How To Set Up A Pickle Pot To Clean Metal Items

[@ashakora]

So glad to live when information can be accessed so easily. Thank you for your amazing work, it is appreciated icreadibly! Much love!

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

I'm so glad that you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching! 😀

[@fujierobesky5651]

Thank you John. Your such an organized clear teacher of all the techniques you teach. I trust all your videos and explaining why your recommending certain procedures. Its easier to remember all the safety recommendations because you cover them each time. Great work.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Fujie, I'm glad that you are enjoying the videos. And, I'm happy to learn that you are taking the necessary safety precautions. Thanks for your support! : )

[@mikealman63tab]

Once again thanks for a clear, concise video, you really do cover every aspect of jewellery/metal related questions so well

[@onlinejewelryacademy8157]

Glad you liked the video. Be sure to watch the new video on how to dispose of used pickle. And, thanks for watching! : )

[@kurtstory9466]

Another idea I came up while pickling--instead of using copper tongs, which can prove especially difficult on small pieces, use a basket made for dipping into liquids. These are made for ultrasonic cleaners and other lab uses, but--you can make one very cheaply using an all-plastic sieve found in the kitchen department of many store. Materials like nylon or HDPE resist acids, and you don't have to keep it in the pot all the time. It's super easy--I just put the items in the basket and lower it into the pot with the pickle. Taking out the basket, putting into neutralizer and then a rinse--no fussing with tongs. :)

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Kurt, There are baskets like what you described available from most jewelry suppliers. I generally use a plastic sieve in my own pickle pot. Another way of keeping track of very small parts is to pickle them in a coffee filter. I also keep bamboo tongs and tongs used for photo processing next to my pickle pot. The photo tongs have rubber tips that can make picking up small items a little easier. And, the bamboo tongs won't scratch items that I'm frosting. Just be sure to neutralize them in some baking soda and water. Thanks for your support! : )

[@kurtstory9466]

For anyone more familiar with metric units, the unit conversion is 60 ml of sodium bisulphate to 1890 ml of water (~1.9 liters). This is approximately a 30:1 ratio of water to chemical.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

+Kurt Story Hi Kurt, Thank you for your comment. I'm sure that some other OJA subscribers will find the information you provided invaluable. Thanks for your support!😀

[@valeriaguerra1295]

I love this chanel it helps me everytime! 🤗

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

I’m glad you’re finding the videos helpful. Thanks for watching! Be sure to check out the OJA website. There you’ll find all of our videos organized by category.😀

[@kurtstory9466]

Regarding whether a brush of one metal will scratch the surface of another metal-I consider that a very complex question which I think is best left to experimentation and finding the answer yourself. :) When one material moves against the surface of another, there are a lot of variables that contribute to what happens next, such as hardness of both materials, the shape and size of the tip of the tool used, the forces involved, temperature, and whether there is anything to dampen those forces, such as water, soap, etc. Of course, any contamination of the tool can change the result greatly. The shape of the tool is critical, and the same material in different shapes will affect the surface differently. For example, a sharp-ended copper wire of a harder temper drawn across a ‘dead soft’ copper sheet can leave a very deep mark that would require a lot of polishing to remove-or not, it really depends on what you want your results to be. Scrubbing a rough surface might refine it, where on a highly polished surface it would be degraded.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Thanks for the interesting comment Kurt. Thanks for your support! : )

[@notwrkn2mch]

Exactly what i needed to know.... you covered all bases, Just learning this craft :) Question:Is the crock pot a must or can i heat it on a propane camp stove too? I'm assuming it's to dissolve the sodium bisulfate?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

+Joe Z Hi Joe! The crock pot is sort of essential. You not only want to heat the water to dissolve the Sodium BiSulfate, but you want to keep it warm too. Cold pickle solution will work. But, it works a lot more slowly than warm pickle solution. Also, you really should use a crock pot because it has a ceramic container that won't react with the solution. I hope that these answers help you in your new creative pursuits. Thanks for watching! : )

[@notwrkn2mch]

Thanks for the reply,you've been a big help. I'm getting a crock pot

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

+Joe Z Check the thrift store first!

