All About Soldering Flux for Jewelry Making

[@lisaboggs3487]

Great video. Helped me refresh my knowledge after 43 years. I am starting to make jewelry again. I really appreciate your explanation to make it easy to understand.

[@JewelryArts]

Wonderful! I am so glad you found it helpful. :)

[@catherinemartina6469]

thanks for the info. You answered my question. Can you add a little water.

[@JewelryArts]

Sure, I regularly add water to my paste flux. 😃

[@jerrik521]

So glad I found this site. Love that you go into detail for this Thank you so much

[@JewelryArts]

I am so glad you are enjoying the videos! Feel free to ask questions in the comments anytime. :)

[@artistcg]

Oh snap! I have your book! Didn't realize it was you when I pressed play on this. :)

[@JewelryArts]

I hope you enjoyed it anyway! :)

[@4nbop80user]

Excellent video - thanks !

[@JewelryArts]

You are so very welcome! :)

[@-_-ok9550]

i cant express how grateful i am because of this vedio

[@JewelryArts]

I am so glad that you found it helpful! :)

[@-_-ok9550]

@@JewelryArts im confused about what kind of alcohol should be used with boric acid. alcohol is pretty much banned where i live. the only alcohol i have access to is 90%-85% isopropyl alcohol found in handsanitizer. will it work? sorry its a little hard for me to understand spoken english i did not get what u said it that alcohol part.

[@JewelryArts]

@@-_-ok9550 we use denatured alcohol but I know it is banned in some places. I would think you should try to buy premade formulas like Prips or any type of commercial barrier flux.

[@-_-ok9550]

@@JewelryArts thankyou.

[@JewelryArts]

@@-_-ok9550 You are very welcome! :)

[@rubenmejia4881]

Im not sure how or why this appeared on my timeline but I sure found it interesting. I tinker around with electronics so hearing you talk about soldering was fascinating especially to hear of you using different types of fluxes. I would love to see the brands or what they are made out of to compare with the stuff we typically use out of rosin and tacky fluxes.

[@JewelryArts]

So glad you enjoyed it! The fluxes all have a borax base, they absorb oxygen and create slide. 😃

[@marenc9648]

Hello Jeanette thank you very much for a lot of helpful and useful information.... Have a nice day. Greetings from Germany Maren

[@JewelryArts]

You are so very welcome! You too! :)

[@catherinemartina6469]

what about a boraxine cone for flux

[@JewelryArts]

I don’t bother, I would rather use the premixed but they certainly work.

[@kimberlycoy7509]

I am LOVING your videos! I really love your "keep it real" approach to teaching. I have a question...I read somewhere that when soldering sterling silver, you need to use both a barrier flux and a flow flux. Can you explain this to me, or let me know if that is true. Thanks so much!! BTW...After binge-watching several of your videos, I ordered the tweezers you designed, as well as the margin roller - which I never even knew existed!! - and your Electra-Spin wheels. SO excited to use them all!

[@JewelryArts]

I am sure you will love the tools! 😃A lot of metalsmiths use a barrier flux when soldering thick sterling to avoid fire scale from forming. It forms a barrier to oxygen so it can’t combine with copper deep in the piece, that is what causes fire scale. You also need a flow flux like batterns or handy flux in the seam so the solder will flow. There are fluxes that act as both, you just need to carefully read the labels so you know what you have and what you need to use.

[@kimberlycoy7509]

@@JewelryArts Thank you so much for the reply! Looking forward to watching more of your videos!

[@JewelryArts]

@@kimberlycoy7509 You are very welcome! Always feel free to comment any and all questions. :)

[@suraniellepola1278]

Thanks for the very informative video. I have beginner question :) If the flux paste dry out, can you use bit of liquid flux to mix?

[@JewelryArts]

You can, but normally water is all you need. I usually add a bit a water and stir at the start of every bench session. 😃

[@Kathryn-p8y]

Thank you for this! I just taught myself how to solder a couple of months ago. I only work with 14k Gold Filled wire, mostly in 8, 10 and 12 gauge. I coat each piece fully in the boric acid/alcohol mixture and then with a small squeeze bottle I coat the (real) gold pallions with the liquid flux and also droplets of it on the area of the wire to solder. Is this a good technique, or do you have any suggestions for tweaks? I solder just like you said: fast, and then into the pickle for ~5ish mins.

