Struggling with soldering? 👀 If you can’t see your seams, you can’t fix your seams. Gaps prevent solder from flowing and can lead to overheating (aka ✨melty chaos✨). Magnification is a GAME CHANGER. With my @craftoptics I can dial in on every tiny... more
Soldering a chain end cap onto a delicate gold ball chain can feel a little nerve-wracking — you definitely don’t want to fuse those links and lose the movement! ✨ One quick trick I’ve been loving is packing the chain into a bit of reusable soldering... more
Last time I had to solder a piece with a gemstone that needed protecting I used ‘heat shield’ that I purchased @riogrande, before that I cut off a small piece of potato to cover the stone while soldering, a trick I picked up from @hnossdesign ANOTHER... more
Thank you so much for sending me this unique technique @sophiabrand -“My tip is glass beads when you solder a moving mechanism (hinge). It's easy to loosen them and they prevent small parts from soldering together!” 🙏🏻 anyone else ever try this? Or... more
If you need to make jump rings (for the #metalsmithchallenge 😉) you can create your own tool by soldering a washer to a rod. The washer will make the rod easier to secure in a vise. From there you can wrap your wire. Also featured in this image are... more
Here is a soldering tip for those that use wire solder - insert your solder into a piece of copper tubing (a snug fit is ideal) for better precision and ease of holding. Thank you so much for sending this @ajoiadoleo definitely trying this.... more
When you want to create super smooth, silver balls (for decorative elements), fine silver is the obvious choice! Amazing tip @jessicajo_designs -“I always have 20g fine silver wire on hand... then I can just measure and cut so I can create evenly... more
In response to my recent story requesting prong tips for a member of the community, I received this awesome technique from @beachyandcreepy - she creates two arches out of wire (these will become the claw prongs) and then files little indentations... more
Amazing hinge tip from @elmharris - “I use graphite pencil leads to keep the hinge knuckles in place and to keep the inside of the knuckles “dirty” so solder doesn’t flow inside. I also paint a little rouge or white out (the green label, water based... more
Here’s a way to get your prongs to stay in position while soldering from @sweetbellajewelry - “For prongs I use a soft solderite tile. It’s soft enough to push the wire prongs right into it.” 🤯 You know, the Metalsmith Challenge this month just so... more
Here is another prong hack from @shop_kajsjewelry she solders an X with two wires, then she forms the arches around her piece. - “I find that that way I can adjust the prongs to the exact spot that I want them to “land” on the piece. Having a central... more
When you want to go the extra mile to protect a stone during a soldering repair, use this method from @andreabjewelry -“I used a crucible to not get the paste all over my work surface. The crucible helped with the large stone being cradled. Then I... more
When I’m soldering a clasp onto a chain, I protect the clasp with heat shield. It helps prevent the small elements of the machine made clasp from melting. This heat shield is also great for preventing chain from melting or accidentally getting... more
Love this #diy revolving solder chip holder from @leafandbadger - “Screw a watercolor pallet onto the underside of a surface to get a revolving solder chip holder. It usually has 12 cups which works great for easy, medium, and hard solders for silver,... more
Here is another way to prevent solder from flowing - gouache paint! Thank you for sending this awesome technique @artjewels.ru you can paint it on in the same way you would white out or yellow ochre. IMPORTANT UPDATE* thank you to members of the... more
When your torch is crackling and suddenly cuts out with a pop it may be time to clean your torch tips! @moonshinedivineco had this issue and was able to share this technique for cleaning with us - “Just throw them into a pot of boiling distilled... more
When you need a little lift during a solder job @amyy50 has multiple options for you! T Pins, paper clips, and pieces of steel sheet she cut to suit her needs! “The solder won't stick once the lift is dirty with firescale.” Thank you so much for... more
When you want to prevent solder from flowing into a design you’ve stamped, or prevent a previously soldered element from flowing use this tip from @knotandsplice (and thank you to other members of the community that have mentioned this stuff in... more
