Soldering attachment hoops

Jewelry Discussion
1

Help! I want to add a row of small pearls to the outside of a
hoop earring by threading them on wire through several small
wire circles spaced evenly along the hoop - probably 5.

How can I get these smaller circles soldered on so they stand
evenly? I plan to use about a 15 gage round wire or possibly a
flat piece, but the problem remains as to how to get the little
circles done nicely. Thanks. This site is so great with so many
people sharing the info.

2

Cecelia,

A friend of mine always uses regular casting investment to embed
small pieces and stabilize them for soldering. It works great
from what i’ve seen you might give it a try. Mix the investment
in a flat dish and as it begins to harden embedthe pieces in
position being sure not to get investment in the joints, and
solder when dry. good luck and let us know what finally works.
Framk

3

Hi Cecilia,

How can I get these smaller circles soldered on so they stand
evenly? I plan to use about a 15 gage round wire or possibly a
flat piece, but the problem remains as to how to get the little
circles done nicely.

Here’s one way you might try.

  1. Lay the large hoop out flat on a magnesia fire brick (they’re
    the soft ones). You may want to secure it with several pins.

  2. Determine the positions for the small rings.

  3. Using a small screwdriver or some other tool make a hole in
    the brick. The hole should be located where you want the ring to
    attach to the hoop. Make the hole just wide & deep enough to hold
    the ring at right angles to the hoop with the joint next to the
    hoop.

  4. Position all the rings (or as many as you feel comfortable
    soldering at once) & solder.

Good luck!

Dave

4

  1. Lay the large hoop out flat on a magnesia fire brick (they’re
    the soft ones). You may want to secure it with several pins. I
    also use the bricks but by far I prefer a (pottery) kiln shelf
    to solder work on. It is smooth and is especially easy to
    maneuver small pieces into place. They are also terrific for
    making pizza’s on. I use one just for pizza’s and one or two for
    jewellery. They can be a bit pricey ($30- 80) but they’ll last a
    lifetime. Mine are 3/4 inch thick and roughly the size of a
    medium (vegetarian) pizza. They come in round square, hexagon &
    maybe more.

                   Darryl