Sweat soldering

Jamie Santellano - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 11:10pm

I recently learned how to Sweat Solder. I LOVE this technique! The effects are amazing because it gives the piece created a look of being carved out...adds depth to jewelry. With Sweat Soldering the piece is kept neat, and clean, so the outer lines from the overlay are sharp. This also saves a great deal on the clean up! I often dread sitting at the bench filing away the solder.

The challenge I have faced with this technique is not getting the work piece hot enough for the solder to flow- you can't see when the solder is ready to flow-you know,
the "Silver Flash!" So it is very important to take notice that when the flux has glazed over, the solder is ready to flow, and watch the change in color when the metal gets too hot.

A side from that, the results are brilliant. Add an antique satin finish to the piece, and the overlay looks like it's popping out of the metal.

I am excited about it, and find this technique to be a brilliant addition to my jewelry.

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Be sure to post pictures.

marilyn - Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 3:38pm

Be sure to post pictures. It's great to fall in love with a new techique.

marilyn

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Hi Marilyn,

Jamie Santellano - Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 6:19pm

Hi Marilyn,
I posted in the images, "Ring with Overlay," which I used this technique on. I'll post more images once the ring is finished.

Thanks!

Jamie Santellano

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hmmmm... i can't find the

feorge - Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 10:17pm

hmmmm...
i can't find the image???

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Try this link: Ring with

QuiQue - Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 11:41pm

Try this link:

Ring with overlay work

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Jamie, Sweat solder

Fred Zweig - Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 2:05pm

Jamie,

Sweat solder simplifies a great many things. I try to concentrate my heat on the base, heating from below, so that the solder on the overlay melts when it reaches the flow temperature of the solder. I always us the axiom "The heat of the metal melts the solder and not the flame".

The ring looks great!

Best,
Fred

Fred Zweig
Metalsmith

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Thanks Fred, for the

Jamie Santellano - Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 2:39pm

Thanks Fred, for the advice...I will focus more on that the next time I approach another project like the ring and cuff. My boyfriend taught me this method, and helped me out with the Cuff, but he's been away for the past two weeks, so I had to figure this one out on my own. Which was a huge learning curve. Experience is everything...Right?

Jamie Santellano

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Sweat soldering

visitor - Wednesday, October 6, 2010 - 3:02pm

Hi there. I love your work. Can you tell me what the other name for "sweat soldering" is?

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Hi! and thanks for checking

Jamie Santellano - Sunday, October 17, 2010 - 2:22am

Hi! and thanks for checking out my work :) I honestly don't know any other name for "sweat soldering." It's the only one I know for this technique. It's really great to use in many cases.

Thanks!
Jamie Santellano

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I am not sure what you mean

bigfootnampa - Sunday, October 17, 2010 - 4:00pm

I am not sure what you mean by "sweat soldering"... it seems as though you may be referring to using sheet solder rather than a feed bar/stick. I often find that you can see the solder flow as it creates a bright ring at the edges of the joined pieces. Also you can often detect the subtle shift in position as the solder flows. With practice I get the proportions of solder quite accurate and find that there is very little if any overflow of solder and yet the fill is complete. I guess that this has always been the standard technique for me and I have only used a feed stick in special applications. With my little torch I have found that I can sort of lead the solder around by directing the heat... even on the small scale of jewelry pieces. Yellow ocher makes a good solder resist where you have an area that is difficult to keep clean.

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Here is a little blip I

eligius1427 - Sunday, October 17, 2010 - 7:46pm

Here is a little blip I found when I Googled sweat soldering. Ironically enough it's a page from this site, lol.

http://www.artmetal.com/files/imported/project/TOC/proces/solder/sweat.htm

Jake

Jake Balcom

Mettle Design

Lincoln, NE

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I have always known it

Feral Metal - Friday, October 22, 2010 - 3:58am

I have always known it simply as "silver soldering" using "pallets" of silver solder, using a higher melting point solder first if it requires many operations, ending up with the lowest melting point. Wiring the piece up would hold it in place during heating.

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"Sweat soldering" does not

Rich Waugh - Friday, October 22, 2010 - 6:55am

"Sweat soldering" does not apply solely to silver soldering. Low-temp soldering is done by sweat soldering as well. The term means any joining of metals using a lower melting-point metal that enters the joint by capillary action - the solder can be applied by pallions, stick or tinning, it doesn't matter. The significant factor is that the solder flows into and throughout the joint by capillary action rather than being a "filler" such as in welding.

Rich

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