This class will offer a combination of soldering and fabrication skills. The emphasis will be on soldering. If you are brand new to soldering I will steer you towards doing basic solder joints. If you already have some soldering experience you will be refining your skills in more depth. The class will be geared towards your level of experience.

• Do you melt or unexpectedly heat texture metal while soldering?
• Does your solder flow where you don’t want it to go?
• Does your solder not flow at all?
• Does your piece of jewelry move around on the brick as you try to solder it?
• Do you spend too much time cleaning up solder-slop?
• Do your solder pallions dance like gypsies when you are trying to heat up the metal?
• Do you have difficulty soldering large pieces?
• Do you find it hard to solder textured pieces?
• Do your previously soldered joints fall apart when you try to solder another joint?

We will cover:

1. Placement of heat, the amount of heat, and the tip to use with various soldering joints
2. Gauging what temperature you can expect solder to flow
3. Trouble-shooting what went wrong when the solder did not flow
4. Strategies for securing a piece of jewelry when soldering
5. How to avoid solder spillage and what to do when it occurs
6. How to limit solder palion movement
7. Strategies for soldering larger pieces
8. Dealing with texture.

In this class you will learn how to use a jeweler's saw, a hand file, and a drill press to create jewelry. Safe use of this equipment will be emphasized. Also you will be introduced to the safe use of a small, yet effective torch that many people use in apartments and condominiums; you will also have an opportunity to work with an acetylene-air torch system. We will make 3 types of solder joints that are the basis of most jewelry making.

Please don't worry about tools and materials - all tools and supplies you will need for this class will be provided. Your class fee will include the cost of materials. There will be items available for purchase if you want something additional. Because we have limited space I am requesting that you not bring a tool chest to class.

Pre-Requisite: None

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