Brass colored silver solder?

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi,

I just joined the group, although I used to be a member several years
ago. I make brass items some of which are on display at

http://www.shelbyvision.com/tradmedia.htm.

My questions are about brass solder. I really would like to find some
in wire form. I have some in sheet form that I got from Rio Grande,
and it works OK, but for larger size jobs, wire solder is much easier
and more efficient. Unfortunately, the only wire brass solder I can
find contains cadmium. I don’t have any ventilation system for my
soldering, so I’m a little concerned about the cadmium.

Question 1: Does anyone know of a source for brass colored silver
solder in wire form that does not contain cadmium?

Question 2: How toxic is cadmium? Do I really have to worry about it
if I only use it occasionally? Is it any more toxic than fluoride in
flux?

Thank you,
Steve Shelby

2

Hi Steve,

You could cut the sheet solder in thin strips, that would work the
same as wire.

Alain

3 
You could cut the sheet solder in thin strips, that would work the
same as wire.

Thanks, I thought of that, and I might try that if I can’t find any
other solution.

Steve

4

A slow response to this question… The silver brazing alloys that
contain copper start to lose the silver tint as the copper content
increases. There are many alloys that have a brass tint that do not
contain cadmium. I have used mostly easyflow 35 - but the cadmium
containing one for about 40 years on and off. I don’t try to breath
in the vapours along with flourides from the active fluxes. Never
smoked though- still kicking.

If you look through the modern listings you will find many cadmium
free alloys and some cadmium containing. Some of the suppliers have
discontinued making selling cadmium containing versions totally… It
won’t be hard to find brass colored ones. The degree of color
matching acceptibility is up to you see:

http://www.jwharris.com/jwprod/hisilverbrazealloys/

http://www.brazing.com/products/Braze_silver/

http://tinyurl.com/dk6wc

http://www.lucas-milhaupt.com/ part of Handy and Harmon

Joining with parent metal as the filler material is really welding –
you probably don’t want to do this since you don’t wish to melt the
parts just the filler.

You should be able to get close to what you want. Download the
reference guides!

A harder job is matching copper color. with a brazing alloy. In this
content only gilding metal ( 95% copper 5%zinc) comes close. in a
reasonably available material…

You will find a few alloys that contain that contain a small
percentage of nickel- these are not jewelry fabrication materials but
are intended for brazing stainless steel where they wet the surface a
bit better. Allergy conditions are an individual issue.

jesse

5 
A slow response to this question..
http://www.jwharris.com/jwprod/hisilverbrazealloys/
http://www.brazing.com/products/Braze_silver/
http://tinyurl.com/dk6wc http://www.lucas-milhaupt.com/ part of
Handy and Harmon

jesse

An even slower response on my part! I just looked back in the
archives to double check, and there was your message. I checked out
the links, and it looks like I should be able to get what I was
seeking. Thank you very much.

Steve Shelby