Some Essential Jewelry Soldering Tools
Use our guide to jewelry soldering tools and equipment to discover exactly what it takes to master the art of soldering metal jewelry. Soldering is the process most jewelers use to join metal pieces together, forming a permanent, invisible joint. Once mastered, it is one of the most satisfying techniques you can learn in jewelry making. For beginner and advanced jewelers, here's a list of what should be in your basic soldering kit:
Torch, fusion and brushing.
For beginners, a manual butane torch will provide enough heat to do small-scale jewelry work. Also, you still need some explanation to understand. For larger scale work and for goldsmiths, a larger flame will be needed, such as sievert torch kit (999 E AKZ1).
When the metal is heated, a layer of dirty oxide forms which, if left untreated, will prevent the solder from melting. To prevent this from happening to us, we must clean the metal parts that are going to be joined. First, degrease with sandpaper and then apply a flux. We will seal the surface of the metal with the flux creating an airtight layer, which in turn allows the solder to slip. (Note: only apply the flux where you will be soldering.) There are a range of fluxes available to suit all needs, but if you're not sure, start with a stick and slab of borax.
Shears, heat-resistant surface
A wide variety of shears can be used to cut your welding strip into small pieces or to bend sheet metal and wire into different shapes.
Preparation is key when we weld metal jewelry, and it is essential to make sure we have a safe and clean work area. Many people prefer to create a soldering area using heat resistant blocks that are usually carbon, ceramic or asbestos substitutes.
Plastic and precision tweezers
As the cast iron heats up, it bubbles and moves. Parts of the solder jump and move in turn, which can be very frustrating. Titanium or steel tweezers will help you weld and position workpieces accurately, ensuring successful jewelry welding. Plastic or brass tweezers should be used to remove the pickle - anything with steel in it will continue the pickle and produce a copper coating on all your work. In all, here are some important jewelry tools you can use.