Sparex No 2 101

I am a few months into making jewellery and for those last six
months I too have been using a jar and microwave heating it as and
when I needed it. But I have to say that it has quite frankly been a
pain in the ** to keep going back and forth to the kitchen every time
it needed further heat (it was losing heat very quickly), so using
some Christmas money I was given, I treated myself to a crockpot
which I just switch on at the beginning of the day. After it gets to
the level of heat I want I just turn it to “keep warm” and I have no
more wasted time travelling backwards and forwards. It pickles super
quick too and I wish I’d invested sooner.

Helen
UK

traditional pickle pot, but it was wasted, didn't use it
enough.... pour some in a glass bowl, set it in another bowl and put
it in the microwave for a 30 seconds to a minute or less 

I can’t imagine how a dedicated “pickle pot” of some variety would be
“wasted” if you’re doing any amount of soldering work, but perhaps
that’s just it, and you aren’t using it too much. Whereas I wouldn’t
suggest to someone the microwave idea, I can’t say it’s wrong. I
don’t know, though, I wouldn’t want those fumes in my kitchen’s
microwave. Anyway, if you want to have a dedicated “pot”, you don’t
have to invest it an “official” (read = expensive) pickle pot, there
are alternatives. They do not have to cost much, either. A very
common one is a little crock pot. I had a little one originally
intended for warming pot pourri, and I found a little glass lid that
pretty well covered it, I used that one for several years. I replaced
it recently because I got tired of not being able to tell when the
Sparex turned green, because the color of the pot was green! I found
a “new” one a few months ago at the local Reuzit shop for $1, white
interior. I did see a slightly bigger one not too long ago, too, at
the KMart, and it was still less than $10 (OK, that might have been
on sale). Another alternative is a warming stand and a candle. When I
was in Germany for a few years, I didn’t want to get any more
electrical things than necessary (that I’d just have to sell before
moving back). At the local housewares shop, I found a small metal
stand that’s used to hold a pot for warming sauces or something, and
holds a tea-light underneath. I found a lidded glass jar that fit
perfectly on it, and bought a bag of tea lights at the IKEA for
cheap. I used that quite happily for 3 years.

Lisa
Designs by Lisa Gallagher

Hi…

I have used vinegar for pickle and lemon juice for pickle. No water
added to vinegar, a little water added to lemon juice. Lemon juice
took longer (overnight). Both work good. Great if you need more
natural options. Or if you run out of sparex and such. I stick to
them because our son (and myself) have a lot of allergies and I have
lung issues. Oh…I don’t heat them, mostly because vinegar wouldn’t
smell good throughout the house, and because there wasn’t enough
lemon to put in the crock pot.

Kim

I can't imagine how a dedicated "pickle pot" of some variety would
be "wasted" 

I buy the big casserole size at Wal-Mart. I need the extra width for
bracelets. It’s white ceramic and removable from the heat source. The
white is nice so you can tell how dirty the pickle is. They last 2-5
years depending on how sloppy you are and getting pickle on the metal
part with the heat element. I had to replace mine last winter. Either
the cold from my unheated garage or just from old age. But it cracked
along the bottom saturating the towels underneath and of course the
electrical heating element. I was lucky to notice it before I turned
it on. But it is a good idea to have enough towels to absorb the
pickle in case of accident like mine. Old bath mats work best.

Rick Copeland
Silversmith and Lapidary Artisan
Rocky Mountain Wonders
Colorado Springs, Colorado
rockymountainwonders.com

For everyone using crock pots and the like...You don't need to
heat pickle for it to work. It just takes a little longer to do the
same job when it's cold. 

I think most people are aware of that but you don’t always have the
time to wait for it to pickle in cold solution. I was making a
multi- stone pendant today from tube settings soldered to each other.
I was able to solder the first joint, toss it into the hot pickle and
by the time I’d fluxed and flamed the next tube setting, the first
bit was already pickled and ready to go. I wasn’t working on anything
else today and so didn’t have other things I could do whilst waiting.

Helen
UK

I wouldn'tsuggest to someone the microwave idea, I can't say it's
wrong. I don't know, though, I wouldn't want those fumes in my
kitchen's microwave.. 

Instead of heating the liquid in the microwave, I would suggest
heating water? in a measuring cup and pouring it into corningware -
or any heat proof glass container and adding a tablespoon and a half
of sparex or PH Down into that, cover and use for the day.? Once it
is cold, you could add some more hot water.?

I use a crock pot, but keep it covered unless I’m putting something
in or taking something out.? Keeps the “fume” issue at bay.

But it is a good idea to have enough towels to absorb the pickle in
case of accident like mine. Old bath mats work best. 

