14KY Gold Cold Connection

Jewelry Discussion
1

I am trying to make a cold connection (heating the metal to create a
ball) with 14ky using semi precious beads. First I tried top drilled
teardrop garnet, then moonstone roundelles, then round garnet beads.
Not all on one piece, but testing each one. However each stone
shattered or split down an inclusion. I checked them under 10x and
didn’t see any inclusions, but I guess there were some. I am using
propane for soldering/heating. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Rachael

2

So you’re sweating (melting) a ball at the end of some 14ct wire
that’s first fed through some drilled stones? The stones you have
mentioned do not like this sort of heat in the slightest, and will
at the very least discolour, and at worst shatter.

If you’re melting the ball first then feeding through the stones,
are you having to force the wire through (ie: is the wire slightly
too thick)?

Dale Porter