[@JewelryArts]

It sounds like a great method! :)

[@fleuryelite2170]

So any flux paste will work for jewelry ?

[@JewelryArts]

I haven't yet found any that won't. :)

[@lizziehal6830]

Hi. What can tell us about liquid Self pickling flux? Thanks

[@JewelryArts]

Some flux says that on the label but it isn't true. You always need to pickle after soldering. :)

[@antonella6833]

Loved this, very informative! Do you offer online classes?

[@JewelryArts]

Not at the moment but they are in the works. :)

[@lou8078]

Sign me up, I’m stuck over here in London (fighting with gold filled)…so I’d love your online courses! 😂

[@valerie4710]

Thanks for your video. I just want to ask if the borax cone, used with a dish has the same composition as boric acid? Does it work the same way as boric acid to prevent fire scale? Thanks in anticipation of your response.

[@JewelryArts]

Hi Valerie I am no chemist but the borax cone is just pure borax, not exactly the same as powdered boric acic but both will prevent fire scale. Modern, prepared fluxes work better for soldering. :)

[@valerie4710]

@@JewelryArts Thanks for your response.

[@JewelryArts]

@@valerie4710 You are very welcome! :)

[@fishwithandy]

Thanks for the reply , sorry I mis said that , I meant to say , do I need a Different Flux for Gold , lol , Great channel , so much info

[@JewelryArts]

Glad you are learning! Aha, I see! The same fluxes work on gold or silver and the paste is my favorite. :)

[@fishwithandy]

@@JewelryArts Great Thanks

[@ramoncordova6142]

What brand is the paste flux do you use

[@JewelryArts]

I like handy flux🥹

[@noeliahernandez6570]

So can borax flux powder be used on jewelry too? As well as glazing a crucible?

[@JewelryArts]

It is similar to the borax in flux but not exactly the same so you can’t use it to flux your piece. 😃

[@synapticdragon2157]

So I can use a borox acid ant/roach killer powder I bought awhile back??

[@JewelryArts]

yes, believe it or not! It is generally the cheapest source of boric acid. :)

[@fishwithandy]

Great Video , Great channel , I am a Beginner , I have been using borax flux ground in a dish to make some silver jewellery and now want to make a 9ct gold bezel set ring , can I use the same solder or do I need something different , many thanks Andy

[@JewelryArts]

So glad that you are enjoying it! You normally purchase solder that will be a close color match. Silver solder will work but the color difference will stand out. :)

[@fishwithandy]

@@JewelryArts Thanks for the reply , I mis said that sorry , I meant to say , do I need a different Flux for Gold , LOL ,

[@JewelryArts]

@@fishwithandy No worries, the fluxes work on both metals. :)

[@fishwithandy]

@@JewelryArts Thanks

[@JewelryArts]

@@fishwithandy You are very welcome! :)

[@Aaron-ux1mr]

Is La-Co flux suitable for small finger rings?

[@JewelryArts]

I have never used it but the label says it is suitable for silver. :)

[@breannaalvarez7114]

Just getting supplies to get started. I'm thinking liquid flux as I wanna do soft soldering. Do you agree? I don't wanna mess up buying the wrong stuff 😂

[@JewelryArts]

Can you tell me a little more about what kind of soldering you will be doing?

[@breannaalvarez7114]

I plan to do soft soldering. I have a soldering pen and from what I've been looking into I can wrap my crystal cabochons in copper conductive foil. Put flux on it, then solder with the pen to make pendants or rings. I do wire wrapped jewelry and wanna expand out.

[@breannaalvarez7114]

I hope this makes sense I've heard it called soft soldering or Tiffany style I think?

[@JewelryArts]

@@breannaalvarez7114 I see. I think the liquid flux will work fine. :)

[@JewelryArts]

@@breannaalvarez7114 So using a soldering iron, which is more like electronics soldering.

[@fourwheelingforgems5940]

Roach poison is mostly boric acid but it does contain other chemical pesticides that you do not want to burn in your shop.

[@JewelryArts]

interesting! The label said 100 percent boric acid but I don't doubt you are right. Thanks! :)