How to solder a gold chain at home: making solder, soldering technology with a soldering iron and cases of complex repairs

A chain is a product consisting of many links. The appearance of the decoration depends on their shape and method of fastening. Moreover, these parameters also determine the resistance to tensile loads. But even the strongest chain will break sooner or later; the likelihood of this increases if the product is pulled sharply. Accordingly, the jewelry still has to be sent in for repairs. Sometimes the damage goes away on its own. First, prepare tools and consumables. Additionally, you should study the question of how to solder a gold chain at home. In cases where the repair is complex, you need to contact a workshop.

Common causes of damage to gold chains

You can prevent the rupture of the product, but to do this it is necessary to eliminate all negative factors that contribute to damage to the gold and create conditions for the long-term use of the jewelry. Causes of ruptures and breakdowns:

• natural abrasion of links: the chain consists of elements that are mobile relative to each other, constant wear promotes friction of the links, as a result, the natural process of abrasion of the precious metal develops, in the weakest places the product breaks;
• active use of the clasp: intensive wear of jewelry, which accelerates the wear of the elements of the lock, since it has its own resource (determined by the design and characteristics of gold), with frequent wear it decreases, parts break;
• sudden movements: even a new chain can break; in this case, the cause is considered to be an accident when the jewelry is unexpectedly touched.

Soldering procedure

Soldering gold will require you to first prepare the surface. We clean the soldering area and treat it with flux. In this case, a protective film is formed on the surface of the gold, which will resist the appearance of oxides and subsequently allow the solder to spread evenly over the surface of the gold.

Brands and properties of solders.

Naturally, this procedure is performed immediately before soldering. Before this, the chain must be returned to normal condition: the links must be connected using the damaged part. As a rule, this is one of the links of a chain or clasp. It is at this point that the connection is made. The entire chain parts are put on the open link, we insert a metal cylinder of the appropriate diameter inside the damaged link and crimp the link using pliers (or tweezers).

The chain is connected, the soldering area is treated with flux - everything is ready for the final procedure. First, we prepare a small piece of solder of a suitable size to repair the damage. He should be in close proximity to the repairman.

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What can you fix at home?

Typically, gold soldering is carried out when defects of a certain nature appear:

• damage on the inside of the product: it is more difficult to independently restore the integrity of the product when a crack appears on the front side, especially if the links are wide - the solder seam will be visible;
• incomplete rupture of one link in a complex weave: most often damage occurs to one of the sections, the metal here bends, breaks, it is necessary to return it to its original shape, solder it;
• rupture of the ring on the lock: this area is not noticeable, it is easier to repair than chain links - just make a seam with a soldering iron, and aesthetics in this case are not so important.

Torn gold chain

Chain repair

Using the described method, gold rings and chains with fairly large links can be soldered. To solder a gold chain with small links, there is another technology.

Gold sawdust is mixed in castor oil with the addition of phosphorus. In the damaged chain, all bent and torn areas are carefully aligned.

The work must be done with a very thin instrument using a magnifying glass. After this, the damaged section of the chain is moistened with the resulting solution.

As a result of this, tiny gold filings fill the places where the links break. If you now place this section of the chain in the flame of a burner, the gold particles will melt and fill the gaps.

And one last thing. Before starting soldering, especially if it is being done for the first time, you should assess the risks associated with possible damage to gold jewelry . Perhaps in this case it is preferable to use the services of a workshop.

Basics of the metal soldering process: refractory and low-melting solder, flux

The temperature at which gold melts is 1064°C. But this meaning changes depending on the content of this component. Before repairs can begin, the material is heated. Individual sections are connected using special materials, without which gold soldering is impossible:

• flux - a composition of several components, used to prevent the formation of an oxide film on the material being processed, and also helps to increase the fluidity of the solder as it heats up;
• Solder - a material in the form of a wire, used to create conditions under which broken metal parts will be connected, it is distinguished by a lower melting point than that of a restored gold product.

There are different types of solder:

• low-melting: changes structure at temperatures below 300°C;
• refractory: melts when the temperature exceeds the limit of 300°C.

Moreover, the second option is characterized by improved characteristics. The properties of a material are determined by its composition. Low-melting solder most often contains tin, lead, and refractory solder: copper, silver, zinc, gold, etc. But solder is chosen not only taking into account the characteristics, the color of the material is also taken into account.

It must match the shade of the chain, and therefore refractory solder is used.

You can make the mixture yourself.

What to do if the silver chain breaks?

Silver is a very popular precious metal. Silver reflects light perfectly and is suitable for any skin color, which is why jewelry, in particular chains, are often made from this precious metal. They are worn as a necklace or bracelet. Silver chains are classic and charming jewelry. They come in a variety of sizes, styles and shapes, ranging from small to massive, from traditional to modern.

Silver is a fairly durable material, however, chains made from this metal can be fragile and often break. Most products can be easily restored, but to do this you need to master silver soldering. This is one of the most basic jewelry making techniques. Silver soldering is used for invisible seams and adding individual pieces of metal. Soldering is also very often used to make chains.

