Start Silver Soldering at Home
Working at home may feel intimidating, so instead of letting your nerves get in the way, follow this guide to creating a master home soldering setup.
Getting a perfect solder joint is a goal for nearly every jewelry maker regardless of experience level. A tidy silver solder line between parts may feel elusive as a beginner, but practice is key. Start with this equipment list as your guide and your home studio will be a safe, reliable place for jewelry making.
Read about all details below and grab a copy of the checklist
Pick A Soldering Station
Designate one location to solder. Pick a room that meets these requirements:
Comfortable size with hard flooring: no tiny coat closets or small carpeted rooms
Access to fresh air: at least 1 window or door for airflow
Electrical hookup: lighting control is essential and a you’ll need an outlet to plug in a small crockpot for the pickle solution
Outdoor spaces are okay depending on climate. Remember you’ll have to adapt to factors like a breeze, unruly temperatures and rain, and you’ll need to clean up and put everything away each night.
Outfit Your Soldering Table
The following furniture and accessories are essential for all soldering operations.
□ A jewelers bench, a desk, or work table with a durable surface
□ Comfortable chair or stool (sitting while soldering can be helpful for coordination)
□ Fire extinguisher (find at your local hardware store)
□ Small ceramic crock pot for warming Pickle (easy buy from second hand shops)
□ Small ceramic or glass dish to hold water for quenching hot pieces
□ Soldering surface: this is a personal preference that includes ceramic kiln brick (first choice), solderite board, honeycomb, or charcoal block
Build a Soldering Kit
□ Steel tweezers: a small precise pair helps place solder and move hot pieces
□ Crosslocking tweezers with stand: a handsfree solution to hold pieces in place while soldering
□ Titanium Soldering Pick: to move solder and apply pressure while pieces are hot or under the flame
□ Paste Flux and a small natural paintbrush: a required protective coating that reduces oxygen and keeps solder joints clean. This allows the solder to fully melt and flow. Apply this before heating. Grifflux and Handy are two reliable brands.
□ Pickle Solution: an acidic cleaning agent for copper, brass, silver, and gold. Commonly sold as Sparex. Always pickle after soldering to remove surface discoloration and leftover flux . Pickle does not remove metal or solder.
□ Copper tongs: these are the non-reactive choice for moving pieces in and out of the Pickle pot. Steel can not be used in pickle solution-it ruins the chemistry and causes all pieces to be plated in a thin layer of copper.
□ Baking Soda: This will neutralize the pickle acid when it is ready for disposal. Add baking soda to the pickle pot along with water until the solution stops bubbling, then dispose.
□ Silver Solder: Purchased from jewelry suppliers in chip, sheet, wire, and syringe paste forms. Each solder form is available in 3 melting temperatures: hard is the highest temp, medium is the middle, and easy is the lowest. Start all projects with hard solder as it is the strongest with the best color match to sterling silver.
□ Flint Striker: Light the torch with a striker (flint or electric) rather than a handheld lighter
Pick a Jeweler’s Torch
There are so many choices for torch types out there and the two most reliable options suited to beginners are a handheld torch with adjustable nozzle or a classic acetylene-air torch.
Torch Comparison
The handheld torch is more affordable and a good option for limited space. The Acetylene-Air torch is suited for any task including small melting and casting. It is more expensive but is an investment that proves its value in no time.
Safety Notes
Ventilation
Air flow is a must for soldering. There are lots of options to make this happen in your soldering space and you’ll have to figure out what works best. A window is ideal place to start. You can use a small fan facing outward and consider buying an oven range hood to install over the soldering bench and vent out the window. If you don’t have a window, get a Benchtop Fume extractor for around $50 on Amazon or from Jewelry suppliers like Rio Grande. These fume extractors feature a charcoal filter and require power to operate.
Eye Protection + Personal Protective Equipment
Wear safety glasses or a face shield when soldering. These do not need to be tinted for basic soldering operations but individuals with sensitive eyes can choose glasses with Shade IR #3 tint. Sunglasses are for the sun and offer no protection here.
Tie long hair back securely
Wear closed toe shoes and natural fiber clothing that doesn’t hang loosely over a working area
Wear a shop apron (made of natural fiber like denim or canvas) as protective layer
Avoid skin contact with fluxes by applying it to the metal piece with a brush and handing work pieces with tweezers. Rinse and dry skin if contact is made.
Remove adhesives and oils from metal before heating to prevent fumes
How to Travel with Gas Cylinders
Ask the welding supplier if they will deliver to you. It may cost extra but this is a reasonable insurance policy if you are nervous or car-less. You can also transport a cylinder in your vehicle. Buy a few tie-down or ratchet straps from Harbor Freight or a hardware store. Keep cylinders upright for the ride by securing them to the backside of a passenger seat or vertically secured in the trunk or in the bed if you have a truck. Vehicles travel with full cylinders everyday (ex. gas grill propane refills, work trucks with welding equipment), so travel with care and you will be safe.
*IMPORTANT NOTE* Cylinders need to be secured when in your studio. Use ratchet straps, a worm-gear clamp, hanger straps, or a thick bungee cord to wrap around the cylinder and mount to a secure structure like a table leg or the wall.