As a former professional goldsmith for a couple of decades, I can say to anyone watching that this was a very good demo. Basic, but covering all the bases without going way off path into the Detail Woods -- like I probably would have done :-) -- over things that you don't need to know quite yet. But everything important, especially which part of the flame to use, was spot on for a Square One demo. There's lots more to it (pretty much infinity) but this is a very good start for anyone getting into silversmithing. Well done!
I am starting (items are being shipped currently) with silver soldering. Do you figure it out along the way or is there something really specific going on? I did SMD soldering and "plastic welding" professionally. Help or insight is much appreciated!
I've been a metalsmith for over 30 years and I absolutely suggest that you use more than that small soldering board. Heat from even a tiny handheld torch and especially full-sized gas tanks and nozzles will always heat outside of your targeted soldering area. Plus accidents happen. Please get/do more to protect your soldering work area, your space and yourself than that small soldering board. And get protective eye/face gear and/or a ventilator mask especially if you're doing a lot of soldering and working in closed in space. I always keep a window open in my studio (even if it's cold out). Or install a vent hood if your space allows...
@sirtinley-knot2944 Some people use different tools depending on what their making. Blacksmith is usually an anvil, furnace, and tools to bend and hammer the metal into shape.
It’s one skill to be a “maker” but to impart that knowledge well is much harder. You’re brilliant ! Imagine if lecturers at Art School could teach like you!!
you're a good teacher you explained everything perfectly, you were thorough and you were organized. you made it very simple and easy to understand. im interested at 50years old making jewely cz im american indian and wanted to learn how to make indian jewelry thank you so much!
I agree!!! Ty for sharing!! Those tips really are useful to bypass all those road blocks that halt actually learning how to DO this desired skill. I appreciate these rare straight to the point vids SO much ! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I agree BUT the word is SOLDER pronounced sOLDer. I was really confused by her pronounciation. This is how language gets misinterpretted and words get changed.
@@muddeeewenched854 and did you KNOW that the English language is "statistically" the hardest language to learn bcz of ALL our slangs, and bcz of where SOME of our language derived from , (e.g. latin) i got A's and B's in English BUT some of the "spellings" are just crazy. it IS wat it is, but we dont have to like it, huh?😁 LOVE.💛 i found that quite interesting at 51 years old😏
@@cillastricklnd2988 i am from the uk born and bred i live on the south coast of england and i find it amusingly irritating that americans can pronounce the words SOLDering Iron but cant say the word SOLDer. It is an observation. And having viewed LOTS of american tutorials i can now deduce they couldn't all have had the same class tutor who mis pronounced the word in the first place. The word is SOLDer not sodder. . . ;) P.s... i am 57 and discovered the mispronunciation today as i am really interested in teaching myself to SOLDer clasps i want to make for some crafts i have made instead of buying stock ones anyone can have. I love learning new skills but it bugs me when words get lost because no one bothers to point out honest mistakes and help correct them :) Giod vibrations across the miles from Dorset to you :) _/!\_
Whew, wish I had watched this last year before I took a soldering class, I would have been able to follow the class much better. I'm trying again, so this is a great reminder.
Just an FYI steel causes a reaction that pulls the copper in silver to the surface thus copper plating the piece. Ive been learning alot about this lately. So the peice touching the steel in your pickle is the only one that gets effected. The steel does not actually contaminate the pickle. But its always best to use copper tongs only. I hope this is helpful.
I believe even if you use fine silver it will copper plate if it touches steel in the pickle. Im guessing it pulls copper from the p8ckle solution as well.
I just lost my 23 yr old son and I want to do something special with his hair and beard clippings. I thought of doing resin necklaces with tiny handmade valknut charms in with it. He was my first born child and I’m so lost not having him. He is and will always be my miracle, my Viking, my warrior, my hero. I just have no idea how to make Valknut symbols since I’ve never done any sort of metalworking. Could you give me some tips, or maybe do a quick video that I could follow…anything would help. Thank you in advance.
She is a good teacher and obviously knows the theory behind what she is teaching. As someone who, along with his insurance companies, have spent over $50K on eye and retina surgery in the past three years, I hate to see the safety glasses unused, on the table, doing "nothing for nobody."
thank you so much, one of the best instruction video for this 👍. Question, would there be anything different for soldering copper rings? the type of paste solder? thank you so much 🙏🏼🌷
I took a soldering course for 8 weeks back in 2019 and this was so well explained. You covered all the basic I learned in my 8 week course in a less than 10 minute video.