[@catalinseverineanu2550]

Hi John! Thank you for your great videos. They are very helpful for me, as an amateur jeweler. I have a project for a belt buckle making with the following materials: - nickel silver sheet CDA #752 alloy (65%Cu, 17%Zn, 18%nickel) - jeweler's brass sheet CDA #230 alloy (85%Cu; 15%Zn). - SAE 304 stainless steel bar - silver brazing solder Ag130 (30%Ag; 36%Cu; 32%Zn; 2%Sn) - Stay-Brite Solder (96%Sn; 4%Ag) Could you please tell me if your pickle solution (1/4 to a 1/2 cup of Sodium Bisulfate to 2 quarts of water) is suitable for this project of mine? Just want to mention that I could isolate the stainless steel bar with some nail polish during the pickling process and remove the nail polish coat afterwards, if you think it is necessary. Best regards! Catalin.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Catalin, Glad you like the videos. The pickle solution in the video will get you through the construction process. And, you don't have to coat the stainless steel with anything. But, when you're done soldering, your piece will have a copper blush on the brass for sure. After minimizing the solder with files and sand paper, use a nickel pickle on it to clean the outer surface: www.onlinejewelryacademy.com/brass-pickle-video.html. : )

[@catalinseverineanu2550]

Thank you, John! So, just to be sure, I should use the nickel pickle only at the very end, after using the normal pickle solution in this vide, sand paper, files etc., isn't it?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Catalin Severineanu Yes, Dave it until the end because it’s quite aggressive.

[@catalinseverineanu2550]

Hi John! I followed your advice. It is working great. Thanks!

[@mccg4337]

so should I leave the slow cooker on High or set it to Low after the solution heats ? how long should I let it heat up ?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Just turn it on to low and leave it on low. The solution will work even if it’s cold. Thanks for watching! 😀

[@davidlent7555]

The brass brush is too abrasive and I do not want the brush marks on my work, how else can I remove the baking soda/left over pickle solution?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Dusty, If you use your brass brush with a bit of detergent you can burnish the material that comes out of the pickle pot back to a shine. This is a necessary step to ensure that all of the oxidation is removed from the metal before you go back to working on it. Good luck with your projects. Thanks for your support! : )

[@emmanoelle9001]

you can use a little bristle pad like an sos pad or the scratchy side of a sponge, still leaves a little bit of "texture" but not too much especially if you take your time and are gentle

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

No, no, no Emma. Just use the brass brush. It is a burnishing tool. It may look like it's scratching your metal. But, it's actually burnishing it. The items that you recommended are abrasive and will leave marks. Thanks for your support! : )

[@bearly1727]

I do a lot of silver soldering on brass and clean them with 400g sandpaper followed by 4444 steel wool and they gleam. I use the same steps to prepare for soldering and immediately apply the flux to keep the area to be soldered pristine.

[@Emma-ps8sh]

Hi John! Thank you so much for your great videos! I'm having a hard time for pickling brass. The pieces I solder are complicated to brush because the brush doesn't get to some places of the piece. So, I'm looking for the best pickle solution for brass. I saw in one of your videos that you recommend using peroxide mixed with sodium bisulfate (I went to a quimical store in Spain and she told me it was really dangerous to mix those, so she gave me sodium metabisulfate. I used it and but I don't get the results I wanted. Now I saw this video and you mix sodium bisulfate in water and warm the solution. Which one is best for brass? I also read that water and sulphuric acid is good too. I'm really confused about the best and secure option for pickling! I will appreciate your help!

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Emma, The pickle for brass is merely a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide with just a little bit of sodium bisulfate. As long as you don't cover it and use it under good ventilation you should be fine. The normal pickle solution is approximately one quart of water mixed with a 1/4 cup of sodium bisulfate. Just to be on the safe side, please confer with your chemical supplier about these quantities. Thanks for your support! : )

[@nobackhands]

Dear Prof Ahd, After annealing the copper for a bracelet your method did remove the fire scale. However, rather than a shiny metal copper finish it is a dull orange/red. These are long and very thin wires and are hard to brass brush. Being twisted it is hard to get into the many spirals. Is there another method (preferably chemical) to remove the o/r residue?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

You might try tumbling the wires. Here’s a link to an OJA video: www.onlinejewelryacademy.com/tumbler-video.html 😀

[@nobackhands]

@@OnlineJewelryAcademy I stretched out the wire and rubbed it with a folded maroon Scotch-Brite. Not perfection but QED

[@littlepero]

Hi Dear, I've made a silver casting and the jewel turned out just gray/silver colour instead of Black as usual. Can you tell me why? I was used to have It black and then with a solution turn It White, than cleaning... Thanks in andvance Lorenzo

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Without seeing how you performed the casting process and looking at the actual casting, I really cannot give you a definitive answer to your question. My apologies.

