Soldering and Ring Sizing

Flashcards covering vocabulary and technical terms for jewelry repair, including soldering techniques, fuel characteristics, and ring sizing procedures.

Brazing

The technical term for joining metals at temperatures above $840^{\circ}\text{F}$, though the jewelry industry commonly uses the term soldering instead.

Oxidizing Flame

A flame produced with an excessive amount of oxygen that makes a hissing sound and appears clear to dark blue; it results in the greatest amount of heat but causes unwanted oxidation in jewelry work.

Neutral Flame

A yellowish-blue flame with an oxygen level between that of a reducing and oxidizing flame; used when high heat is needed and some oxidation is acceptable.

Reducing Flame

The optimum flame for jewelry work that produces the least amount of heat and prevents oxidation; it is characterized by a blue cone surrounded by a yellowish outer flame.

Acetylene

The hottest burning fuel gas, reaching up to $6300^{\circ}\text{F}$ when combined with oxygen; it is popular for melting large amounts of metal and working on sterling silver.

Water Torch

A compact, self-contained soldering unit that uses electrolysis to extract small amounts of hydrogen and oxygen from distilled water to produce a clean, high-temperature flame.

Heat Sink

An object, such as third-hand tweezers, that touches the workpiece to draw away heat by conduction, protect sensitive areas, or keep light weight metals from melting.

Flux

A liquid substance applied to metal before soldering that cleans impurities from the area and protects the metal from oxidation to help the solder flow.

Easy Solder

Solder with the lowest melting point, typically used for thin pieces like chain links; it produces the weakest bond of the soldering categories.

Hard Solder

Solder with the highest melting point that creates the strongest bond; commonly used for high-stress applications like sizing ring shanks.

Fire Scale

A layer of oxidation that develops on metal after it has been heated during soldering; it is usually removed by placing the metal in a pickling solution.

Pickling Solution

A hot acid solution used to remove oxidation and flux residue from metal surfaces after soldering is complete.

Pit

A small area of oxidation that forms a weak bond and surface imperfection, usually caused by overheating the solder or leaving too much space between the parts being joined.

Antiflux

A material, such as lead from a pencil, applied to areas where solder flow is unwanted, such as the pivot points of safety clasps or hinges.

Annealing

The process of heating metal to soften it by relaxing compressed molecules, making it easier to bend, stretch, or compress without cracking.

Underkarated Gold

Gold that has been stamped with a fineness (such as $14\text{kt.}$) that is higher than its actual gold content, which can cause the piece to melt unexpectedly during soldering.

Porosity

An imperfection in metal characterized by microscopic air bubbles that weaken the structure and complicate the sizing process.

Die-Struck

A manufacturing method where gold is forced into a metal mold or die under extreme pressure, resulting in a very dense and durable piece of jewelry.

Sizing Stock

Preformed metal pieces, often in half-round shapes, that are added to the shank of a ring to enlarge its size.

Dividers

A tool used to accurately measure a distance on one surface, such as a sizing gauge, and transfer that measurement to another surface, such as a ring shank.

Separating Disc (Sep Disc)

A thin, rigid attachment for a flexible shaft handpiece used to file the ends of a shank evenly for a perfect solder joint.

Blending

An abrasive technique where a tool is moved lightly back and forth across a wide area to join surfaces together smoothly without creating distinct low spots.

Tripoli

An aggressive abrasive polishing compound used to remove sanding scratches from metal surfaces before final polishing.

Rouge

A fine polishing compound used after abrasive compounds to bring out a bright, high-shine finish on metal.

Mechanical Ring Sizer

A tool consisting of sizing dies and a mandrel-shaped arm with splines used to compress or expand seamless wedding bands by applying even pressure.

Jump Rings

Small wire loops used to connect various jewelry components, such as linking chain links to a center plate or a bracelet catch.

Muslin Buff

A fabric wheel used on a polishing lathe to apply polishing compounds to jewelry pieces.

Zam

A specific type of aggressive polishing compound used to shine metal during the final finishing stages.