I like your straightforward no nonsense approach to teaching. I just looked at part of a silver solder tutorial which was full of giddy silliness and couldn't even stay long enough to hear what useful information they had to convey. Thanks!
I just wish I lived next door to you. I could just come over and sit and watch you create. Thank you for taking the time to make all these tutorials. I'm in Australia and you have helped me release the giant (jewelry creator) within! tee hee Thank you, a thousand thank yous! x Lib
thanks Nancy for your recent encouragement, I have made jewellery for years but had a fear of soldering. Took the bull by the horns today and made a silver bracelet. Took me hours but got there in the end............loved it. Sandra in cold Scotland
I'm just venturing into soldering, my soldering iron just arrived today. :) Thank you for such an informative presentation. I look forward to watching and learning more!
First off, I want to say that I am envious of your studio. Next I wanted to say that this is the first video I have seen of yours and I just subscribed to your videos and will be looking forward to the other ones. I am a beginning jewelry solderer and I want to learn all that I can and your teaching technique is great. Thanks, Patience
Just discovered your alter ego, Julia Child'! I avoid even soldering as I am always afraid of doing something wrong. You are informative In an humourless yet professional manner which embues confidence. Thank you for not just possessing exceptionaledu are the toio
Hi Funkfosho, I have seen Don's videos. While our techniques may differ, our aims are the same - teaching this craft. I don't only use hard solder because it doesn't work for me. If it works for you and Don, that is wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to write. Nancy
Thanks for making this video. I am new to this and I am trying to learn what kind of solder I need to buy and how to use it, etc.. Your video is very helpful and I will be watching all of your videos as soon as I can. Thanks for sharing! Lynn
Nance, Been following you for a good while and Love you! Such a knowledgeable and fun teacher. On that sectional bracelet you showed with the center clear marquis setting, how did you achieve those gorgeous flourish-like plaques? Did you draw and saw, thus creating them from scratch? Do you have a video of the making of it or parts of it?
Thanks Lib! I wish you lived closer too! Although, watching me create would be rather perplexing as I have about 6 - 10 projects going on at once. I get confused. I'm glad the giant has been released - leave it unchained by criticism and it'll grow even larger. Enjoy and thanks again. Nancy
Sandra, I am so happy for you! Whoppee! You are a great success story and a brave woman. Now, all you've got to do is make 3,000 more solder joins. Yeah. Keeping that torch going will help to keep you warm in cold Scotland! My new video on making a domed ring has more soldering in it - if you are interested. Send me a picture of that bracelet, if you care to? Thanks, as always. Nancy
Sorry Nancy this is way off video subject but I really need advice I can’t seem to find elsewhere. I have thick metal pendants I’d like to use as connector links. Can you PLEASE advise what I need to drill or punch holes through them with? I used a diamond bit w/Dremel, I bought a metal hole punch NO luck nothings working!!! HELP Breathlessly awaiting,,,your advice,,, Great Goddess Of Crafting🧚♂️
Hi Vido, I'm assuming that you can solder? Clean the metal really well on both sides. If it is a single crack, don't file or sand the edges of the break- they should fit back together tightly. You might need to use binding wire to hold the piece together tightly. Flux the area and seam, add a small piece of silver solder on the crack and solder. Quench and pickle. If you used minimal solder, you shouldn't have a lot of cleanup. Sand and polish as required. Hello to Iraq! Thanks for writing.
Nancy I am addicted to your videos, I love them and I learned so much from you. I wondered if you can help me if you have the time and wouldn't mind, how do I solder brass to silver? And do I pickle it? Will it ruin my pickle? I am learning, but it is taking me a while to get all the equipment together, which I have just about managed. Thank you
Hi Nancy! I am a beginner to working with silver, and I am mesmerized by all your videos! Not getting any work done sitting here at the computer ogling your site! One quick question I can't seem to find the answer for anywhere -- If I am soldering an open backed pronged setting onto a wire ring, what is the easiest way to solder it without melting the prongs or the tiny setting itself? I also can't seem to find a way to balance the setting on the wire without it moving during soldering. The third hand, which I don't care fore, melts the prongs before the solder flows. What am I doing wrong? By the way, I use a handheld butane torch as I don't have a proper torch at this time.