A good tip Rick. I just bought a crock pot like the one you describe

  • white ceramic and removable, etc. I was wondering how long they
    lasted but it was only 10UKP ($20ish) so cheap enough and makes my
    life so much easier than before I got it. I’ll put and old towel
    underneath it, thanks.

Helen
UK

I wouldn'tsuggest to someone the microwave idea, I can't say it's
wrong. I don't know, though, I wouldn't want those fumes in my
kitchen's microwave.. 

The solution is to buy a microwave for the studio. They are quite
cheap now then it can be used only for studio uses and never for
food or drink.

James Binnion
@James_Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts

360-756-6550

I’m often curious why more experienced jewelers don’t recommend
that, in addition to toweling, to have a box of sodium bicarbonate
near the pickle to neutralize it on it’s way out of the pot in case
of an accidet or overheated crockery/glass…RER

After reading about alternate pickle solution.I tried Vinegar
dropped a silver bezel in yesterday took 30 min or so to clean up. It
worked well. thanks for the tip. I am suggesting it to new students
who are sensitive to chemicals etc. or have pets and kids around.
p.s.
I heard microwaving Sparex is not good for the metal parts inside
the unit i.e. vapors corroding interally. thanks, always enjoy the
dialogue. signing off

B.K.

I'm often curious why more experienced jewelers don't recommend
that, in addition to toweling, to have a box of sodium bicarbonate
near the pickle to neutralize it on it's way out of the pot in
case of an accidet or overheated crockery/glass 

I think some of us do… My own extra precaution is that my pickle
(crock) pot sits on an upturned Rubbernaid tub lid. This protects
the work surface, but also means if it ever split open
spontaneously, the lid would catch the liquid.

Noel

After reading about alternate pickle solution.I tried Vinegar
[snip]. I am suggesting it to new students who are sensitive to
chemicals etc. or have pets and kids around. 

I suggest you try citric acid instead. It is food grade, so
presumably as safe as vinegar, smells a good deal less (not at all,
that is), and works fast enough that I don’t notice the difference
from traditional pickle. Not that any pickle is exactly safe for
kids and pets, once it has been used a while…

Noel

First I want to thank you all who wrote in regarding my original
questions about the Sparex. I have definitely received so much more
that I had originally hoped.

My can also, is full of ‘brown’ granules, being as I’ve never used
it before, I thought this was normal. My “Little Dipper” crock pot is
dark brown, so I probably won’t be able to tell if it’s getting
brown. Why not just change it every couple of weeks just to be on the
safe side?

Just in case someone doesn’t know what a “Little Dipper” crock pot
is: It’s like a regular crock pot except it’s only about 6 inches
big, 4 inches inner diameter. It doesn’t have a heat controller, you
just plug it in and I think it said it will get to about 140 degrees.
Mine does not have a glass top though, it’s plastic. Think that will
be a problem? I bought it because I don’t have a lot of room in my
studio area and being as I’m new I figured I just didn’t need
something big.

I now know not to put it in the microwave unless it’s dedicated to
studio use only. I will keep my eye on the crock pots glaze to make
sure it’s not eating through it.

Depending on the project I will mix a new batch. I'm an old timer
though. I don't know what sparex 2 is. 

Jay, I don’t know what it is either, LOL. All I know is I was told
to use it to clean my metals after soldering. Shows what a newbie I
am…

With using the “PH Down” or equivalent, are you supposed to heat it
also?

I'm often curious why more experienced jewelers don't recommend
that, in addition to toweling, to have a box of sodium bicarbonate
near the pickle to neutralize it on it's way out of the pot in case
of an accident or overheated crockery/glass 

I bought some stuff from Grobet called just “Acid Neutralizer”. Is
that what you are talking about? It says to use it after your pickle,
use it heated, then rinse well.

Thanks again, I got all my questions answered from the original post
and then some…

Valerie

I just got my first crock-pot (intending to use it for pickle) and
some Ph down pool chemical. What’s the ratio of pool chemical to
water to make the proper pickle?

thanks, amery
Amery Carriere Designs
Romantic Jewelry with an Edge
www.amerycarriere.com

I'm often curious why more experienced jewelers don't recommend
that 

I was contemplating this myself. Although be it I no longer use
sparex but instead use citric acid. I agree that you should keep
some soda ash or the like handy. I also use a crock pot with a glass
beaker placed inside. Around the beaker I have poured soda ash all
around it in case in my rush, I were ever to break the beaker,however
likely rare but possible. Next to this contraption I have a glass
bowl with soda ash and water that I immediately drop whatever comes
out the acid into it. Just my way…

Daniel Wade

The solution is to buy a microwave for the studio. They are quite
cheap now then it can be used only for studio uses and never for
food or drink. 

