The video is nicely set up, very detailed and step by step and easy to follow. Still, I have never seen anybody solder silver when the surfaces do not fit perfectly in front of each other and then use so much solder to fill that gap. Did you do a regular 4 year goldsmith apprenticeship or did you teach yourself? If you're a self- taught goldsmith, then this is great so far! Just some basic goldsmith tips: Silver is harder to solder than the gold alloys where you could use solder to fill a small gap. For a small silver band this size it also helps to roll out the solder to 0.15mm to be able to cut pieces of only a tiny amount of solder. You do not need much if the ends fit perfectly. You could use a goldsmith saw to cut through the seam one more time before soldering, this guarantees a perfect alignment of the surfaces of the meeting ends. Then no files are needed to clean the seam after soldering. Silver should also be soldered on charcoal and within the reducing area of the flame the avoid the silver filling up with oxides and having blue stains in the alloy afterwards.
I can’t stop making these rings! I found it helpful to sand the soldered support bands slightly flattened on one side. This makes it easier to see that they fit the patterned wire ring and to apply the paste solder. My favorite ring so far has been made with the floral wave patterned copper wire. In this instance, I just used small dots of paste on the wavy points and got a nice, clean finish.
Just have to say the same as everyone else, what a fantastic video! Clear and brilliant instructions and a beautiful product. Thank you so much for making this video.
This was super helpful, great tutorial. When using the soldering paste could you not apply it to the patterned strip?, This would save paste as the support ring does not connect with all the pattern strjp. Just a thought, would that work?
These are great rings and very good tutorial, Karen. Thank you! I just wonder how you ensure the support rings are the exact same size as the pattern wire one, since you did not measure them and just sort of ball-parked their sizes.
Thanks so much! That's a great question, and something I should have addressed, so thank you for asking! After the individual rings have been soldered closed into bands, and before they are stacked and soldered together, you have the chance to round them out into perfectly round rings.That's a good opportunity to make sure that all your rings are measuring the same size on your mandrel, and adjust their size as needed. It's much easier to stretch one or two bands that are slightly smaller up to match a larger band/bands than it is to remove material and reduce a ring size. So, at this point, you can gently tap down with the rawhide mallet to stretch any bands that are smaller to be the exact same size as the others before you solder them all together. Thanks again for asking, Karen
Hi Sandy, how long your pickle depends on how hot and how old (or new) your pickle is. With fresh pickle and hot water, you can expect to pickle these for about 3 minutes. You'll want to make sure that the color is almost white. Hope this helps!
I know this is an old video but I’m a beginner and a pro at watching all the Cool Tool Videos. I’ve slowly been building my tools up. When I go to buy the wire for these rings it asks for different types like; soft, dead soft, hard, solder filled, round square... I am not sure what you are using here? I heard the gauge is 18 & 16 on the wire but none of the other choices needed?
Thanks for asking, I can see how all the options could get confusing! I’m working with round sterling silver wire for this project, and the product codes for the wires I used were WIR-316 and WIR-317. The dead soft, soft, and hard descriptions next to wires are just a reference to how they’ve been treated after manufacture. Milling/drawing wire to the appropriate gauge has a hardening effect on the wire, and it can be quite stiff as a result. If it says hard next to it, the wire has not been annealed or softened after manufacture, and that would be something you may want to do on your own before manipulating it depending on what you’re trying to do. If the wire says soft, it’s been partially annealed, and if it says dead soft it is fully annealed. The wire I used was dead soft, and as a result very easy to manipulate to wrap around mandrels to make my rings. Thanks again for asking, Karen
Hello, that's a really good question! I used a honeycomb soldering brick because the perforations in the honeycomb brick helps the heat to distribute more evenly without reflecting back on the piece as strongly as it would from a traditional brick. This helps to keep smaller components in the pattern wire from melting and gives you more control of the heat from your torch.
@@cooltoolsvideos Thanks! I have many kinds of soldering blocks, but didn't know about this kind, I need to get one. As I was looking through your other videos, I came across the one about the different kinds of soldering blocks, all such good info!
Hi Debbie, Pickle is a liquid compound used to remove oxidation and flux from newly soldered jewelry. It is what you put your pieces in to clean them after soldering. Hope this helps! If you have any questions feel free to reach out to us at sales@cooltools.us or 888.478.5060
The video is nicely set up, very detailed and step by step and easy to follow. Still, I have never seen anybody solder silver when the surfaces do not fit perfectly in front of each other and then use so much solder to fill that gap. Did you do a regular 4 year goldsmith apprenticeship or did you teach yourself? If you're a self- taught goldsmith, then this is great so far! Just some basic goldsmith tips: Silver is harder to solder than the gold alloys where you could use solder to fill a small gap. For a small silver band this size it also helps to roll out the solder to 0.15mm to be able to cut pieces of only a tiny amount of solder. You do not need much if the ends fit perfectly. You could use a goldsmith saw to cut through the seam one more time before soldering, this guarantees a perfect alignment of the surfaces of the meeting ends. Then no files are needed to clean the seam after soldering. Silver should also be soldered on charcoal and within the reducing area of the flame the avoid the silver filling up with oxides and having blue stains in the alloy afterwards.
