Hello To the collective knowledge base! I always feel
like Kirk asking the ship computer for information. I have a bezel that i want to solder a small twisted wire accent to the inside ring for a locket project. I was hoping to get some feedback on the best way to solder it to the bezel without it filling in the detail on the wire. Solder from the back? I have some silver paste solder but would that work better than chip or wire solder? I have never used paste before and am a little nervous… . I have beveled the inside of the bezel so the wire would sit flush with the top surface.
I would flow solder around the large ring then sweat solder the twisted wire to it… Let us know how it works out.
1 Like
Pre-solder tiny pallions to the flat surface that you want the twisted wire to eventually be soldered to. If you can, slightly flatten the surface of the twisted wire that will make contact with the solid surface. Rewire and then carefully heat the entire piece first then, using the torch, pull the solder where you want it to go. Good luck…Rob
1 Like
I did this recently with silver. A tight fit, paste solder on the front where the twists touch the bezel and heat from the back to draw it through. Had to have a couple of goes to get it done properly and not my tidiest work.
Well, so far I haven’t had much success. I think I will have to think of a different design. I tried the paste and I like the way it flows. Although it smokes and stinks some. I think I need to get a flat established on the proper spot on the back of the twisted wire part. I thought it had stuck but no. So I also tried using hard solder pallions placed on the backside of the bezel and that worked but I melted part of the wire. It did stick well though, just too ugly. I figured this was going to present a learning curve. I was right! I will keep trying.
How big are these? There’s nothing in the photo for a sense of scale.
Silver is such a heat sink that the size of the piece makes a difference in one’s approach.
No one has mentioned powdered solder. It’s used all the time in fine Filigree work. Victoria Lansford makes some that you can but at Rio Grande. I bought a 10 year supply from a lady in South Florida. I’m under ice packs at the moment or I’d go out to the garage to look at her contact info. Use your solder pick to help push your wire in place GENTLY when the solder flows. It happens really fast. I love the stuff. Just cant use the powdered for everything that’s why so many different solders and different techniques to use them.
1 Like
I thank you all for your advice. I liked the paste solder , the way it flows so thin. Part of my problem is i have not provided a flat area on both mating parts. The twisted wire is being joined to a beveled inside edge on a rather thick bezel. The bezel is 1.4mm and the wire is just about the same. I wanted the wire piece to sit down almost flush with the top of the bezel. I think I will use a thinner bezel and mount the wire flat on top . This was to be inside a locket about 2in in diameter. A place to insert a photo or something. I’ve never made one before and I thought it would be a challenge. I toyed with the idea of cutting a slot on the outer circumference of the wire ring or something similar.
1 Like
In filigree work, twisted wire is often attached to sheet. The twisted wire is never flattened where it contacts the sheet. There should be no need.
The wire should fit into the bezel by pressure to ensure a tight fit. It should hold itself in place without any binding wire. In this particular case, the thin twisted wire will expand upon heating way more than the heavier bezel, further increasing contact. In certain cases where you do need binding wire, use one long piece of thin wire wrapping all around the rings (in-out, in-out, in-out) instead of so many individual small pieces.
Wet the area with water with a small piece of cotton and blow off any excess water. Sprinkle on the back side a combination of powdered borax and powdered solder. Heat gently with a big soft bushy flame.
Janet in Jerusalem
2 Likes
Any filigree filler wire that I have made or purchased is rolled a bit. This flattens it. I agree that what this post is discussing is kind of like filigree and filigree soldering techniques could be used. Good point about one continuous piece of binding wire. I keep them attached to my metal duct hood with a manet and use them over and over…Rob
If your design allows i would mount the wire and the bevel on the backplate, instead of trying to solder wire to the beveled piece. The wire is so fine it would be easy to have an accident.