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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 19, 2017 20:24:42 GMT -5
One thing I think about and live by. If you have a set of cheap pliers you can make something. If you are saving up for a nice set you can make nothing. You can upgrade latter. I use this idea in all my hobbies. Some fizzle out without upgrades. Some I will never be able to afford, like a 500mm f4 is Canon prime lense. Vic Thanks everyone rockjunquie I found a link on Youtube Some gal that has a pretty Nice Setup but she is using JETHRO BODIEEN TOOLS off some site sold in the UK Looks like a pretty complete set >>>>> www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/University-Student-Jewellery-Tool--Kit-prcode-997-1005 I Thought I would just use it as a list of what to get what do you think? That desk she is using is pretty neat. ~Duke Cooks or, "cookies" as my friend calls it, is like the EU Rio Grande. You can get set ups like that tool set up here in the US, too. I'm not a fan of those kits. They usually have the cheapest tools. Enough people have chimed in to say how quality counts. For things you will use a lot, like hand tools, get the better ones. You'll work better and longer with them. For the odds and ends tools that you won't handle all the time, get cheaper. As for smithing, pay for good files- they last forever, and for a good saw- you will use it a lot. I have a good German saw and a Knew saw. You will want a Foredom, too.
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Post by youp50 on Oct 19, 2017 22:11:26 GMT -5
There’s a difference between soft soldering and hard soldering. Jewelry uses hard soldering. I use mostly a butane mini torch. Bigger pieces require a bigger torch, so I have a simple propane torch. There really is no term hard or soft solder. Solder takes place when the filler metal melts below 840 degrees. Brazing filler metals melt quit a bit higher. Most common around 1200 degrees or so. The American Welding Society (AWS) classifies it as BAg. B brazing Ag silver. Also called silver or hard solder. Different filler metal alloys use different amounts of silver. There is also a process called BCuP. B brazing Cu copper P phosphate. That is a more common process in refrigeration work. There is no flux needed, the copper tube manufacturer puts some phosphate in the tube to 'wet' the base metal so the filler will flow. I have used BCuP 5 filler and flux to braze steel to copper. There is enough silver in it to get the job done. I would avoid it for jewelry work. Next time you buy filler, look at the name. It will likely end in a 30 or a 45. That is the percent of silver in the filler. I bought several Troy ounces at a yard sale. In a confessional, I may have to admit to stealing it, I paid asking price. It contains cadmium, bad stuff to breathe. I rig up a shop vac to exhaust outside when I use it. The filler is also available in cadmium free form.
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 19, 2017 23:10:17 GMT -5
I built my own bench. The base is an older vanity desk and the top was cut from an oak butcher block style dining table top, with the shortened legs from the dining table acting as risers. It didn't have enough drawers but I'm fixing that soon, after I finish the lazy susan lapidary bench.
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Post by toiv0 on Oct 19, 2017 23:29:19 GMT -5
I will go by memory hard solder is 75 percent silver, med solder is 70 and easy 65. I always use solder from the same source as I do silver. Alloys can vary and affect performance. I believe Rio has a chart on their solders flow points, 1425,1390,1325 respectively hard to easy. Color will vary on your joint and I use 90 percent hard and 10 percent med and very rarely will use easy. You can make your own solder by using copper and fine silver. Natives used to grind bullet casings mix with silver for solder. I don't do much gold soldering but you can get the Karat solder for what you are working on. Read somewhere you can use a lower karat gold than what you are soldering for solder in a pinch, don't know if its true
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Post by toiv0 on Oct 19, 2017 23:44:39 GMT -5
I can weld, braze and solder industrially but sometimes because I don't do it all the time its not so good looking. I say if you can torch cut and fabricate industrially you can make jewelry if you have some imagination. You have half the battle won because you understand how fire and metal works. Just need to use a different metal and solder. Oh and argentium even though its classified as sterling behaves way different than regular sterling.You have to have nice fitting joints for integrity and looks. Most of the people in my niche like the flaws that make it look hand made. My wife doesn't wear my jewelry as she like the commercial no flaw look. So with that said you need to decide what niche you want to target, high end? repairs (whole new thread, ask radio about repairs)? tourists? Yuppies? I believe I said earlier a lot of Native Americans make all their jewelry out of the back of their truck and carry all their tools in a small tool box.
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Post by toiv0 on Oct 19, 2017 23:56:58 GMT -5
Now while we are talking tools do any of you have one of these? If there is one thing I wont have to learn to do is Solder either silver braze or soft solder and as far as Welding I can do that too aluminum stainless cast iron or steel I've done it all. Many people swear I was born with a torch in my hand Being an HVAC Contractor for 35 years I guess ya get good at it. I have the tanks and regulators I just need the little kit just wondered if you guys use them? Thank Duke I use a smith little torch with propane, I also have what is called a plumber torch which uses just acetylene and air for bigger work. In a pinch I will just use the propane torch out of the garage if I need just a little more heat.
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Post by pauls on Oct 20, 2017 20:24:27 GMT -5
I have a pair of Lindstrom side cutters I got probably 30 years ago, used them professionally every day, I am retired now but they are still the go to cutters if I am doing a job I need to snip wire, a bit grubby now but still very sharp. My take on the amount of money you need to spend on tools to do a job, a good tool is a joy to use and will often outlast many many cheap tools. For a professional certainly go the expensive ones, for a hobbyist its up to you what you spend, expensive tools are nice but may not be worth it for the amount of use they get. certainly avoid really cheap crappy tools though, they make any job so much more frustrating.
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