I learned something new today. I never thought about using a torch to make small solder as used in jewellery making. I've always used a torch for soldering plumbing pipes and used soldering iron for soldering electrical wires. Thank you. You've given me another way to use a torch.
I soldered for over 40 years and i woukd recommend that you wore sfety glasses and have a small fan pulling that smoke away from your face , for safety😊
Having had 10+ years of soldering with a soldering iron in an electronics factory, I believe you did a very good explanation of the kind of technique. From experience I can tell you that if the solder joint looks grainy and grey, it becomes a cold solder joint that may not stay soldered over time. If you have any more questions about soldering, I may be able to help you out.
Hi, lovely! 3 questions - 1) how and in what do you store pickling solution; and 2) with flux paste - lots of the options say "tin solder paste" - what is best for precious metals please? 3) is there an advantage to using honeycomb soldering board? Thanks kindly!
This was so helpful for me as a visual learner and so easy to follow. Thank you for simplifying such crucial info into digestible and entertaining content! ❤
Pickle is often made of citric acid but is generally a liquid acid compound that can remove oxidation in jewelry. You can buy it here: www.jtv.com/product/pickle-pot-with-citric-acid/JSTKIT0006?rrec=true
Why are Americans pronouncing soldering as soddering? I know Americans have completely ruined the English language, however this is beyond comprehension. How is grass - sod, as in laying a sod, and melting metal related???
at 9 minutes 50 seconds i pause to tell you, thank you, i now understand the whole flux thing, I am now subscribed and gonna binge watch. In 9 minutes you clarified for me a great mystery that prevented me from moving forward, thank you and bravo!
I LOVE your video! I want to start soldering hand crafted simple jewelry, but I use a lot of rose gold fill and gold fill for wire wrapping. Do you have videos on how to solder wire wrap using gold fill and also rose gold fill that ends up looking seamless? PLEASE refer me those videos. I want to make some jewelry for holiday gifting. Do you also have videos on how to solder using a plug in soldering tool instead of a torch?
Unfortunately, we do not have any videos on that at this time. However, I do solder with rose gold and gold filled wire. It is tricky and although not completely seamless, with a little skill, it is possible to do with professional results. One trick is to a use a lower karat solder than the wire you are soldering (ie 10k for 12k gold filled). The color match will be much better!
Solder tends to flow towards the heat. You can absolutely fill a gap with solder. Example: when plumbing two copper pipes together, you slip one over the other or use a fitting in the middle to slip each pipe over to join them together. Then you have to solder the two together, ie fill in the gap all the way around the circumference of the pipe so no water leaks out. I've done it a hundred times. If you want to fill a gap, you heat above or below the spot, right at the very edge of it. Once the metal is hot enough you put the solder to the hot metal in such a way that it will fill the gap as it flows towards your flame. It will fill the gap easily and quickly. Remember, solder always tends to flow towards the heat, so if you keep your flame in place and then touch the solder to the metal, the solder will liquefy and flow nicely towards said flame. Just be sure to use the proper solder. It comes in different thicknesses so you don't have too much solder on the piece. Otherwise it will become messy looking.
It's much easier to add & position the solder paste in place before you heat. It's easier to position & control the amount. Best practice: cool the piece in water before placing in the pickle. When starting to work on larger pieces, it can spit. Its ok for a home hobbiests who just wants to make for themselves & friends, but if you are serious about how to make jewellery, you'll need to learn to use a jeweller's saw. Those cutters are useless when you start making thicker, larger pieces. I wouldn't use them on thin wire either, but it seems like lots of people do in the US.
Nice video, but as regards the pickle..when you "contaminate" your pickle, it is because you have introduced Ferous metal..iron..which causes electrolytic plating-in other words, causes the copper in your solution to plate any non ferous metal in the fluids..
There are so many different types of soldering pastes. I don’t know which one to buy? Which one do I purchase for soldering jewelry and where can I buy it locally?
Hi Alice! Look for #65 Easy Sterling Silver paste solder but not sure about local stores in your particular area. Good luck -- would love to see your projects!
