I have been developing a line of jewelry using textured sheet that I have been creating using small sheets of Sterling, with smaller pieces of Sterling sheet or or wire on top, then fusing the works together.
I decided to experiment with Argentium as there are a lot of folks that are very enthusiastic about the ease with fusing and some issues I have had with regular sterling not always cooperating and fully fusing when I am creating my “stock” sheets.
The issue that I am having I suspect might be due to overheating, but thought I would run this by everyone. I have somehow created bubbles between the two sheets of Argentium. I am using My-T-Flux or maybe at this point Batterns as I ran out of the My-T (is there really a difference) and air-acetylene. New solder board. The first piece I tried hammering out the bubbles, but of course they reappeared when heated again.
Thanks in advance! I so appreciate this community!
Edie
No flux needed for fusing Argentium, but pieces need to be flat to each other so as not to trap air. You can’t hammer out trapped air. If bubbles appear you need to drill a hole for the air to escape before reheating.
Just a note that while you don’t need flux for firescale or flow for Argentium fusing, you WILL get carbon deposits on it from air acetylene that will need polishing off. Acetylene is just a dirty fuel overall.
Thank you everyone! I am still having trouble with the bubbling, and have tried altering overall heat, heating from above, annealing well first, making sure everything is as flat as humanly possible. Is it possible it COULD be overheating? I am beginning to wonder if it could be the sheet that I bought. Could it be?
I do have a few other ideas to try to troubleshoot the issue, one of which is to purchase some more sheet of a different gauge, or purchase from another supplier (would manufacturer be the same?) but would appreciate any other input.
Blech. Very frustrating!
Try fusing without a flux. This problem has been discussed on other forums and it has been proved that it is the flux causing the bubbles. It is not just an Argentium problem, the same thing happens with standard sterling when you solder sheet together which has a large over lap. The advantage with Argentium is that you can fuse it without a flux.
Ok thank you! I will try that…I was hesitant but you all have convinced me.
Curious about the other forums you refer to, Peter.
I think I have combed the threads here pretty extensively, but maybe I missed something.
Is there somewhere else you might suggest?
A British Jeweller Annette Petch did the experimental work to show the technique worked. Annette unfortunately cannot not remember which FaceBook forum she posted the results and suggested it might have been, Argentium Silver Artists Forum or The Society of British Jewellers.
Update, everyone!
I omitted the use of flux and bingo!
No more bubbles, save a small part that I am pretty sure was not perfectly flat.
Thanks for all of your help and thanks for this amazing, positive, encouraging and open community!