How to Solder Silver Jump Rings
Soldering jewelry is essential in order to create strong and attractive pieces. A frequently soldered element in jewelry making is the solid silver jump ring. This ring connects chains to clasps and decorative elements and objects to each other. Because the jump ring is open, it has to be soldered closed to make it a seamless and strong link.
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Things You'll Need
- Rag
- Paste solder in a syringe (medium or hard)
- Silver jump ring
- Small butane torch
- Fire brick
- Needle nose pliers
- Pickle pot
- Pickle solution
- Copper tongs
- Bowl of water
Instructions
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1
Align the ends of the jump ring so that there is just a thin gap between the ends. Wipe the silver jump ring with a rag to remove your hand oils.
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2
Hold the jump ring with the rag so that the gap is toward you.
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3
Apply paste solder from the syringe into the gap between the ends. Set the ring down on a fire brick.
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4
Fire up your torch and move the flame back and forth across the ring and the gap so that both sides heat up at the same time. When the solder gets hot enough it will flow, filling in the gap.
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5
Pick up the very hot jump ring using the copper tongs. Drop the jump ring into a warm pickling pot. Pickle is an acidic solution used to clean metals during jewelry making. The pickle has to be kept warm and it is usually in some kind of heating machine like a crock pot. Often jewelry makers will use a small wire basket in the pickle so that small pieces are easier to find.
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6
Remove the jump ring from the pickle using the copper tongs and drop the jump ring into cool water to wash off the pickle.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear appropriate goggles and gloves to protect yourself from heat and pickle solution.
