Brian, I have done that and relied on vigor heat shield to protect the
seed pearls. I found that the heat being applied that close still caused
some to reach the pearls and since they are so tiny and recessed into the
ring or held by prongs, they burned up and iI had to relace them. They
can be hard to match their color if they are really old.I suggest trying
to remove them or let the customer know they will probably need to be
replaced (at their risk). Good luck with your project. Patty in MO.
Hi everybody: I need to know the pros and cons of the different
"Heat Shield" products. I am going to be sizing some jewellery
with some pretty nice stones which won’t take the heat. I used
to work for a mall jeweller and the stones were for the most part
cheap, I used to either not protect the stone(apart from boric
acid) at all(worked fast), or I would take a piece of paper towel
and soak it in water and wrap it around the stone. Can anyone
help?
Sincerely,
Cary James
if that good of stones remove them!! if you have a lot of
experiences the vigor heat shield will work for you. now if you
are working on silver this might not help the heat will travel to
the stone fast so you must work fast to solder keep all your heat
on the work area. good luck jvp
Cary: Look for a product called “Kool-Jewel” at your favorite
supply house. It’s a water-based, day-glo orange jell that I’ve
used for years. It’s also reusable if you simply replace the
water heat takes out. Pack it over and around your
heat-sensetive stones - even small emeralds - and if kept wet, it
will protect well. After use, simply shake off & steam clean.
Steve Klepinger
Hello Cary:
Hi everybody: I need to know the pros and cons of the different "Heat Shield" products.
How about soldering with the stones underwater?I made a web page
that shows how.
Michael Mathews Victoria,Texas USA
Cary: Look for a product called "Kool-Jewel" at your favorite supply house.
That post gave me an idea. My wife (who is Head Gardener) was
given a sample of a gardening material called ‘Yates Waterwell’
(it will be called something else in other countries, but I’ll
bet gardening shops anywhere stock it.) One puts it under new
plants to help keep their roots damp. It is in the form of very
small crystalline granules; one soaks them overnight and each
granule swells into a blob of clear jelly over 1/2" thick.
Would these be suitable to pack around stones in a ring? I don’t
do much sizing or repronging these days, myself; however, when I
did, I immersed the stone head in a shallow dish of water and
used a tiny oxy-propane flame to swiftly solder the joins in low
carat and sterling rings. Just a cent’s worth? Cheers,
/ \
/ /
/ /
/ /__| \ @John_Burgess2
(______)
At sunny Nelson NZ
John Why use a product not made for jewelry use when there are
so many availale and tested specifically for jewelry?
G’day: because I am a sideways-thinking contrary sort of cuss!
When I see something new, the first thing that comes into my
mind is, “Yes, OK, but what else could it do?” Comes of having
a funny ‘mind’. Cheers
/ \
/ /
/ /
/ /__| \ @John_Burgess2
(______)
At sunny Nelson NZ
Hi John, The material that these water retention gels are
usually made out of is polyacrylamide. We use these gels in
biotech all of the time and I can tell you that even hydrated,
anything more than a modest amount of heat will make it melt and
behave strangely. I have no info on the possibility of toxic
fumesthat could be released on heating. I would reccomend
looking up the MSDS and if it looks ok trying it out on something
I didn’t care too much about.
Just my two cents!
Nikki
A product I have been using for a few years is RectorRshield. A
valves and controls protector used while Welding, brazing and
soldering… never had even the beginning of a problem… comes
in a very large tube . . local plumbing or possibly welding
shop.
Jim