Help soldering sterling silver setup NEWBIE

Hello,

I need some help. My wife makes simple beach glass jewelry I do the drilling
and she makes some nice stuff with pre-made sterling rings/chain/etc. from
online stores.

She is determined to step up some creativity and have me solder some simple
sterling items.

This is what she wants: sterling plate cut in the shape of a piece of beach
glass. 3 holes drilled in the beach glass and the sterling plate. I will
insert 3 flat top head pins in the holes (to hold the beach glass to the
plate). Cut them flush on the back side of the plate and I'd like to then
solder the head pins where I cut them on the back. This would make a pendant
with a rivited effect. I need to make sure the glass does not crack when
soldering

I've searched a little and tried some silver paste and a mini-torch with NO
luck

What I need from you guys is maybe some simple directions and options for a
very basic, small, safe for a beginner (and cheap $75-100 MAX) silver solder
setup. I'm looking to do NOTHING more ever than the above and maybe
soldering jump rings to the plate as well.

Thanks in advance
JLD

This might be hard to do. Glass does not like rapid heat. It must be
heated up slowly so the temperature on the outer surface is not too
different from the interior temperature.

--
Connie Ryman
Cryman Studio

"Jason Lynch" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I need some help. My wife makes simple beach glass jewelry I do the
drilling
and she makes some nice stuff with pre-made sterling rings/chain/etc. from
online stores.

She is determined to step up some creativity and have me solder some
simple
sterling items.

This is what she wants: sterling plate cut in the shape of a piece of
beach
glass. 3 holes drilled in the beach glass and the sterling plate. I will
insert 3 flat top head pins in the holes (to hold the beach glass to the
plate). Cut them flush on the back side of the plate and I'd like to then
solder the head pins where I cut them on the back. This would make a
pendant
with a rivited effect. I need to make sure the glass does not crack when
soldering

I've searched a little and tried some silver paste and a mini-torch with
NO
luck

What I need from you guys is maybe some simple directions and options for
a
very basic, small, safe for a beginner (and cheap $75-100 MAX) silver
solder
setup. I'm looking to do NOTHING more ever than the above and maybe
soldering jump rings to the plate as well.

Thanks in advance
JLD

Jason Lynch wrote:

Hello,

I need some help. My wife makes simple beach glass jewelry I do the
drilling and she makes some nice stuff with pre-made sterling
rings/chain/etc. from online stores.

She is determined to step up some creativity and have me solder some
simple sterling items.

This is what she wants: sterling plate cut in the shape of a piece of
beach glass. 3 holes drilled in the beach glass and the sterling plate. I
will insert 3 flat top head pins in the holes (to hold the beach glass to
the plate). Cut them flush on the back side of the plate and I'd like to
then solder the head pins where I cut them on the back. This would make a
pendant with a rivited effect. I need to make sure the glass does not
crack when soldering

I think you'd better investigate all kinds of cold connections.
Tube rivits might be a good try; they can be seated
very gently, and you can solder a solid head to one end.
Or get a tap-and-die kit.

Or drop the pins idea altogether and just set the glass in a bezel.
Bezels adapt very well to odd-shaped objects.
--
m http://www.mbstevens.com/

Jason Lynch wrote:

Hello,

I need some help. My wife makes simple beach glass jewelry I do the drilling
and she makes some nice stuff with pre-made sterling rings/chain/etc. from
online stores.

She is determined to step up some creativity and have me solder some simple
sterling items.

This is what she wants: sterling plate cut in the shape of a piece of beach
glass. 3 holes drilled in the beach glass and the sterling plate. I will
insert 3 flat top head pins in the holes (to hold the beach glass to the
plate). Cut them flush on the back side of the plate and I'd like to then
solder the head pins where I cut them on the back. This would make a pendant
with a rivited effect. I need to make sure the glass does not crack when
soldering


It is not possible to solder on silver with glass in place, without cracking the
silver.

The amount of heat needed to heat the plate to allow the solder the flow into
the seam is much to high. Silver just so happens to be the best conductor of
heat on the planet, and it will transfer that heat to the glass long before it
is hot enough for the soldering joint to fill. The glass may even explode.

You will have to do your soldering first and mount the silver later.

Abrasha
http://www.abrasha.com

Soldering ie hard type is really out of the question with the glass so
close to the metal. Youll ruin most of the pieces you attempt to fix
this way.
youve really only 2 alternative,
1. drop the idea of using holes drilled through the glass.
This beach glass has the perfect surface for resin two part bonding.
All you need to do is abrade the silver well enough for the resin to
make a good mechanical bond .For the jump ring, just drill an
appropriate size hole and use a suitably large and hard drawn wire for
this. Close up properly and your there.
option 2 is to retain the drilled holes but dont cut off flush when
there through the backing plate. Bend over then make a simple flat
scroll of the remnant of the wires. if they all touch each other say in
the middleof the back put a small dab of soft solder to hold them flat.
IE make a feature of the excess metal. Now I would normally never
advise using soft solder on noble metals, its a sin in the silversmiths
world, for which here in the UK you can still be taken to court and
fined as its against our hall marking laws. As your struggling with what
is an interesting technical question id allow it in this case.