Pickling is simply dissolving firescale from the top layer of your piece after it has been heated. It's called pickling because jewelers used to remove firescale with a solution of alum, which is the same compound used to make pickles. There are lots of great solutions out there. Grab one, follow the instructions, and let us know how it goes! We will definitely add a future video on this to the list :)
Hi Susan, suppose I want to make a brass jump ring instead of silver, would I use the same process including the pickle liquid? Your video is wonderful!
Pickling refers to a chemical process which uses a weak acid solution to remove firescale from the metal you have heated up..if you heat metal hot enough to solder, the oxygen in the surrounding air causes firescale-leaves the surface Of the metal discolored..pickle eats this coating off .Also ,one uses flux (a coating of boric acid) To prevent oxides from attaching to the solder joint, allowing solder to flow freely onto the surfaces to be joined, and pickle removes this coating of melted flux after you have soldered the joint.
Spot on 101 and very informative. I've been soldering for years but never heard it explained this easy when I started. Will share this with others...Good Job!!!
This was great. Thank you. I would very much appreciate tutorials on soldering different metals and techniques for creating broader range of jewelry. Like settings for rings to attach other pieces. For example: create a wide band ring with a flat piece of metal on top to hold a small cabochon stone. Hope that makes sense. Thank you
I kind of feel like an idiot, because I could have saved myself $37 and not have paid for the official course, and would have gotten better quality video, and more useful information out of this video alone than I would have actually the paid course.
Thank you, Marianne! Pickle is often made of citric acid but is generally a liquid acid compound that can remove oxidation in jewelry. You can buy it here: www.jtv.com/product/pickle-pot-with-citric-acid/JSTKIT0006?rrec=true
LOL, at 8:15 = "You have to be very careful with your pickle. Only use copper tongs." At 8:25 = "Steel will contaminate your pickle" But at 5:01 and at 5:21, you cool off your steel solder pick in the pickle...?
Kathleen m No. You are right, i am not perfect. I make mistakes too, which is only human. Mistakes are a natural part of any learning proces. Nor am i asking or expecting anyone to be perfect. Nor do i Mind if anybody makes a little joke about it, When i make a mistakes. Its okay (and healthy) to have a humorous approach and Some self-irony towards yourself and these innocent mistakes. One shouldnt be so serious regarding these matters. I wasnt trying to be rude or anything, i just thought it was a little funny. So i hereby apologize if i have offended anyone. ❤️
I have a sterling silver bracelet with broken clasps on both end and want to remove the old solder in order to put on two new clasps. Can you tell me how to remove the old solder? Thank you.
I actually started soldering but my ring has some left overs of soldering paste or crumbs do you know why? I feel like maybe im not leaving enough time in the pickle??
@Roger Felton pickling can be purchased off the shelf or for smaller uses (like for me), you make pickle with vinegar and salt. At least that's what I learned. Even in food, pickling requires salt. Usually the measurement is one cup vinegar to one tablespoon salt. Heat the vinegar in the microwave to boiling. Add the salt to the vinegar and stir with wooden, plastic, or your copper tongs. Do not use metal. Keep the solution warm in a crock-pot or I use a mug warmer that gets very hot. It's pretty straightforward.
What's the pickle made of? There are some design variances in butane torches. All the ones I've ever had, have had a choke on them too. The choke allows user to adjust the air/fuel mixture to really dial in the temperature of the flame. 99% of my soldering experience has come from plumbing. I've only used soldering paste on a few occasions remodeling an old iconic wooden hotel where we used an electric device to heat the joints so we wouldn't burn down the place that still had lots of guests. But I wanted to point out that there are more reasons soldering attempts fail. Our 2 most common are dirty surface and too much heat. Surface must be shiny clean to bare metal and too much heat will evaporate away all the flux
Hello! Pickle is often made of citric acid but is generally a liquid acid compound that can remove oxidation in jewelry. You can buy it here: www.jtv.com/product/pickle-pot-with-citric-acid/JSTKIT0006?rrec=true
Love this video! Thank you so much for making it simple and easy to understand! Going to try my hand at it and will probably do a video on it since it will be a super hectic moment 😅
I really would like to begin soldering - right now I just make wire jewelry. But I am worried about the fumes created by the flux as I have read it can be toxic to your body. Do you use an extractor to get the fumes out of the room? Just wondering... :) Great vid, btw!! Thank you so much!
