Does anyone know what the IT means related to IT solder? Also
appreciated good uses for or against using IT solder.
Thanks,
Luisa J.Does anyone know what the IT means related to IT solder? Also appreciated good uses for or against using IT solder.
Hello from Turkey to all of you, I don’t know what IT means but
I’m using it to solder the pieces to be enameled. It has the
highest melting point of all the solders.The melting point is
close to sterling silver. Composition: 80 Ag, 16 Cu, 4 Zn,
melting point:1330=B0F or 721=B0C, flow:1490=B0F or810=B0C, color whit=
e. I
have looked for this in Jewelry Concepts and
Technology from Oppi Untracht. Kind regards to you all. Oya
Does anyone know what the IT means related to IT solder? Also appreciated good uses for or against using IT solder.
How bout, just as a guess, “intense temperature”? (grin) As far
as uses, a seam with the stuff won’t show, and won’t break.
Good as a weld. And of course, it won’t melt under your enamel,
either. It’s main intended use is for pieces that require this
last ability, to not melt while being enamelled. but for other
initial joints that need that invisibility and strength, and can
be done using that high a temp without damage to the piece, it’s
great stuff.
Peter Rowe
Hello Peter! IT solder is handy when you need it I use it for
plates, bezels, etc., when they must be soldered to ster.
tubing. Probably my most often need for this solder. Thought I’d
add that.
Tim
I T solder is great to use in marriage of metals because of
its high melting point and also because,unlike other solders, it
will fill in minute gaps between pieces instead of flowing
through them.
Indeed it does stand for intense temperature, I have used it for
many years for bezel soldering, less chance of flow during 4
stage construction. I have used this solder for many other high
temp applications. Rarely after years will you even see a line
in the oxidation and it is very strong, close to fusing, so
watch the duration of temp or poof it’s a bead!
To all IT solder users, Hear is my 2 cents worth. I heard back
25 years ago that IT solder was mainly used for pieces with
enamel application. I was told that the enamel firing would kill
any other solder(Where is Carol Wilcox when we need her so bad?).
I thought it had something to do with regular solders producing
more oxides thus harming the enamels (color and temperature being
a big concern). A jeweler friend of mine from Viet Nam makes his
own solder and it has the same working properties of IT solder.
As far as I can determine the solder has no or very little zinc
or other temperature control metals mixed in. The temperature is
determined by the new temperature achieved by mixing a small
amount of brass into pure silver. By controlling this ratio
various temperatures can be made. This has been a long time since
I tried to figure this one out. My jeweler friend from Viet Nam
also would not tell me the formula. I tried to make some of this
solder and hated it. Again I bow to the refining masters to give
me solders with consistent temperatures. Regards, TR the Teacher
T.R. Since brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, it would follow
that any solder formulae containing brass, would almost be the
same as adding copper and zinc. I hope that this helps you in
your quest for a hard solder. Cheers, Brian
Brian, I know I said brass (with zinc) as an alloy to cut the
silver with, but for the life of me I don’t remember what mt
friend used. Maybe I’ll try again to get the formula from him.
Damn these secrets. The interesting part is the stuff he gave me
was like IT solder but it had some different temperature ranges
and he did enamel with it. Regards, TR the Teacher