I’m trying to figure out the best to fuse fine silver for champleve. I’ve tried torch firing and have melted a lot of silver but have only successfully fused one piece. I want to attempt kiln firing next but don’t want to waste more silver, so I thought I’d check if fusing fine silver in a kiln is even a thing.
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Fusing fine silver is kinda like walking a tight rope over the Grand Canyon with out a net. The same with platinum and high karat gold.
My best tip is to turn the lights down or off in the studio. This way you can see the subtle shifts in the color of your metal. I do the same when I am soldering with hard solder, IT solder or on any dicy soldering job. Also What kind of fuel are you using with your torch? We use Natural Gas and Oxygen. When fusing, or say soldering a tiny bezel on a big base I use a softish flame that has a little yellow in it. They I fan the flame really fast over and over the pieces like a maniac. Then when the paste flux turns clear and runny and I see that the metal is ready I increase the oxygen while holding the torch twisting the knob with my right hand. Then and only then do I point the flame at the spot I want fused. It makes my butt pucker every time.
So get some scrap and practice until you are only a little scared.
Jo
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Are you trying to fuse the pierced plate to the back plate?
A kiln gives you excellent temperature control. You could tin the back of the front plate with IT solder, pierce the cells, then sweat the front and back plates together in the kiln.
The other thing you could do is use the kiln to colloidal solder the two plates together. Colloidal soldering is the technique used in granulation.
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You may have already seen this, but Sandra McEwen fuses her work and has quite a few videos. She also has a video on how she mixes a Fusing Liquid.
It’s frustrating to melt your fine silver but if you have a rolling mill you can turn it back into plate.
Good luck!
Pam
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I was able to do it in the kiln. I cooked it at 1500 for a few minutes and it fused nicely.Colloidal soldering is an interesting technique, I think I’m going to try it.
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I was going to suggest the same thing.