Article: If you want to join multiple pieces of silver together, soldering is typically the easiest home method. It still requires quite a bit of preparation, and the following materials: Use a "medium" or "hard" silver solder made from silver alloy, not standard solder. Avoid solder containing cadmium unless you have a respirator. A small oxy-acetylene or butane torch, preferably with a flat "chisel tip." Any brazing or soldering flux labeled as suitable for silver. Copper tongs and tweezers (of any metal) for handling the silver. A "pickle" solution for soldering, heated according to label instructions before you begin. You'll need a well-ventilated room and a heat-resistant work table, plus a heat brick to work on. Goggles are essential for detail work, to protect yourself from spatter during close inspection. Gloves, a denim or leather apron and tight-fitting, non-synthetic clothing are good additional precautions. You'll need a container of water anyway to rinse the jewelry, but a fire extinguisher doesn't hurt if you are working in a room with flammable materials. If the silver is greasy or has been heavily handled, rub on a degreasing solution. Dip in the pickle solution if the silver is black from oxidization. Once clean, brush the flux onto the silver, over the areas to be joined. Powdered flux must be mixed into a paste or liquid form first. Check the instructions for details. . If you have never soldered anything before, this in-depth guide may help. Alternatively, you can follow these quick steps: Position the objects carefully on the heat brick, then apply a chip of solder (or a dab of solder paste) with tweezers. Heat from about 4 inches (10 cm) away, focusing on the thicker piece of silver. Do not heat solder directly. Hold thin pieces of silver with tweezers to prevent melting. Once the solder has melted along the gap between the pieces, turn off the heat and wait a minute or two for the solder to solidify. Use your copper tongs to dip the silver first into the water bath, then into the pickle solution to remove oxidization created during soldering. Rinse a final time in water, then pat dry. Avoid putting the pickle in contact with skin and clothes, as it can be corrosive. Non-copper tongs may react with the pickle, corroding the metal. If you prefer the look of "aged" silver, you can skip the pickle. These are best added to jewelry with a two-part epoxy glue. Solder a silver "bezel cup" to the jewelry, sand the walls down if necessary with coarse sandpaper, then glue in the stone and let dry as instructed by the epoxy label.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Gather materials. Set up a safe work area. Clean and apply flux. Solder the silver Rinse, pickle, and rinse again. Add gemstone or glass (optional).