Clip-on earrings

Jewelry Discussion
1

I am having difficulty soldering clip-on lever backs to earrings I am
making. Completely lose the spring action and the earring falls off
when worn. Any suggestions about methods that will work, or type of
clip-on back to use. Also, is my only choice a Sparkie fusion
welder? Thanks.

Razine M. Wenneker, Manager
Ellie Rose LINK-ABLE Designs, L.L.C.
Site: www.link-able.com
Email: @Razine_Wenneker1

2

I take the clip assembly apart, then solder and reassemble the clip.

Diane

3

Try taking the pin out of the lever part.(where it hinges)
Solder,then put a rivet type pin back.

4

Hi Razine, I remove the spring clip, solder the spring holder, then
snap the spring back in. Marta enjoying the unusually cool summer
in Sacto.

5

Raznine, you must take the clip assembly apart, and solder the base
to the earring. After pickle and polish, simply reassemble.

Curtis

6

razine - you have to use the ‘easy’ solder with the lower melting
temperature or the heat will take the temper out of the spring backs

  • good luck -

ive

7

This is not a fun one. What you have to do is take apart the finding
and remove the spring before soldering. Then when the base is
soldered on reassemble, putting the spring back in. It takes a
little fumbling. Steve

8

The earring parts have to be taken apart before soldering. Solder on
the part without the spring and then join the parts —
a nuicance, but necessary.

9

The earring clip on backs I use are two part solder the base
and then put the paddle on works fine that way these are available at
Rio Grande Thunderbird Supply Indian Jewelry Supply and others

10

Razine, It sounds to me that you are not removing the clip from the
base before soldering. The reason the omega shaped wire is only
temporarily held in place by a wire is so that it can be removed
before soldering and then riveted after the base is soldered in
place. Otherwise, the heat from the flame removes the spring temper
from the omega clip.

This should solve the problem. If you don’t want to replace all the
omega springs that have lost their tension, try removing them and
opening and closing the spring till it is rehardened then rerivet
them, this will not totally restore it’s original temper, but it
will make the clip much more springy and perhaps usable.

Larry Seiger
LS Hancock Design Studio

11

Hi Razine, It’s really easy to improperly assemble the clip on type
findings… even though it looks right. I’ve actually had to
unsolder the pieces from the back of a pair, then rotate the findings
90 degrees and resolder. I have to figure it out again every time I
have to make a pair of them for my mom or my mother-in-law. I recently
discovered that the Rio Grande catalog has diagrams on the page with
the findings that illustrate the proper assembly. Just one more reason
to keep the Rio catalog close at hand! :wink:

If you’re certain the findings are assembled correctly, there is an
inexpensive little tensioner tool you can buy from many vendors, or
probably make yourself, to adjust or increase the spring tension.

Hope this helps,

Dave
Dave Sebaste
Sebaste Studio and
Carolina Artisans’ Gallery
Charlotte, NC (USA)
dave@sebaste.com

12

Hello Razine,

 I am having difficulty soldering clip-on lever backs to earrings I
am making.  Completely lose the spring action and the earring falls
off when worn.  Any suggestions about methods that will work, or
type of clip-on back to use.  Also, is my only choice a Sparkie
fusion welder? 

You need to disassemble the backs so that only the basal attachment

is soldered. Most clip findings come already apart or are designed
so that you can open a loop or spread supports apart to easily remove
the clip. Once soldered and polished, replace the clip and close the
loop or re-align the supports. The tension is unchanged, but you may
need to adjust it for your customer’s comfort. I do this frequently
with ordinary solder and torch, so the Sparkie is not necessary. Hope
this helps, Judy in Kansas, where heat advisories are still in effect.
Stay cool.

Judy M. Willingham, R.S.
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
237 Seaton Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan KS 66506
(785) 532-2936

13 
    I am having difficulty soldering clip-on lever backs to
earrings I am making.  Completely lose the spring action and the
earring falls off when worn.  Any suggestions about methods that
will work, or type of clip-on back to use.  Also, is my only choice
a Sparkie fusion welder?  Thanks.

Hello Razine, You must solder on the base of the clip before
assembly. If the clips are already assembled when you get them, you
must disassemble them. To disassemble, spread the hinge point at the
base enough to pop out the lever back.

There are other fusion welders, but they are much more expensive. I
used to work at a company that had three or four. We used them for
attaching exclusively for earring posts. The machines had automatic
feeds for the earring posts. A operator could attach posts to several
earrings in a minute. We had machines built by two or three companies.
I think one of them was ABI.

Personally I find that soldered joints are more reliable. Fusion
joints must be aligned perfectly and the voltages must be set
differently for each metal. The failure rate is higher than I can
accept, for me that number is zero.

Timothy A. Hansen
TAH Handcrafted Jewelry
web-site: www.tah-handcrafted-jewelry.com
e-mail: @Timothy_A_Hansen1

14

Orchid Members:

I have recently had quite a few women come in to my gallery looking
for well-designed, creative, interesting clip-on earrings and I
carry very few. (There is a market out there for someone who wants
to fill it.) But in the meantime, do any of you Orchidians have
pictures of earrings you have designed that you would send me -
email or snail mail?

Email address - info@wmrichey.com
Regular Mail - Richey Jewelry Gallery, 15 Wharf Street, Portland, ME
04101
Telephone - 207.772.5252

Thank you - Marlene Richey

15

Hi Marlene. I too felt there is a need for clip-on earrings so they
are an option with my reusable BEADifferentT findings for lampworked
beads. I don’t make clip earrings as a matter of course but I do
make them for some of my regular jewelry clients who wear clip
earrings. Are you looking for some earrings to carry in your gallery
or for an occasional special design/order? Pam Chott Song of the
Phoenix www.songofthephoenix.com http://www.songofthephoenix.com/