Garnet sand and filigree

Jewelry Discussion
1

Thanx for your advise oh sage ones out there. I have just started
some filigree work with garnet sand and it isn’t as easy as I thought
it would be. After setting it up in the dry sand I try and put my
paste solder onto the places to be joined. The piece sinks into the
sand, the paste ends up with sand all over it and the whole thing
becomes a right mess. Maybe I would have better luck with a charcoal
block but I don’t really want to be defeated by garnet sand as yet.
Thank you so much for such a wonderful forum!!! Addy

2 
   After setting it up in the dry sand I try and put my paste
solder onto the places to be joined.  The piece sinks into the
sand, the paste ends up with sand all over it and the whole thing
becomes a right mess.

I hope someone will give you (and me) on how to use
garnet sand as a prop for soldering. I had the exact same
experience that you described and gave up! I placed the garnet sand
in a 4.5" X 4.5" X 1" cast iron pan on top of pumice in the
annealing pan. The pieces that I tried to prop up with the sand
invariably tipped over and ended up being a mess of flux and sand.
In addition, when I set the garnet sand/pan aside, it became a
target for anything nearby that fell or rolled over, such as flux
dispenser bottles, tweezers, etc., which resulted in scattering
garnet sand everywhere. It seemed like a good idea, but qualifies
as a purchase that never worked out for me. Nancy

3

I have used the Garnet sand in a damp/wet state to cover the stone
in a ring while sizing (can’t remember what type of stone just now
but it was heat sensitive)- this also held the ring in the proper
position for soldering. But the joint was in the air not near the
sand.

I have also seen a filigree bowl formed over 'molded and dried’
garnet sand. The sand was first wet and placed in a glass bowl, and
allowed to dry and harden. The filigree pieces were then formed and
laid up against the hard form for soldering. If I remember correctly
the person was using chips of solder. It worked great and I have
always thought I would like to try it myself.

I can see how paste solder might be harder to ‘keep clean’ but then
I have never been very fond of paste solder.

Lorri

4 
The pieces that I tried to prop up with the sand invariably tipped
over and ended up being a mess of flux and sand

Hi Nancy, It sounds like you may have used it without adding water?
Add some water to the garnet sand and mix it up to the consistency
of clay, then you can set your pieces into it and solder. The sand
does act like a heat sink so you will have to be attentive to your
flame. If you did add water, then I’m not sure what went wrong.

Marta