@trekranger I get my silver solder from Rio Grande Jewelry Supply. Just type in solder under "search". There is silver in this solder and the amount varies depending on if the solder is hard, medium, easy, etc. Rio's hard solder is 75% silver, their easy solder is 65% silver. There are many places to obtain solder and it comes in different forms: sheet, wire and paste. You cannot find this solder at Lowes or Home Depot. Thanks for watching. Good Luck! Nancy
Hi Trek, You shouldn't be able to see any light between the two edges. Solder will melt on one side only, if the join isn't perfect. Clean metal by heating it up, til it turns dark gray and has a pink glow. Quench it and pickle. That will make it very clean. Paint the flux in the join and flux the solder too. Torch is probably not hot enough. Mapp gas is hotter. Heat metal evenly. Then hit join with flame. Work fast, copper is dirty. Email me for more info - no enough room here. Good luck
Hi J, Big question, small space to respond in. Overlap the metal to be cut and saw through both legs. Filing is too inconsistent. Sawing leaves both sides exactly the same. I think I talk about what a pain doing this is and how to match up the ends in my video: How to make a hook and eye clasp - part one and two. I go through the same problem. I hope this helps. Email me personally (from my site) for more help. Thanks, Nancy
@nancylthamilton Hi again Nancy. Thank you so much for getting back to me. I tried it (the gold solder) out and one piece of gold-filled metal kept it's gold and the other piece (a jumpring) didn't. I'm thinking it must have not been real gold-filled. What do you think? Thanks again for your help. I'll keep watching. Peace
Hi. Thank you very much for your videos and interesting throws you teach. I want to make copper solder but I do not know the ingredients. Please help me in this case.
Thank you. I like your style. My question is can you use gold solder on gold-filled wire? I already purchased it before I knew about yellow strip solder.
ALOHA Nancy and Everyone!!!! ;-D I'm not new to soldering but new to soldering jewelry. I have some repairs I thought I'd try. It's to a piece of rhinestone jewelry my grandmother had. Is there a way to determine what kind of metal it is? (not silver or gold)
@nancylthamilton Nancy, I also asked Rio about yellow strip solder and they didn't recommend it for gold-filled because the colors don't match. They said it was great for brass thought. What do you think. It's a lot more affordable than gold solder.
I I need you to talk about flux. the different types what not to use. also what problems that we can encounter and how to avoid and fix them. for example, I had a problem with pitting showing up in my silver and I cant fill the holes. the solder just won't go in even if I first put the solder directly in the hole. I ended up using PMC sterling to overfill them and file away the excess. the flux I was using was a mix of borax and solder paste the kind for electronics to make it sticky. not sure if this had anything to with the pitting or not. anyhow help, please.
Hi Nancy, I have a sterling silver piece that I went a little "solder happy" with, and a section of it filled with solder, that I don't want filled. Whats the best way to remove it? Thanks do much for your funny informative videos! ;-)
Dear Nancy, If I have a brass setting for Swarovski and want to attach a brass loop to it via soldering, does it mean the process will burn the brass setting/loop , and I will have to have it plated to even out the color, or can skilled soldering of a tiny loop to the top of a small Swarovski basket setting be such that it doesn't cause the change of color anywhere and doesn't leave any marks or discolorations? I would truly appreciate the response! Elena
I have come across your channel on a quest I am in search of a solder that matches the color of copper would there be some thing out there to your knowledge that will be a good to perfect match for copper wire Thank you in advance And happy holidays
Hi - I wrote on your blog, too. I am looking for a way to add two ribbon-slider-buckle-type bars to the back of a brooch in order to allow it to slide onto a 1 1/2 inch satin ribbon for a bridal sash. Do you have any suggestions on how to do this? Thank you for your videos! ~Susan
@sisteryaya24 Yeah, it is weird that it worked once and not twice. I just don't know. It may not be real gold solder but, gold filled solder and I suppose, as it's only filled, that the other part that is not gold showed up. I've never had that happen. Was the line that showed silvery? I'm as confused as you are. Maybe we'll never know???? I'll email Rio Grande and ask them about it. Hopefully, they've got an answer. Later gator. Nancy
Hi Pamela, It sounds like we should email each other - not much room here. Have you seen my domed ring video? Gold soldering is the same as for other metals: tight fit, clean metal, flux, solder, even heat. Maybe your fit isn't right? The edges need to be nice and close together - hardly any light should show through. Are you heating both sides evenly? Is the metal very clean? Could you be more specific about what is happening? Email me for more info. Take care and thanks. Nancy
@az27485 Well, I don't know. I've never tried it, so I can't say. Guess you could take sheet solder and treat it like sheet metal but, I imagine you might have a mess on your hands (or bench). Let me know if you ever try it. Good luck. N
i'm making copper rings (24guage) using hard solder and i cant get solder too melt. I'm using a little propain torch you get at any store. i can get the solder too melt by itself but when i put it on ring it just wont melt.i clean copper and use flux so i dont get it.HELP. i got it too melt 2 times out of 5 but thats it.Solder it wire and its hard .Any ideas??
