Here is one for newbies re excess solder.
How do you tell if you have used too much solder?
Make a ring band in sterling. Pickle but don’t finish and polish.
Gently warm the ring with your torch. This will show you the solder.
Now loupe the solder join on the outside and inside of the ring.
Take a close look.
Now pull out one of your head hairs. Place it next to the solder
join.
The join should be no wider than the hair.
If it is wider than the hair one of 2 things has happened.
1 The metal did not meet properly i. e. if before soldering if it
was held up to light you could see through the join
and you tried to fill the space with solder.
2 You used too much solder and it over flowed the join.
When making rings, what I do most of. I file the ends as flat as
possible.
Usually 4 by 2 mm half round sterling or 18 kt is the wire I use to
start.
Butt the ends together.
THEN I CUT THROUGH THE JOIN WITH MY SAW. THIS BUTTS THE ENDS
PERFECTLY.
FLUX AND SOLDER ETC.
Richard