I make a 50-50 solution of powdered boric acid and denatured alcohol. Isopropyl or rubbing alcohol will not do. Only use denatured. Dunk the piece in and flame the alcohol off. I like to use a good paste flux like Handy or Dandix for the solder seam.
The folks in the metals dept at Stuller are usually happy to answer any questions you might have.
Have fun and make lots of jewelry.
Jo Haemer
www.timothywgreen.com
I knew Peter well, anything he did was always 100%.
also if I mentioned it once ive mentioned it many times, DO your research on industrial fluxes, were not in the medieval age of goldsmithing where alchemy ruled!! super products used by serious industrial users on production lines dont mess about with just borax and alcohol.
Thatās all true Ted. A large industrial shop with greater capability needs a broader range of equipment and knowledge of chemistry. But I am a one man operation working gold, sterling, and copper in a 5ā x 7ā shop. My out put is all hand craft work and is neither industrial not mass produced.
My small needs find the basic fluxes work well for me and might work well for people in a similar, solo application. More so involved work will require different techniques and different chemistry. When I get to that point you are the guy I would go to for advice.
Thanks for the continual good advice.
Don
Flux made with methanol will be much stronger than that made with ethanol because boric acid is much more soluble in methanol. Isopropyl alcohol is not worth using for this purpose:
Methanol 22.66%
Ethanol 11.96% (Denatured alcohol is typically over 95% ethanol)
1-Propanol 7.34 % (isopropyl alcohol)
Hi Jo!
Do you know if your denatured alcohol is methanol or ethanol? I once read that the boric acid/alcohol you buy in good jewelry supply stores uses methanol. When I broke down and actually bought some (after checking that it was methanol) instead of again making my usual home made denatured-ethanol-alcohol+boric-acid, I found that the methanol one worked much betterā¦ Have been using it ever sinceā¦
Janet in Jerusalem
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Hello Theresa, The only problem with this formula is the washing up liquid. It seems to prevent the flux from adhering to the metal. I tried this a long time ago and wound up leaving out the joy. Mr. clean might work as it is not oily. Iām not associated with Mr. clean, if I was, I would not be working for jewelerās wages. tom
The brown residue is flux which has not broken down. For flux, use Batterns or Mighty Flux from Rio. For pickle, 2cups white vinegar to 1 tablespoon table salt in a heated crock pot. Mind you, Iām using Argentium, not Sterlium/continuum, but the percentage of sterling, copper and germanium should be close. Try fusing as much as you can get away with and solder when you have to. Higher heat will break down the flux. A spin in a magnetic tumbler also helps. I fuse 95 percent of my work on a spinning piece of very hard charcoal. Soldering is directed heat.
Karen Christians
Western Avenue Studio, #506
122 Western Avenue
Lowell, MA 01851
781-367-4992
When I did a short course at West Dean in Sussex, the mixture used Teepol and they called it āFM solutionā. I used it very successfully until it ran out. Never made it myself, now I just use Borax.
Hi Everyone, I talked to Stuller about what they recommend for a firecoat for Sterlium Plus. They suggested dipping the whole piece in Dandix and if it needs dilution to use distilled water (which could be part of my problem he thought as I have very high mineral water that we make into reverse osmosis, but still could be a problem). He said they prefer to use this as the flux for this metal. He had no opinion or experience with Pripās. I asked about using Batterns on solder joins as I find the Dandix a bit thick and he thought it should work. He also said that Sterlium is resistant to scale and stain, but not scale and stain proof as it is still a sterling alloy. He also thought a room temperature pickle is fine. Thanks everyone for all your great ideas and advice! Nicolina