Jason Lynch wrote:
Hello,

I need some help. My wife makes simple beach glass jewelry I do the drilling
and she makes some nice stuff with pre-made sterling rings/chain/etc. from
online stores.

She is determined to step up some creativity and have me solder some simple
sterling items.

This is what she wants: sterling plate cut in the shape of a piece of beach
glass. 3 holes drilled in the beach glass and the sterling plate. I will
insert 3 flat top head pins in the holes (to hold the beach glass to the
plate). Cut them flush on the back side of the plate and I'd like to then
solder the head pins where I cut them on the back. This would make a pendant
with a rivited effect. I need to make sure the glass does not crack when
soldering

I've searched a little and tried some silver paste and a mini-torch with NO
luck

What I need from you guys is maybe some simple directions and options for a
very basic, small, safe for a beginner (and cheap $75-100 MAX) silver solder
setup. I'm looking to do NOTHING more ever than the above and maybe
soldering jump rings to the plate as well.

Thanks in advance
JLD

This is what she wants: sterling plate cut in the shape of a piece of beach
glass. 3 holes drilled in the beach glass and the sterling plate. I will
insert 3 flat top head pins in the holes (to hold the beach glass to the
plate). Cut them flush on the back side of the plate and I'd like to then
solder the head pins where I cut them on the back. This would make a pendant
with a rivited effect. I need to make sure the glass does not crack when
soldering

I've searched a little and tried some silver paste and a mini-torch with NO
luck

What I need from you guys is maybe some simple directions and options for a
very basic, small, safe for a beginner (and cheap $75-100 MAX) silver solder
setup. I'm looking to do NOTHING more ever than the above and maybe
soldering jump rings to the plate as well.

Hmmmmmmm this might be a tough one but maybe not.........depends. If I were
you I would buy a plumbers propane torch for soldering, along with silver
solder and appropriate flux. You'll want a soldering block, a third hand, and a
buffer. The buffer can be made out of a washer motor with a spindle added for
which way the motor turns. You'll need at least 2 cotton buffing wheels,
tripoli for heavy polishing, and I like Zam for final polish. Snips of some
type as well as 2 small needle nose pliers, and a set of small files. These you
can get cheap at the flea market. They aren't real high quality but can be
replaced as you decide you will stay with the hobby. This should probably kill
your hundred dollars. Oh, and a cup bur. And some sandpaper with paint sticks
to wrap it around, and ...............this could go on for awhile )
As far as process, I would probably drill the glass, lay it on the plate,
drill the plate through the holes in the glass, solder straight wire into the
holes, clean it up, place the glass over the wires, and make an actual rivit.
It will be touchy work, not breaking the glass, but glass doesn't take alot of
heat so I would try cold connections of some kind. You could also do the same
thing with tubing, peaning the ends over the glass to hold it in, or making a
head with a tapered wire to pound down into the tube.

On , in hô Abrasha wrote:


Hey Mr. A. methinks you were typing a tad too fast...

It is not possible to solder on silver with glass in place, without cracking the
silver.

I assume you meant to say, crack the glass? I've seldom had troubles with
cracking the silver in soldering unless I quench it from WAY too hot...


The amount of heat needed to heat the plate to allow the solder the flow into
the seam is much to high. Silver just so happens to be the best conductor of
heat on the planet, and it will transfer that heat to the glass long before it
is hot enough for the soldering joint to fill. The glass may even explode.

You will have to do your soldering first and mount the silver later.

that part is, of course, all true.

peter

"Peter W.. Rowe," wrote:
=

On , in h=07=F4 Abrasha wrote:
=

Hey Mr. A. methinks you were typing a tad too fast...

Hey, that's Professor A. to you!

=

It is not possible to solder on silver with glass in place, without c=
racking the
silver.
=

I assume you meant to say, crack the glass? =


Yep!

Abrasha
http://www.abrasha.com

What about a 'water sizing' technique? Although it could be umwieldly it=20
may be worth a try. Keeping the glass in conact with water or a very wet=20
medium(kool jewel?) while soldering on the back with an easy solder.

A cold connection would be best - bexels or prongs or tabs.
Visit the library and thumb through 2-3 books on silversmithing.

Carl
1 Lucky Texan

Peter W.. Rowe, wrote:
On , in h=07=F4 Abrasha wrote:
=20
=20
Hey Mr. A. methinks you were typing a tad too fast...
=20
=20
It is not possible to solder on silver with glass in place, without cr=
acking the
silver. =20

=20
I assume you meant to say, crack the glass? I've seldom had troubles w=
ith
cracking the silver in soldering unless I quench it from WAY too hot...
=20
=20
The amount of heat needed to heat the plate to allow the solder the fl=
ow into
the seam is much to high. Silver just so happens to be the best condu=
ctor of
heat on the planet, and it will transfer that heat to the glass long b=
efore it
is hot enough for the soldering joint to fill. The glass may even exp=
lode.

You will have to do your soldering first and mount the silver later.


that part is, of course, all true.
=20
peter


--=20
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