There are benchtop extractors you can use for small jobs. This is similar to one I would use at work. www.amazon.com/dp/B001RLZGKK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_q7UADbPRB0NJ9
J J nor did she truly explain the terms she used and other essential tools like the pickle, the spray flux and copper tweezer🤦🏽♀️. This explains why she couldn’t do it on her own after the class- completely half-assed with poor attention to details!
Thank you so much for this tutorial! I have been wanting to learn how to make my own jewelry for a while and it’s been difficult to find simple videos that outline how to make jewelry that is not just beaded stuff! Thank you!!!
The solder I am working in this video with does NOT contain lead. When shopping, always look for solder that is lead and cadmium free. If it does not say that, I do not recommend using it! In this video, I am working with a silver solder paste meant to solder sterling or fine silver. The color will match those metals best. It is easiest to join like metals, but different metals can be joined with practice! I have never worked with stainless steel, so I cannot address that question.
@@JewelSchool nowadays stainless steel is catching popularity because its very sturdy (steel says it all) cheaper than gold and silver, better than copper, do not tarnish, looks like silver, retains its shine plus doesn't have any allergic reactions ( we use stainless steel in utensils). Thanks for giving your advice it was as valuable as jewel(real gold and silver) to me 😄.
One last thing, stainless steel is recyclable also, you can melt and use it again, ie you can give stainless steel to recycling center, but you have to separate it from other metals,which is a piece of cake for a noble German.
Fun fact Flux is actually used in welding too! The main use for flux in welding, and soldering is to purify the metal, and the atmosphere around the metal as well. The flux will make sure that when the molten metal is still liquid, that it doesn't pick up any contaminates from the atmosphere or from the metal itself. Flux keeps your molten metal clean. Which helps it behave in a way that's easier to manipulate, and keep it pure. The only time that flux isn't required in welding is if there's a shielding gas to protect the weld. Which functions in the same way, it's there to keep the atmosphere around the metal pure!
I've dabbled in micro-maille, do you think I'm being overly ambitious by trying to start on such small rings? I mean like 24 gauge 3/32 i.d. rings. Very tiny. Any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. #1 takeaway(s) are: spray flux is a must, paste solder the only way to go, and I need a better torch. Does it make sense to try to solder such small stuff? Edit: I just made a quick video on my break to describe what I'm working with: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zULtUVFMu2A.html
Haha! The SAME thing happened to me, I took a class, got home and couldn't make anything, it all fell apart! Thank you VERY much for the tutorial, you gave me confidence to try again today!
Wonderfully organized, concise and info filled video. You are a great teacher AND presenter - which is difficult to find. I took several classes as well and came home to practice. I worked for about 4 frustrating hours just to figure out the portable mini torch as our instructor wouldn’t teach us about it and said it was ineffective! I muddled my way through and now am able to use it for many projects and pieces. Wish I would have found your video sooner! Will be watching any other videos you have made. Thank you for taking the time to help others wanting to learn this! Bravo to you.
I’ve never done this before but I have lab experience. What is the “pickle” solution & what is its purpose ? Excellent demo, I picked up some great tips. I found 4 x types & thicknesses of solder wire in my late fathers tools, I’m quite sure it’s no more than a decade old, can this be used in jewellery or just junk it & buy fresh? The thicker guage solder looks like silver but the thin older soft wire is grey, possibly lead which I can’t use. Can you tell the type by sight or could an expert know? Sorry for the dumb Q’s, I’ve forgotten a lot in my senior years
I went to school of jewelry making in Italy. And its awesome..they really specialize this skills and advance in technogy.. you just need to learn Italian. 😂
I've made "rings" for hoop earrings (after watching this video) from sterling silver and then oxidized them with Liver of Sulfur. I'll polish out the highlights and leave some of the LOS in the crevices. I'd like to seal the finish. I have a finishing lacquer and Fabulustre polishing compound. Do I use a polishing compound first and then the lacquer? Will it adhere if there is a layer of compound under it? Or do I seal it with the lacquer first and then polish? So much to learn! Thank you!
So should I buy all the individual tools like you have in this video or could I start with my soldering starter kit I got from Michael’s the arts and crafts store?
