight Borax isn't the best for Copper, but will work. It's more of a heat issue. A jumbo Butane torch is the smallest torch that you can get away with in Copper.. unless it's a very small piece. If you're using just Borax then it is important to get in there and get out quickly. The Copper will oxidize very quickly and retard the flow of solder. Handy Flux, Cupronil or Batterns flux will work best against the oxidation to help flow.
Yep. Inline fan pulling fumes and light particulates away from my face and blowing them out of a window. Don't want to breathe flux fumes. Long term consequences.
Where do you get your copper roll from? I've been wanting to start making rings from scratch, and I want to use Copper first to get the hang of it before I start working with Sterling Silver. Thanks in advance!
I purchase the 11' roll of 13 gauge Copper strip from Riogrande. Copper is great to get started with, but does behave a little differently when compared to Sterling Silver. In some ways Copper is more difficult to work with. If you cultivate your skills by working with Copper then Sterling Silver and Gold will be easier when you get to them. Thanks for the comment! :-)
@@ezridaeus Thank you for the reply and the great video! If I start with copper, I'll definitely be using you as a guide! If you have an Instagram account, I'll tag you in the finished product!
Nice! I have some 8 gage round copper wire I want to try a cuff style thin hammered bracelet with it. Do you use anything to seal the pieces with? Like protectaclear? Or a spray type clear coat?
I did use a barrier coating in the past, but found that anything I applied would have to be reapplied quite frequently. That would require a resurfacing of the piece which the customer probably can't do themselves. That's why I just chose to use bare Copper. I consider the upkeep sort of like a weekly meditation...lol. There is a clear nano ceramic coating that can be plated, but it is a finicky process and not worth the cost for Copper. You can try Benzotriazole, but that would also need frequent applications.
@@ezridaeus Thank you so much for getting back to me! I like the bare copper idea as well. You know you here all these makers talking about ways to coat and protect the pieces from wear, but anyone buying a raw piece of copper usually knows already that oxidation will happen. Besides I believe it takes away from the natural metal any time you coat it fully. Thanks for sharing your skills with me! Xo
Great video! I'm a newbie self taught metalsmith. I just happened upon your video with this ring. Ironic considering I had just come back inside from my backyard shed slash workshop making a copper piece! This ring is awesome thanks for sharing your skills!!! I am going to subscribe right now! Good stuff! I have so many questions about copper but wont hit ya right now with them all! Xoxo
Sorry... I missed this message. I like to use a gentle polish like Wright's brass polish. Just a light rub and the bright color returns. Thanks for watching.
:-D Thanks for watching! I really do plan on getting some more videos out... I've just been really busy. There will be some more forging/hand fabrication videos, 3D sculpting/3D Printing and Casting and equipment videos.
Hi there... I generally use an extra hard silver solder that I make myself, but the regular hard silver solder that you would buy from a supply store will be just fine. Best thing to do is just jump in and start making mistakes. Best way to learn.