If any professionals could give me some names of good quality hand tools and torch brands for metalsmithing. Mostly working with silver and copper at the moment. I work with tools everyday as an electrician so i know that certain well known brands are not always the best. My girlfriend has been going to school for metal Smithing and is really like to get her set up with quality tools. It just seems like there is so much of a market aimed at the weekend warrior and pick it up put it down types that I'm having a very hard time with just choosing a bench pin vice!!
I make my own solder and alloy my gold, silver ! I don't like the paste its not as good . And, I'm from the old school hard solder palians or strips ! borax dish and cone ! Medium and easy when doing settings .
I don't like paste either. I've learned a ton since that video came out 12 years ago! Wow! I've been on the Tube for awhile. Time flies... Thanks for your thoughts.
Hi Wiccanlady, Whoops! We'll unfortunately, you will have to remove the solder with some form of abrasive. Depending on where the solder is, how accessible it is and what you've got to work with, tool wise, will determine the technique. You could try sand paper/discs or silicone points, bristle discs, aluminum oxide points or polishing pins, among many other options. Email me if you want links or more specific info. as You Tube doesn't allow them. Nancy.Lt.Hamilton at gmail dot com. Thanks
I like your straightforward no nonsense approach to teaching. I just looked at part of a silver solder tutorial which was full of giddy silliness and couldn't even stay long enough to hear what useful information they had to convey. Thanks!
Great tutorial. Thank you. Please don't stop talking about solder as I am just starting to picking it up. And that bracelet was fabulous!
I just wish I lived next door to you. I could just come over and sit and watch you create. Thank you for taking the time to make all these tutorials. I'm in Australia and you have helped me release the giant (jewelry creator) within! tee hee
Thank you, a thousand thank yous! x
Lib
thanks Nancy for your recent encouragement, I have made jewellery for years but had a fear of soldering. Took the bull by the horns today and made a silver bracelet. Took me hours but got there in the end............loved it. Sandra in cold Scotland
I'm just venturing into soldering, my soldering iron just arrived today. :) Thank you for such an informative presentation. I look forward to watching and learning more!
Your studio is amazing and FULL of cool stuff I’m certain ❤️
Hi Jennah, so glad that it helped. I re-watched it myself and had a flashback to the days when my studio was SOOO cluttered. UGH! Thanks again. Nancy
Nancy...your videos are so good...I really appreciate you sharing your talent!
Why thanks you Ms. Lynn! Thanks for watching and taking the time to respond!
This is exactly what I needed!! I can't thank you enough for explaining this. Great video!!!!
First off, I want to say that I am envious of your studio. Next I wanted to say that this is the first video I have seen of yours and I just subscribed to your videos and will be looking forward to the other ones. I am a beginning jewelry solderer and I want to learn all that I can and your teaching technique is great. Thanks, Patience
Just discovered your alter ego, Julia Child'! I avoid even soldering as I am always afraid of doing something wrong. You are informative
In an humourless yet professional manner which embues confidence. Thank you for not just possessing exceptionaledu are the toio
Hi Funkfosho, I have seen Don's videos. While our techniques may differ, our aims are the same - teaching this craft. I don't only use hard solder because it doesn't work for me. If it works for you and Don, that is wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to write. Nancy
Thanks so much casitagirl! Love those fabulous comments. Good luck and have fun in your new adventure. Nancy
Great stuff Nancy
I want to do a small printed circuit board job.