[@billieshields9522]

Do you leave your pickle pot on all the time or if used occasionally would you just heat it up then? Thank you for the videos:)

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

No. I never leave my pickle pot on unattended. I just turn it on when I begin working. Cold pickle will work. It just works a little more slowly. Glad you're enjoying the videos. Thanks for your support! : )

[@gunnMetal]

I just got a soldering setup from Rio. It came with a mini pickle pot, a solution to put in it, and some kind of rectangular box that was spilling sand out of the seams everywhere. How do I use the "Pickleit"?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Gunnar, According to their website, the product you asked about should be dissolved in water to make a pickle solution. If you need further assistance, they have a technical support line you can call for advice. Thanks for your support! : )

[@dominikraphaelpascallinden4905]

Hi John, how are you doing; I got a question, If steel is no good in the pickle, would inox steel make a difference, say medic stainless steel tweezers?. Thanks ;)

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Stainless steel can be used in the pickle pot. But, in my classroom I do not allow any metal tweezers into the pickle pot. I make my students just use the copper tongs. Sometimes tweezers from craft and hardware stores aren't stainless. Thanks for your support! : )

[@emmabates9554]

Can you tell me if it is obvious, just by looking, when items have been picked for long enough?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

+Emma Bates Hi Emma, Yes, sometimes you can tell by looking at a piece that it has been in the pickle pot long enough. But, sometimes you might be fooled. If you think a piece has been in the pickle long enough, dip it in a neutralizing solution of water and baking soda and brass brush it with a bit of detergent and water. If it doesn't look completely clean after brass brushing, simply drop it back in the pickle pot. Thanks for your support! : )

[@emmabates9554]

+OnlineJewelryAcademy thanks for always replying so quickly.

[@flyingcheff]

John, why oh WHY does the piece HAVE to be brass brushed? I have heard that it is done but I have never heard that is has to be or should be done. I thought it was a way to get a special texture...but that's because no one tells you WHY. Thanks, I'll bet YOU know :)))

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

+Gabby Flying Chef Hi Gabby, The reason why you need brass brush items when they come out of the pickle pot is because the pickle pot doesn't entirely remove every bit of oxidation from the surface of an item. The brass brush is a way to manually remove the remaining oxidation. This prepares the item for soldering or finishing processes. Now you know. Thanks for watching! : )

[@RBDubison]

What does baking soda in the rinse water do?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

It helps to neutralize any pickle solution left on the surface of your piece. 😀

[@IBI-r3f]

how much time required to burn metal part in hot post and which temperature?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Here is a link to a recent OJA video that I think will answer your questions: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3mViJtpa5h9oas The pickle pot should be set on LOW. You never want it to boil. The time it takes to clean a piece of metal depends on how dirty it is, how strong the pickle in your pickle pot is, if the pickle is warm, and how fresh the pickle is. Watch the other video. I think it will help. Thanks for your support! : )

[@abedshanaah]

the pickle powder is sodium bi sulfate or sodium bi sulfite ? and can i use it also for casting tree cleaning after remove the investment powder

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

It’s sodium bisulfate that is combined with water in your pickle pot. yes, you can use it to clean your castings. But, you will need to change your pickle pot shortly after you’re finished cleaning. Investment is rather abrasive.😀

[@abedshanaah]

@@OnlineJewelryAcademy thanks

[@sarahcannon3243]

How do i pickle stainless steel

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

You don’t pickle stainless steel. I recommend you search online for information on cleaning and polishing stainless steel 🙂

[@kimlyons8550]

I am using a small pot. Could you tel me the ration of sodium bisolfate?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

+Kim Lyons I generally use 1/4 to a 1/2 cup of Sodium BiSulfate to 2 quarts of water. Since I don't know what size of a container you are using, I though I'd provide you with the general formula. Good luck on your projects. And, thanks for watching! : )

[@kimlyons8550]

+OnlineJewelryAcademy Thank you so much for getting back to me. I pulled up some conversions and did the math. 3 tsp to 2 cups of water is what I came up with. It is a 2 cup pot. I think it is called the little dipper.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

+Kim Lyons Glad we could help you with your pickle pot issue. Good luck with your projects. And, thanks for watching! : )

[@danalevault7928]

What is the heat setting used for pickling? And do you need to use a crock pot?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

When I use a crock pot as a pickle pot, I set the temperature on its lowest setting. Jewelry supply companies sell pickle pots. But, they generally don't come with a lid. That's why I tend to use a crock pot as a pickle pot. I also use a crock pot because they tend to be well sealed so that the heating coil doesn't get corroded. The durability of the ceramic crock is also another advantage. : )