Silver is a precious and noble metal used for various purposes, including the manufacture of jewelry. For example, a chain of it is an attractive and classic item that can be worn as a bracelet or necklace. True, despite the strength of silver, jewelry made of this metal can be quite fragile and even break. But many of them are easy to restore, the main thing is to know how to solder silver at home.
Features of the technology of joining metal products
To link them together using a more fusible metal. The soldering process may differ depending on the conditions in which the product will be used and the type of metals to be merged. For example, the repair of jewelry and the bonding of printed circuit boards in electronics are carried out in various ways. However, many people are more interested in how to solder silver at home.
The choice of material for joining metal products
Silver solder can be purchased at any hardware store. It is better to give preference to refractory substances, the melting point of which is at least 240 ° C. In this case, it is advisable to use a specialized solder paste or alloys marked PSR-2.
Solder for connecting silver products can be made independently. It must include the following metals:
- zinc 30%;
- copper 25%;
- silver 45%.
These components will melt in a muffle furnace under a submerged arc. The resulting mixture must be poured onto a substrate, and then passed through a milling machine to create plates with a thickness of about 0.5 mm.
To create permanent connections of parts, strips with a width of about 1-3 mm are used. Pieces of the required length are cut from them. During soldering, the fastened place is exposed to air. In order to prevent oxidation and other negative reactions, it is necessary to use flux (colophonium). When heated, the solder is moderately distributed over the metal, isolating the welding area.
How to solder silver with a soldering iron?
Before soldering silver at home, it is necessary to prepare a flux and solder in advance. Often when connecting silver-containing components, 60% tin and 40% lead are used. This solder begins to melt at a temperature of 180 ° C.
But before proceeding to the soldering of silver, it is necessary to clean the planes of the products and remove from them the oxide film that has appeared over time. In such a situation, the solder provides an internal fusion with silver.
The soldering area of the silver product must be warmed up well to exceed the melting temperature of the metals to be joined using a powerful soldering iron. In addition, it is recommended to isolate it from the action of oxygen air. The flux, which creates a protective film over the junction of the components, will help to achieve the best result. Colophonium during melting of the solder will be distributed evenly along the metal plane.
It is necessary to use a soldering iron to connect silver jewelry when using high-temperature solder, which coincides with the breakdown of metal.
Connection of silver products with a gas burner
Before you learn how to solder silver with a cassette burner, you must take care of the presence of a fan to ventilate the room before starting work. To reduce the amount of smoke generated during soldering by the burner, you will have to not only turn on this device, but also open the windows. When joining metal jewelry, it is important to keep strong jets away from the place of work, otherwise the cooling procedure may lead to problems during soldering.
Before you solder silver at home with a gas burner, you will need water containers to rinse the items after fastening. Moreover, the metal parts must fit entirely in them.
It is better to solder silver jewelry with a torch having a flat tip, since the pointed one will quickly remove heat. The metal joining process requires the following steps:
- The first thing to do is solder the elements on a refractory surface. The main thing is to ensure rigid fixation of parts relative to each other. To do this, you can use nichrome wire and clamps.
- Then the surface of metal products is cleaned of oxide films and covered with a thin layer of flux.
- After that, they begin the soldering process. At the place of welding it is necessary to place a little solder. The burner should be brought to the side of the part, carefully warming the connection area.
- To fill the cracks, it is necessary to use a solder with a small content of silver. But for a stronger connection, on the contrary, it is better to use solder with a large inclusion of silver.
- Then finishing is done. Products must be well cleaned of flux, and the excess solder should be removed with a file or sandpaper. The surface of the silver product can only be covered with an acid solution for clarification and blackening.
How to solder silver with tin?
Tin soldering of silver jewelry is rarely carried out, since their repair in the future can lead to sad consequences. For example, when a jeweler is not aware that the product was previously fastened with this metal, he can use ordinary high-temperature solder to solder it. These actions will lead to the fact that it simply burns out.
Some recommendations
Do not use too much solder to avoid lumps. If they nevertheless formed, then they must be removed with a nail file. If acid is spilled onto clothing or skin, rinse immediately with plenty of cold water.