I haven't spoken much about the silversmithing projects I've been working on. I thought if I finished it and then showed the process etc it would be more interesting... but I've come up against a problem. This little thing above is a tiny 3mm bit of tubing... I have about 30 of them and I've been trying to work out a way of soldering them together.
I haven't come to the difficulties of soldering yet actually, I just need to figure out a way to hold them in place so that I can solder them! I've tried placing them on blu tac and then pouring plaster over them to hold them in place, but there must have been some kind of chemical reaction between the blu tac and the plaster because it didn't grab.
Is there a good egg out there who knows how I can get these cylinders to hold together so I can solder them? Any suggestions gratefully received :)
Hi Kylie,
ReplyDeleteSoldering wire! There is a very fine steel wire that you used for situations like this, to hold the piece together. Bind the wire around it and twist it with your pliers to tighten it and solder away. Direct heat on the wire can break it, but you can double up the wire to prevent this. Also NEVER put the wire in the pickle. It will copper coat everything in there with it.
Hope this helps. You can get the wire at jewellery supply stores or I can send you some to get you started.
:)
PS. Putting a slight flat on the side of the cylinders where they are touching will help give it more surface to solder to as well. You could solder them together in groups of four or five first, then solder those groups all together, if that makes sense? Did you make the chenille?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea but it looks wonderfully lotus poddish. Good luck, Love Kate xxooxxooxx.
ReplyDeleteI really love them as they are!
ReplyDeleteGood luck though.
Have a great weekend.
Char.
Super glue?
ReplyDeleteLove your chemical reaction! This looks beautiful already :-)
ReplyDeleteHa, glad you let us peek into your silversmithing world Kylie and it looks promising.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried sticking 'em on doublesided tape?
Not sure if that will work but it would be one of the options I would try. Or plasticine clay (the play doh kind that stays soft) perhaps?
I've got no idea ... but Christina seems to know what she is talking about :)
ReplyDelete