This is why I wanted to learn about solder thank you dear.
Keith
Thank~you! Very new to this. I've been searching you tube videos around on the web and so glad I found you!
These are a lot of things I wanted to know because I've never solder before.
Plus I just subscribed because at least you comment back to your fans.
Thanks for making this video. I am new to this and I am trying to learn what kind of solder I need to buy and how to use it, etc.. Your video is very helpful and I will be watching all of your videos as soon as I can.
Thanks for sharing!
Lynn
love your lessons, very informative and especially easy to follow..
Great video Nancy, good to see you well and about.. cheers!
I'm so grateful for all your help. I've learned so much from you. Thank you so much. I also wanted to say your look great with your hair up. :)
Nance, Been following you for a good while and Love you!
Such a knowledgeable and fun teacher.
On that sectional bracelet you showed with the center clear marquis setting, how did you achieve those gorgeous flourish-like plaques? Did you draw and saw, thus creating them from scratch? Do you have a video of the making of it or parts of it?
i want to thank you for all the wonderful tips !
Hi Marie, To solder gold filled metal use yellow strip solder available from Rio Grande Jewelry. You can also use this solder with brass.
Great video Nancy, thank you so much!
Very informative, love your work.
Thank you. What a great tutorial.
Thanks Lib! I wish you lived closer too! Although, watching me create would be rather perplexing as I have about 6 - 10 projects going on at once. I get confused. I'm glad the giant has been released - leave it unchained by criticism and it'll grow even larger. Enjoy and thanks again. Nancy
You are amazing! So knowledgable.
Yep...great vid Nancy... hope you give the paste a try, I would be interested in your opinion!
Sandra, I am so happy for you! Whoppee! You are a great success story and a brave woman. Now, all you've got to do is make 3,000 more solder joins. Yeah. Keeping that torch going will help to keep you warm in cold Scotland! My new video on making a domed ring has more soldering in it - if you are interested. Send me a picture of that bracelet, if you care to? Thanks, as always. Nancy
Cheers Nancy. We cant use Extra Easy in the UK, as you know, because it is below the silver content level for 925 sterling assay.
Great video, Muchas gracias Nancy
awesome tips !!!!! THANK YOU, YOU MAKE ME TO GO AND BUY AN ENTIRE EQUIPMENT AND START RIGHT NOW !... =)
Nice work.... Well done
Sorry Nancy this is way off video subject but I really need advice I can’t seem to find elsewhere. I have thick metal pendants I’d like to use as connector links. Can you PLEASE advise what I need to drill or punch holes through them with? I used a diamond bit w/Dremel, I bought a metal hole punch NO luck nothings working!!! HELP
Breathlessly awaiting,,,your advice,,, Great Goddess Of Crafting🧚♂️
Hi Vido, I'm assuming that you can solder? Clean the metal really well on both sides. If it is a single crack, don't file or sand the edges of the break- they should fit back together tightly. You might need to use binding wire to hold the piece together tightly. Flux the area and seam, add a small piece of silver solder on the crack and solder. Quench and pickle. If you used minimal solder, you shouldn't have a lot of cleanup. Sand and polish as required. Hello to Iraq! Thanks for writing.
Nancy I am addicted to your videos, I love them and I learned so much from you. I wondered if you can help me if you have the time and wouldn't mind, how do I solder brass to silver? And do I pickle it? Will it ruin my pickle?
I am learning, but it is taking me a while to get all the equipment together, which I have just about managed. Thank you
Hi Nancy! I am a beginner to working with silver, and I am mesmerized by all your videos! Not getting any work done sitting here at the computer ogling your site! One quick question I can't seem to find the answer for anywhere -- If I am soldering an open backed pronged setting onto a wire ring, what is the easiest way to solder it without melting the prongs or the tiny setting itself? I also can't seem to find a way to balance the setting on the wire without it moving during soldering. The third hand, which I don't care fore, melts the prongs before the solder flows. What am I doing wrong? By the way, I use a handheld butane torch as I don't have a proper torch at this time.
