Hello everyone! This is my first post. (Please ignore double post-struggling with signing up to ganoksin too lol)
I really hope there are some brilliant minds that can help me with this. I have read a couple of the posts on here about this topic but I’m still struggling, so I thought I would ask a specific question or two (or 5) to get some advice.
I’m making a pendant. There’s a silver stamped wire (2mm) running 2/3 around a 14k bezel with 5 14k balls completing the perimeter of the bezel. All of this is on a 1.2mm thick 925 silver backplate.
I have tried a few different times and had “almost success”. We all know that almost success doesn’t cut it.
I feel like my issue has to do with heat management. On this latest try one of the five balls melted a bit more than the others and now the piece has to be remade again.
I am using an acetylene Smith Torch that uses atmosphere, not bottled oxygen. I have all of the tips available for it, should I be using the smallest one? A middle sized one? I believe I have been using a size one which is the middle one. My speculation is that is too big but I’m not sure.
I’m using boric acid in alcohol as my flux.
I have been heating the piece from below to heat up the silver, but maybe I should be heating the gold from above.
I am adding the gold parts first, then the silver wire. I am using 14 K hard solder and then the silver stamped wire with soft solder later.
I used a ball bur to create seats for the balls in the backplate and sweat soldered them to make soldering them easier.
I have no problem with silver to silver or brass to silver, I’m just struggling with gold to silver. Thank you for any insights!