First rule of soldering

Okay, last Thursday was one of those days.

I decided that I needed to tackle bezel setting and use some of the stones that I've had for a long time.  I have done bezel setting before, in three separate classes (under the watchful eye of a teacher.)  I made my own cab and bezel set it way, way, way back in college (and that one was fully soldered, unlike working with metal clay.)  They all turned out successfully.  But, since I hadn't done it by myself for quite a while I was rather hesitant.

When working with metal clay, the bezel can be shaped, the ends soldered together, and the bezel pushed into the wet clay.    This method is quick, but often results in cracks in the clay as the clay shrinks around the bezel.

A more accurate method is to make the clay piece and the bezel separately.  Solder the bezel and fire the metal clay piece by itself.  After firing, the bezel is pasted to the metal clay piece using paste which has lavender oil added to it.  Don't rush the drying at this step, let it air dry.  Then re-fire both pieces together and finish as usual.  Now here is where my problem came to light.

In class, I didn't pay any attention to the type of solder paste we were using.  (A major error!)  So, I went merrily on my way, soldering not one, but three bezels.  Since I had a design in mind for only one, I proceeded with that one.  All was going well, until I took it out of the kiln and noticed the solder was gone and the bezel had a crack where the solder should be.

Then it hit me (like a ton of bricks as they say.)  My firing temperature was hotter than the melting point of my solder!!!!!!

Okay, live and learn (again and again and again.)

All is not lost on my other two bezels though.  Paper clay can be cut into a small strip and used like a band aid to hold the seam together.  Whew, at least I remembered that from my metal clay bezel setting class.  (And I'm hitting the books to jog  my memory on some standard bezel setting practices.)

Now all I need is some info on making a square or triangular bezel.  (All the directions are for ovals, and circles!)

This photo is a finished bezel set piece that I did during a class at the conference in 2009 (or was it 2008?)  Anyway, it's just to prove that I can do bezels (but still working on making a cleaner seam.)

Miracle oil

I actually did work out a design ahead of time (at least for the one side.)

One side of the copper and bronze bangles

Other side of the copper and bronze bangles

When attaching two pieces of fired silver together, it has been found that the addition of lavender oil to the paste gives a very strong attachment to the pieces.

As I said in an earlier post, I had to repair my bronze bangle bracelet by replacing a couple of balls and adding a new ball.  (Actually I decided not to use the errant balls but made three new ones instead.)  I wasn't sure if I should add lavender oil to the bronze or not, but thought what the heck!  I added the oil to a small piece of lump clay which I used to make the three new balls.   Then I made the paste from the left over lump of oil infused clay.  

After careful drying in an upright position, I held my breath when it came to firing.  Since there were some freshly made pieces in the container with the bangle and the three balls were fresh clay, I did the first firing over again.  The first firing burns out the binder.  The second firing sinters the metal. 

Today I got to open the kiln and Christmas came early.  Everything was perfect.  The new balls are permanently attached.  (The only bad thing is that the bracelet is a little big for my hand and could slip off.)  That was easily remedied by wearing two bangles.  An earlier copper bangle is slightly on the small size and by putting it on after the bronze one, it keeps the bronze bangle from slipping.  (There is one more bronze bangle waiting to be fired.  Two bangles are pretty noisy.  Just wait until I'm wearing three bangles.  I won't be able to play hide and seek with the grandchildren.)

By the way, I think it's time for a grandchildren post.  Got a couple of goodies from the three year old.  Will share in a post soon, after I check to make sure I haven't shared them already. 

I didn't know

Either I didn't know (or more likely I forgot.)

Lately it seems information has been popping up about things that we can't do in metal clay. Funny thing is...... I've been doing them and they've been working for me. (At least they did before I knew I couldn't do them!)

The list:

1. The transparencies to make Photopolymer plates must be made on either a laser printer or a printer that uses toner. An ink jet printer can't make dark enough transparencies.

First of all, I am not running out to Staples to have my transparencies made every time I need one. (Got too many other things to do and I don't think Staples is open at midnight.) And secondly, my ink jet transparencies have worked fine on my photopolymer plates. Only once did I have a problem and that was resolved by doubling up my transparencies. When I print out my transparencies I make sure to choose the transparency as my paper medium. I print it as a high quality photo and also as a grayscale print. Just be careful not to scratch the transparency after it is printed.

2. Lavender oil paste is only for pasting together two fired pieces of clay. Use plain metal clay paste to join unfired pieces.

This was a new one to me. I just figured that if it was good for joining fired pieces, it was just as good for joining unfired pieces. I've been using it all along with no problems. I was also told that the lavender oil paste adds strength when used to coat leaves. (Only did the leaf thing once with regular paste. It's a boring process and the leaves were rather flimsy. Might try it again with the lavender paste though.)

3. Metal clay rings should not be worn every day.

Thin, delicate rings shouldn't be worn everyday. But solid, good sized rings can be worn everyday. I wear five rings every single day. Now I don't wear them when I lift weights or when I golf but other than that I feel naked without them. I've had sterling silver and gold rings that broke through, so the metal clay isn't any different.

4. This one I just read about today. Metal clay rings can not be stretched, so be sure the size fits.

Now in my Level I Certification class, we were shown how to round out a ring that had misshapen during firing and how to stretch it if it shrank too much. (I didn't forget this one or dream it up.) I've stretched out many a ring (before using the pellet inserts for firing.... and even a few after using the inserts.) I know I've stretched them one whole size and maybe (not sure about the memory here) even a little more than that.

Oh well, I'll just go on my merry way doing things that aren't supposed to work. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. (Sorry I can't attribute it to creative exploration even though it sounds better.)