Thanks for sharing!
great teacher . thanks Nancy. from a newbee
@trekranger I get my silver solder from Rio Grande Jewelry Supply. Just type in solder under "search". There is silver in this solder and the amount varies depending on if the solder is hard, medium, easy, etc. Rio's hard solder is 75% silver, their easy solder is 65% silver. There are many places to obtain solder and it comes in different forms: sheet, wire and paste. You cannot find this solder at Lowes or Home Depot. Thanks for watching. Good Luck! Nancy
Hi Trek, You shouldn't be able to see any light between the two edges. Solder will melt on one side only, if the join isn't perfect. Clean metal by heating it up, til it turns dark gray and has a pink glow. Quench it and pickle. That will make it very clean. Paint the flux in the join and flux the solder too. Torch is probably not hot enough. Mapp gas is hotter. Heat metal evenly. Then hit join with flame. Work fast, copper is dirty. Email me for more info - no enough room here. Good luck
Thank you so much! Appreciate the comment. Nancy
Thanks again for the great info. Stunning bracelet! Is it one of your creations?
Hi J, Big question, small space to respond in. Overlap the metal to be cut and saw through both legs. Filing is too inconsistent. Sawing leaves both sides exactly the same. I think I talk about what a pain doing this is and how to match up the ends in my video: How to make a hook and eye clasp - part one and two. I go through the same problem. I hope this helps. Email me personally (from my site) for more help. Thanks, Nancy
@nancylthamilton
Hi again Nancy. Thank you so much for getting back to me. I tried it (the gold solder) out and one piece of gold-filled metal kept it's gold and the other piece (a jumpring) didn't. I'm thinking it must have not been real gold-filled. What do you think? Thanks again for your help. I'll keep watching. Peace
Glad it helped!
Hi Nancy great video! what would you recommend for soldering nickel silver?
Hi. Thank you very much for your videos and interesting throws you teach. I want to make copper solder but I do not know the ingredients. Please help me in this case.
Thank you. I like your style. My question is can you use gold solder on gold-filled wire? I already purchased it before I knew about yellow strip solder.
ALOHA Nancy and Everyone!!!! ;-D
I'm not new to soldering but new to soldering jewelry. I have some repairs I thought I'd try. It's to a piece of rhinestone jewelry my grandmother had. Is there a way to determine what kind of metal it is? (not silver or gold)
@nancylthamilton
Nancy, I also asked Rio about yellow strip solder and they didn't recommend it for gold-filled because the colors don't match. They said it was great for brass thought. What do you think. It's a lot more affordable than gold solder.
I I need you to talk about flux. the different types what not to use. also what problems that we can encounter and how to avoid and fix them. for example, I had a problem with pitting showing up in my silver and I cant fill the holes. the solder just won't go in even if I first put the solder directly in the hole. I ended up using PMC sterling to overfill them and file away the excess. the flux I was using was a mix of borax and solder paste the kind for electronics to make it sticky. not sure if this had anything to with the pitting or not. anyhow help, please.
Melody152, Thanks you so much!
Hi Nancy, I have a sterling silver piece that I went a little "solder happy" with, and a section of it filled with solder, that I don't want filled. Whats the best way to remove it? Thanks do much for your funny informative videos! ;-)
@HackSteele Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to write. N
@sisteryaya24 Yep, no problem. It's pricier but work great. Thanks for watching. n
Dear Nancy,
If I have a brass setting for Swarovski and want to attach a brass loop to it via soldering, does it mean the process will burn the brass setting/loop , and I will have to have it plated to even out the color, or can skilled soldering of a tiny loop to the top of a small Swarovski basket setting be such that it doesn't cause the change of color anywhere and doesn't leave any marks or discolorations?
I would truly appreciate the response!
Elena
I have come across your channel on a quest I am in search of a solder that matches the color of copper would there be some thing out there to your knowledge that will be a good to perfect match for copper wire
Thank you in advance
And happy holidays
Thanks Nancy, great information for a hobbiest. Will email you if I need advice .. cheers Al.