A lovely, helpful video, thank you so much Karen..x
I can’t stop making these rings! I found it helpful to sand the soldered support bands slightly flattened on one side. This makes it easier to see that they fit the patterned wire ring and to apply the paste solder. My favorite ring so far has been made with the floral wave patterned copper wire. In this instance, I just used small dots of paste on the wavy points and got a nice, clean finish.
What a great idea! I love your videos!
These are adorable - what a great way to use patterned wire!
Just have to say the same as everyone else, what a fantastic video! Clear and brilliant instructions and a beautiful product. Thank you so much for making this video.
thank you so much 💕
Thank you verry much.
Love your tutorials ...thank you!!
Clear and beautiful tutorial Thankyou
These are so pretty! I’m just starting to make rings. I can make one of these types soon!
Great easy to follow along video. Also love your helpful tips. Beautiful rings
Looking forward to more videos from you!💕
I learned so much from your video. Headed to the studio! Thank you for this awesome video.
I love it, will try it. Thank you!
This was super helpful, great tutorial. When using the soldering paste could you not apply it to the patterned strip?, This would save paste as the support ring does not connect with all the pattern strjp. Just a thought, would that work?
Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you much,very useful video.
Love this !! Thank you for sharing !!
Cool is verry nice thank you
These are great rings and very good tutorial, Karen. Thank you!
I just wonder how you ensure the support rings are the exact same size as the pattern wire one, since you did not measure them and just sort of ball-parked their sizes.
Thanks so much!
That's a great question, and something I should have addressed, so thank you for asking! After the individual rings have been soldered closed into bands, and before they are stacked and soldered together, you have the chance to round them out into perfectly round rings.That's a good opportunity to make sure that all your rings are measuring the same size on your mandrel, and adjust their size as needed. It's much easier to stretch one or two bands that are slightly smaller up to match a larger band/bands than it is to remove material and reduce a ring size. So, at this point, you can gently tap down with the rawhide mallet to stretch any bands that are smaller to be the exact same size as the others before you solder them all together.
Thanks again for asking,
Karen
I love your video, thank you so much. I am excited to try this project but I have one question how long do you pickle?
Hi Sandy, how long your pickle depends on how hot and how old (or new) your pickle is. With fresh pickle and hot water, you can expect to pickle these for about 3 minutes. You'll want to make sure that the color is almost white. Hope this helps!
I know this is an old video but I’m a beginner and a pro at watching all the Cool Tool Videos. I’ve slowly been building my tools up. When I go to buy the wire for these rings it asks for different types like; soft, dead soft, hard, solder filled, round square... I am not sure what you are using here? I heard the gauge is 18 & 16 on the wire but none of the other choices needed?
Thanks for asking, I can see how all the options could get confusing!
I’m working with round sterling silver wire for this project, and the product codes for the wires I used were WIR-316 and WIR-317. The dead soft, soft, and hard descriptions next to wires are just a reference to how they’ve been treated after manufacture. Milling/drawing wire to the appropriate gauge has a hardening effect on the wire, and it can be quite stiff as a result. If it says hard next to it, the wire has not been annealed or softened after manufacture, and that would be something you may want to do on your own before manipulating it depending on what you’re trying to do. If the wire says soft, it’s been partially annealed, and if it says dead soft it is fully annealed. The wire I used was dead soft, and as a result very easy to manipulate to wrap around mandrels to make my rings.
Thanks again for asking,
Karen
Is the flower band in the middle pre made or made with pic ?
Hi Stella, you can find this flower wire already made here: www.cooltools.us/Patterned-Wire-Sterling-Silver-Flower-2-p/wir-566.htm
Hope this helps!
Karen, why do you use the honeycomb soldering pad?
Hello, that's a really good question! I used a honeycomb soldering brick because the perforations in the honeycomb brick helps the heat to distribute more evenly without reflecting back on the piece as strongly as it would from a traditional brick. This helps to keep smaller components in the pattern wire from melting and gives you more control of the heat from your torch.
@@cooltoolsvideos Thanks! I have many kinds of soldering blocks, but didn't know about this kind, I need to get one. As I was looking through your other videos, I came across the one about the different kinds of soldering blocks, all such good info!
What do you mean give them a pickle?
Hi Debbie, Pickle is a liquid compound used to remove oxidation and flux from newly soldered jewelry. It is what you put your pieces in to clean them after soldering. Hope this helps! If you have any questions feel free to reach out to us at sales@cooltools.us or 888.478.5060
Excellent tutorial