Agreed. I’ve got one next to my steam cleaner that I use for things
like plating solutions only. Not my coffee or any other food. It cost
less than 40 dollars, on closeout sale at Target. A cheap microwave,
but so far, it’s lasted just fine for over four years with no sign of
dying soon… The pickle pot I use is also a Target product. Cheap
little crock pot with removable ceramic container, plastic lid, three
heat settings. They were on sale earlier this December for under ten
bucks each. Hard to beat that. So now I’ve got a couple spares
squirreled away for when the current one dies. No doubt this will
insure that the current one never dies… :slight_smile:

Peter

I just got my first crock-pot (intending to use it for pickle) and
some Ph down pool chemical. What's the ratio of pool chemical to
water to make the proper pickle? 

Amery: I’m sure others have different ideas, but my original
instructor said to simply make a saturated solution with the PhDown
which is what I’ve been doing for the last 18 years and it works
just fine. I don’t leave my pieces soaking in there very long -
though I have left several pieces soaking for over 30 minutes and
there was no damage. I have a 1 qt crock pot and when I start
working, I plug it into a timer just to be sure that it gets turned
off at night should I forget to unplug it when I’m through (and I
have forgotten before). Good luck and you’ll be happy with your crock
pot. My cockpot stands in a square pyrex baking dish - so should it
ever leak nothing would happen.

K

Did somebody mention that ALUM (a white crystalline double sulphate
of aluminium) is a safe alternative to (sulfanilic acid and Sparex)
pickle?

Note 1: I use room temperature 20% Sparex solution (I hate acid
fumes, for myself and my tools). I use a Pyrex pot. The lit is from
another slightly smaller Pyrex pot and fits only on its handles. That
leaves me a very handy gab of say 25 mm around to slight all of my
hot metals in. The quenching effect (I know this is not recommended
practice!)speeds up the cleaning. That way I do not have to lift the
lit. This badly fitted hands-free lit will protect 98% of all of the
dangerous splatters and fumes.

Note 2: What I find most handy is next to the pickle pot a tall
spaghetti jar with plain water sunken down into my workbench, to
rinse/quench all of the long bits of metal. A tall heavy grade
stainless steel tweezer (300mm+) is a handy companion.

Note 3: I did once use streaming hot water to get rid of the borax
after soldering. This was necessary because the work was way longer
(a very long and wide silver tube) then the diameter size of my Pyrex
pickle pot. Not all borax can be rinsed off that way (mostly the
plumbers /lower temperature silver flux will do). This method does
not dissolve oxides of course.

Plain baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) is a great neutralizer.

Peter Deckers
New Zealand

I just got my first crock-pot (intending to use it for pickle) and
some Ph down pool chemical. What's the ratio of pool chemical to
water to make the proper pickle? 

40 ounces by weight per gallon of water is what I mix it at. It’s not
critical though. Some people just spoon it into the crock pot. I mix
up a gallon at a time in a plastic juice bottle so I have it ready
when I need it. And yes the bottle is marked and stored in a cabinet
in my studio so no one could ingest it by accident and I have a huge
bag of baking soda I bought at Sam’s club in the vicinity in case of
accident.

Rick Copeland
Silversmith and Lapidary Artisan
Rocky Mountain Wonders
Colorado Springs, Colorado
rockymountainwonders.com

Hi Valerie:

I bought some stuff from Grobet called just "Acid Neutralizer". Is
that what you are talking about? It says to use it after your
pickle, use it heated, then rinse well. 

I don’t know what Acid Neutralizer contains so it may have something
extra in it that’s great. However, I use now, and have since I first
started, a simple baking pan filled with water and baking soda - I
buy the 5 pound boxes of baking soda from the grocery and simply
dissolve a handful of it in the water. You’ll know it’s working when
you drop a piece of silver in it from the pickle pot and it “sizzles”
meaning little bubbles rise up from it.

This neutralizer sits next to my crock pot which is a small 1 qt
size and the crock pot sits in a pyrex baking dish. I rarely fill my
crockpot more than half full - but then I don’t make many big pieces
either. I can always fill it more should I need to. I use PhDown in
my crockpot and yes I use it heated.

I was told when I first started out to either put your still hot
metal piece into cold pickle or a cold metal piece into hot pickle.
If you are doing hollow forms, I was told to quench first in water,
then put it in the pickle - this avoids so much acid filling the
hollow space (assuming you have put a small drill hole in it to avoid
it exploding while soldering it together).

But everyone has there own tried and true methods tested themselves
over time and you too will develop your own system as well.
Unfortunately we all have to go through some screw ups as we learn,
nobody avoids this phase and matter of fact I still get screw ups
after all this time. If you never goof up then you must walk on
water!

Happy New Year.

K