Hi - I wrote on your blog, too. I am looking for a way to add two ribbon-slider-buckle-type bars to the back of a brooch in order to allow it to slide onto a 1 1/2 inch satin ribbon for a bridal sash. Do you have any suggestions on how to do this? Thank you for your videos! ~Susan
So is the hard solder physically hard, and or is it difficult to work with, or harder to melt? Sorry for the awkwardness of that question.
@sisteryaya24 Yeah, it is weird that it worked once and not twice. I just don't know. It may not be real gold solder but, gold filled solder and I suppose, as it's only filled, that the other part that is not gold showed up. I've never had that happen. Was the line that showed silvery? I'm as confused as you are. Maybe we'll never know???? I'll email Rio Grande and ask them about it. Hopefully, they've got an answer. Later gator. Nancy
Nancy, thank for the video! Can I solder fine silver to sterling silver?
Hi Nancy: Is it possible to solder a silver jump ring onto an enamelled silver charm without damaging enamel?
@usaearthling Thanks, I appreciate it and I also appreciate you taking the time to write. N
what solder do you use for gold plated jewelry?
Nancy,
What is sweat soldering? Why/when is it used?
I'm looking to get into making cuban style necklaces and bracelets.
I love u Nancy❤
Hey Nancy .. I have a broken ring made from brass, How can I weld it ? Need your help please.
Many thanks for your video, I'm from Iraq.
Hi Pamela, It sounds like we should email each other - not much room here. Have you seen my domed ring video? Gold soldering is the same as for other metals: tight fit, clean metal, flux, solder, even heat. Maybe your fit isn't right? The edges need to be nice and close together - hardly any light should show through. Are you heating both sides evenly? Is the metal very clean? Could you be more specific about what is happening? Email me for more info. Take care and thanks. Nancy
Hello Nancy I have the hardest time making rings may I ask wht I need to use for soldering 14 and 18k gold jewelry. Wht you use? Thanks
where do you get it at? can you buy it from lowes or homedepot ?
Hi Nancy, I tried to solder stainless steel on Copper, but it didn't work. Could you tell me why, how can I do it?
so beautiful
never mind, I fixed it. Thanks ;-)
@az27485 Well, I don't know. I've never tried it, so I can't say. Guess you could take sheet solder and treat it like sheet metal but, I imagine you might have a mess on your hands (or bench). Let me know if you ever try it. Good luck. N
@MelindaOrrDesigns thanks Melinda!
i'm making copper rings (24guage) using hard solder and i cant get solder too melt. I'm using a little propain torch you get at any store. i can get the solder too melt by itself but when i put it on ring it just wont melt.i clean copper and use flux so i dont get it.HELP. i got it too melt 2 times out of 5 but thats it.Solder it wire and its hard .Any ideas??
Trekranger, I purchase my solder from Rio Grande Jewelry. Have fun. N
If any professionals could give me some names of good quality hand tools and torch brands for metalsmithing. Mostly working with silver and copper at the moment. I work with tools everyday as an electrician so i know that certain well known brands are not always the best. My girlfriend has been going to school for metal Smithing and is really like to get her set up with quality tools. It just seems like there is so much of a market aimed at the weekend warrior and pick it up put it down types that I'm having a very hard time with just choosing a bench pin vice!!
who do you normaly buy from ?
There are no vacancies for work? setting please tell me
I make my own solder and alloy my gold, silver ! I don't like the paste its not as good . And, I'm from the old school hard solder palians or strips ! borax dish and cone ! Medium and easy when doing settings .
I don't like paste either. I've learned a ton since that video came out 12 years ago! Wow! I've been on the Tube for awhile. Time flies... Thanks for your thoughts.
Hi Wiccanlady, Whoops! We'll unfortunately, you will have to remove the solder with some form of abrasive. Depending on where the solder is, how accessible it is and what you've got to work with, tool wise, will determine the technique. You could try sand paper/discs or silicone points, bristle discs, aluminum oxide points or polishing pins, among many other options. Email me if you want links or more specific info. as You Tube doesn't allow them. Nancy.Lt.Hamilton at gmail dot com. Thanks
is that also silver?
souter? what is that?
Would like to use brass and want to know if must use brass pickle and brass solder?