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#1
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Soldering jump rings with glass
I am making some bracelets made of large jump rings with glass beads
(furnace glass or cane glass). Seems to be working pretty much ok except that I have an occasional glass bead crack (maybe 1 out of 10). To solve this problem, I cut a strip of fiber blanket and am laying it over the glass while I solder. I realize that this doesn't keep the heat from the jump ring from overheating the glass, but I seem to be having a little better luck that way than when I don't use it. Has anyone discovered a better way to do it? Since I am using so many beads, it doesn't seem cost effective to use the Chill Gel. And I tried with the little water bowl, but all that happened was that the water got really hot but the solder (extra easy) never melted. Some of the beads are $1 per gram, so I don't want to break too many of them. And should the glass be re-annealed after the soldering? Thanks - I'd appreciate hearing how other people handle this. |
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#2
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If the wire is a large size then perhaps you don't need to solder them.
-- Connie Ryman Cryman Studio "Robin" wrote in message ... I am making some bracelets made of large jump rings with glass beads (furnace glass or cane glass). Seems to be working pretty much ok except that I have an occasional glass bead crack (maybe 1 out of 10). To solve this problem, I cut a strip of fiber blanket and am laying it over the glass while I solder. I realize that this doesn't keep the heat from the jump ring from overheating the glass, but I seem to be having a little better luck that way than when I don't use it. Has anyone discovered a better way to do it? Since I am using so many beads, it doesn't seem cost effective to use the Chill Gel. And I tried with the little water bowl, but all that happened was that the water got really hot but the solder (extra easy) never melted. Some of the beads are $1 per gram, so I don't want to break too many of them. And should the glass be re-annealed after the soldering? Thanks - I'd appreciate hearing how other people handle this. |
#3
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Hi,
You might want to try burying the glass in some wet sand if possible. Sounds like an interesting project, can you provide a link so we can see what it looks like? =========================== I don't check my email through this account but you can contact me at: http://www.eastonmass.com/forum/contact/ |
#4
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They're 16 and 18 ga, but some of the rings are about the size of a nickel.
I'm making bracelets which could get caught on something, so I'd feel a little better if they were soldered. "C Ryman" wrote in message ... If the wire is a large size then perhaps you don't need to solder them. -- Connie Ryman Cryman Studio "Robin" wrote in message ... I am making some bracelets made of large jump rings with glass beads (furnace glass or cane glass). Seems to be working pretty much ok except that I have an occasional glass bead crack (maybe 1 out of 10). To solve this problem, I cut a strip of fiber blanket and am laying it over the glass while I solder. I realize that this doesn't keep the heat from the jump ring from overheating the glass, but I seem to be having a little better luck that way than when I don't use it. Has anyone discovered a better way to do it? Since I am using so many beads, it doesn't seem cost effective to use the Chill Gel. And I tried with the little water bowl, but all that happened was that the water got really hot but the solder (extra easy) never melted. Some of the beads are $1 per gram, so I don't want to break too many of them. And should the glass be re-annealed after the soldering? Thanks - I'd appreciate hearing how other people handle this. |
#5
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Well, it's definitely nothing fancy, but here is one of them. I actually
did this one (17 beads) without cracking a single one. http://www.stellaceleste.com/htm/bracelets.htm Kind of hard to scan since you have to see the beads from the side to see the color in them. Thanks for the suggestion about the sand - guess I'll have to make a trip to Florida to look for it. (going there next week to visit family) "Burt Lewis" wrote in message ... Hi, You might want to try burying the glass in some wet sand if possible. Sounds like an interesting project, can you provide a link so we can see what it looks like? =========================== I don't check my email through this account but you can contact me at: http://www.eastonmass.com/forum/contact/ |
#6
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"Robin" wrote in message ... I am making some bracelets made of large jump rings with glass beads After seeing your image, you really shouldn't have a problem with soldering those rings. I'd appreciate hearing how other people handle this. I would hold the bead in either soldering tweezers or some other third-hand, with the join up and well clear of the beads. Get the join hot quickly, and dab your solder and flux on at the same time. Hardly any heat will reach the beads. Remember, with soldering, it's not the heat of the flame that melts the solder, it's the heat of the metal being soldered that melts the solder, the flame is there to make this happen. Good luck. -SP- |
#7
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It seems to me, investment (or some other substance - Peter? guys?)
