Soldering gold products requires not only the ability to handle a soldering iron, but also special materials. It is best to contact a jewelry workshop for jewelry repair, where craftsmen can professionally repair a bracelet or chain. If you nevertheless decide to do the soldering yourself, pay special attention to the quality of the connection.
Necessary
- - gold and silver scrap;
- - copper;
- - cadmium;
- - Castor oil;
- - talc;
- - phosphorus;
- - gas-burner;
- - nippers;
- - file;
- - thick needle or awl;
- - pharmaceutical scales.
Instructions
Step 1
To connect the links of the gold chain, you need a special solder. Measure on a pharmaceutical balance about 58 parts by weight of gold, 11 parts of cadmium, 12 parts of silver, 19 parts of copper. Prepare a solder from the indicated substances by mixing metal particles in a container of a suitable size. When soldering gold, you do not need to use a flux, since this metal does not form oxides.
Step 2
Secure the chain links in miniature vise. If you are faced with the task of connecting the ends of a broken link, pass a needle, awl or knitting needle through the two adjacent links of the gold chain. Now gently grasp the link with tweezers, squeezing it so that the ends of the element close together.
Step 3
Warm up the soldering area with a gas torch or a heated soldering iron. Bring the solder to the soldering point while continuing to gently heat the soldering area. The heated mixture will spread along the seam and harden, securely connecting the ends of the link.
Step 4
If excess solder has formed during soldering, carefully remove it with small nippers. Now file the seam with a fine notched file for a more polished look. This processing produces fine gold dust and metal sawdust. Collect this waste so that you can use it later for the preparation of solder, if the need arises for a new repair of gold products.
Step 5
If you have to solder a chain with very small links, use the special phosphorus soldering technique. Mix the castor oil solder prepared according to the above method, adding phosphorus to the mixture. Dip the chain into the resulting composition. Solder will fill the gaps in the links to be connected. Now roll the product in talcum powder.
Step 6
Carefully pass the chain treated in this way through the flame of a gas burner. The phosphorus in the gaps will instantly burn out in the form of flashes, having qualitatively welded the links.
