Hi Rosamind,
Congrats on your first post!
When fusing or soldering any metal, it is always important to get
both pieces of metal to the same temperature. So, in this case, I
would apply the heat in a circle around the flower, and perhaps
behind it, but no heat at all directly onto the small flower.
If you want to learn how to fuse Argentium Silver, I recommend Ronda
Coryell’s first AS video. In the meantime, here is a summary:
FUSING ARGENTIUM SILVER By Cynthia Eid
Argentium Sterling is wonderfully easy to fuse. My understanding of
why AS is easier to fuse than Fine Silver is that because FS is a
pure metal, it has a very short temperature range at which it melts
and fuses. Alloys have wider ranges of melting temperatures, and AS
has a very wide range of temperatures at which it melts and fuses.
The large temperature range makes AS fairly “forgiving” for fusing,
compared to most other silver alloys.
Process Summary:
[] Prepare the joint so that the metal is clean, and meets well.
[] Flux the joint.
-My favorite flux for this is Rio Grande's My-T-Flux, but
Battern's works too, and when I taught in England last summer, I
thought that Auflux worked fine.
-Though it is possible to fuse dirty metal that does not touch
well, without flux, those are not ideal conditions for consistent
success.
[] Use a heat-reflective soldering surface.
-- My favorite is solderite; Ronda's favorite is charcoal.
Honeycomb blocks and firebricks are also quite heat reflective,
but the rough surfaces they have may have an effect on the
surface of the AS.
-- It is best to use a block that is used only for AS, to avoid
contaminating the surface, thus preserving the
tarnish-resistance.
[] Do what is necessary for you to see the joint well when it flows.
-- I like to set things up so that the joint will be near my eye
level. I do this by raising the soldering surface, or lowering
the chair, or both.
-- I like to wear a magnifier so that I can see the joint well.
-- I like lots of light, but Ronda likes to dim the lights. What
is right for you is what works best for you.
[] Heat the areas adjacent to the joint.
-- Be sure to use a large enough flame. I find that it is better
to use a larger flame quickly than a too-small flame for too
long.
-- Watch the flux-it is a good indicator of temperature.
-- Here is something I learned from Ronda Coryell: When the flux
separates into tiny droplets, then you know that the metal is
almost at fusing temperature.
[] When the metal fuses, the joint looks to me like it has been
soldered
--- I see a "fillet" of molten metal at the joint. That is what
I watch for, whether I am fusing a joint in a ring, or a granule
to sheet. The surface of the silver often melts and looks liquid.
Some people say it looks like mercury.
[] Do not be afraid to bring it back to fusing temperature, in order
to be sure that you have a good joint. It is also perfectly ok to
re-do the whole thing after pickling and rinsing well, if the joint
did not fuse well.
[] Remember that AS is fragile when red-hot.
-- Allow it to cool to at least black-hot before touching it
with tweezers.
-- Both quenching and air-cooling are okay.
---- If you quench, it is okay if the metal sizzles when it
hits the water. If there is a more explosive reaction, then the
metal was too hot, which may make the metal more brittle.
---- Fully air-cooled silver is not much harder than silver
that has been quenched at black heat, in my opinion. Therefore,
I recommend patience before quenching.
[] Pickle, rinse well, and finish the piece. (See other articles for
finishing tips to maximize tarnish-resistance.)
Cynthia Eid
(leaving for England tonight—demonstrating AS at the Association for
Contemporary Jewellery, and then teaching at the jewelry school in
Birmingham.)