could be painted on to the glass and built up, PARTICULARLY in the bead's hole, in such a way that the slver jump ring is centered in the bead's hole and held away from touching it by the investment. Then, pointing the flame sideways or even slightly up, away from the investment coated glass bead, and probably using easy solder, a joint could be made without overheating the glass. Removing the investment cold be tricky I suppose. nice bracelet Carl 1 Lucky Texan Robin wrote: Well, it's definitely nothing fancy, but here is one of them. I actually did this one (17 beads) without cracking a single one. http://www.stellaceleste.com/htm/bracelets.htm Kind of hard to scan since you have to see the beads from the side to see the color in them. Thanks for the suggestion about the sand - guess I'll have to make a trip to Florida to look for it. (going there next week to visit family) "Burt Lewis" wrote in message ... Hi, You might want to try burying the glass in some wet sand if possible. Sounds like an interesting project, can you provide a link so we can see what it looks like? =========================== I don't check my email through this account but you can contact me at: http://www.eastonmass.com/forum/contact/ -- to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net) |
#8
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Robin wrote:
Well, it's definitely nothing fancy, but here is one of them. I actually did this one (17 beads) without cracking a single one. http://www.stellaceleste.com/htm/bracelets.htm Fun stuff. It looks like, with a little care in the setup you can keep the wire from touching the glass during the soldering. (a 'third hand' tool will be _very_ helpful). If so, just go in small, hot, and fast and make it happen. Make a practice ring, put it through a bead, solder it, cut it open in another place, solder it again, repeat until you are surprised how close you can work to a previous joint without it falling apart. Have the bead on the bottom, the joint on top, and point the torch up from below. -- Carl West http://carl.west.home.comcast.net change the 'DOT' to '.' to email me "Clutter"? This is an object-rich environment. |
#9
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Robin wrote:
I am making some bracelets made of large jump rings with glass beads (furnace glass or cane glass). Seems to be working pretty much ok except that I have an occasional glass bead crack (maybe 1 out of 10). To solve this problem, I cut a strip of fiber blanket and am laying it over the glass while I solder. I realize that this doesn't keep the heat from the jump ring from overheating the glass, but I seem to be having a little better luck that way than when I don't use it. Has anyone discovered a better way to do it? Since I am using so many beads, it doesn't seem cost effective to use the Chill Gel. And I tried with the little water bowl, but all that happened was that the water got really hot but the solder (extra easy) never melted. Some of the beads are $1 per gram, so I don't want to break too many of them. And should the glass be re-annealed after the soldering? Thanks - I'd appreciate hearing how other people handle this. Now we have an image to look at we can see what your trying to do.!!. IF your happy soldering up the jump rings thats fine, however you always need to ask the following question when planning any production technique. Is there another way to join this metal together thats easier and faster for me/you? It will depend on how many bracelets you plan to make weekly or daily . Ive always asked this question when ive made items on a production basis in this case you aught to consider a mechanical joint. For example, fold the wire over on itself like you would if your joining say some fence wire, then die crush it into an oval. this will be as strong as a solder joint, with no heat and no pickling or polishing. you would need to make up asimple 2 part hinged tool to do this easy enough for a silversmith to do. Youse your bench vice to give you the squeeze,. here id use a fly press it would then only take a couple of seconds to form the oval or round bead. What ever shape you fancy. just give it some thgought and youll find a way to do it much faster. |
#10
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IF your happy soldering up the jump rings thats fine,
however you always need to ask the following question when planning any production technique. Is there another way to join this metal together thats easier and faster for me/you? Don't forget to also ask yourself if doing it in another way is strong enough for the use/abuse it will be put to, if it will catch clothes/skin/etc, and most importantly, if it is as aesthetically pleasing. |
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