To repair a broken piece of silver jewelry and reunite the two pieces of a broken chain, proceed as follows:

1. Soak the two ends of the repair chain in an acidic solution for 5 minutes. Use the solution used to clean silver before and after soldering.
2. Place a small piece of silver solder directly between the parts to be joined. There should be no more solder than the size of the individual links.
3. Make sure the solder is in contact with both sides.
4. Heat the solder with a small nozzle and wait until it melts.
5. Turn off the nozzle.
6. Allow the solder to cool and harden.

Important! If the silver chain is broken, you can replace the damaged link. To do this: carefully open the damaged ring using needle-nose pliers and remove it from the chain. Then take a new ring made of silver and place it first on one end of the chain and then on the other. Using needle nose pliers, gently press the new ring until it connects.

Manufacturing standard solder: composition, proportions of metals, shape

The composition of the solder differs depending on the sample. If you don’t have the right size wire at hand for soldering, you can make it yourself:

1. Prepare components for soldering to repair 585-grade jewelry. Among them are gold, silver, copper, respectively: 585, 115 and 185 parts.
2. Metals are melted down.
3. Brass is introduced - 135 parts, it can be replaced with cadmium - 112 parts are taken.
4. The melt is poured into the mold, and after the metal has cooled, the product is given the desired shape on an anvil (it is pulled out).

Important! It is also possible to make flux for soldering gold; you will need borax (10 g), boric acid (100 g), distilled water (100 g).

Soldering of gold products

Solder Preparation Tools

The components of the material are taken in a certain dosage, which is determined using a pharmacy scale. Other tools and devices that may be useful at the solder preparation stage:

• a form that allows you to obtain the thinnest possible wire;
• containers for determining the dosage of components;
• burner;
• crucible – a container for remelting, which is resistant to high temperatures.

Video material

There is a chance that once you try yourself as a jewelry maker, you will not be able to stop. And although any creative work is commendable, we remind you that the manufacture of jewelry from precious metals is punishable by law. We did not set ourselves the goal of teaching you jewelry craftsmanship, we only wanted to help you fix a broken chain with advice and recommendations. We hope that now it will serve for many more years!

We repair a gold chain ourselves at home. Process technology

When you plan to repair a gold chain yourself, you must follow the instructions. This will allow you to avoid serious mistakes (if you have no experience in performing such work). Main stages:

1. Preparing a product that requires repair. The damaged area is being restored; it is necessary to return the shape to the ring or link that is broken. Then it is fixed with a vice, so that the hand does not tremble, and the quality of the soldering remains high.
2. Clean metal. It should be additionally degreased, which will improve the adhesion of materials.
3. Flux is applied. It is prepared in advance, because work must be completed quickly (due to the risk of overheating).
4. Heat the metal on the damaged section of the chain.
5. Add solder and continue heating.
6. Clean the seam by removing excess solder.

Important! The thickness of the burner torch can be adjusted; a heater is used to heat small parts.

The work ends when the color of the solder becomes the same as that of the gold being restored.

Safety precautions for repair work

Since soldering is a process that involves the use of acids, a high-temperature soldering iron and a gas torch, it is necessary to follow basic safety rules:

• work is carried out only on a fire-resistant surface;
• When working with acid, you must use tight rubber gloves and safety glasses;
• the gas burner flame must be extinguished whenever work stops;
• A special stand is used for the soldering iron.

The action of the acid is neutralized by simple baking soda. You need to put it on a saucer next to you to remove the acid if it suddenly gets on your skin. Afterwards, the surface of the skin is washed with water.

What you need for soldering at home

When studying the intricacies of the question of how to solder gold correctly, you need to immediately prepare the tool and equipment for the job:

• soldering iron;
• a vice, pliers or tweezers if small parts of the chain were damaged;
• needle files - used to clean the seam after soldering is completed;
• gas burner - prepared at the solder preparation stage;
• fevka - to adjust the size of the burner torch;
• jewelry drill, polishing equipment.

Consumables have already been prepared. If it is not possible to make solder yourself, you should buy it in advance.

Suitable types: PSR2, PSR2.5.

Processing the soldering area

Once you've finished and the piece has cooled, it needs to be processed to make it look nice. You need to clean the surface with a file. This work is complex and painstaking; you will have to deal with small details of gold, which is difficult to grind.

An engraver or drill would be good for this. It could also be used for surface polishing. If you work carefully and diligently, you can solder the product so that it does not differ from new.

With certain skills in working with a gas burner, soldering a gold product is not so difficult. Even if you don’t have such skills, you can cope quite successfully if you follow the instructions exactly.

The nuances of soldering gold at home

Beginners should learn more about the renovation process. First you need to practice on ordinary metals, using solder of a suitable composition. If you start working right away, there is a high chance that the product will be damaged. It is important to learn how to solder a gold chain at home: pay attention to the features of cleaning the areas that are planned to be connected, and the subtleties of applying flux, introducing solder, and performing grinding.

Soldering flux - powder

Clean and degrease the surface before soldering

Soldering is the process of melting metal products of different types in a limited area. High quality seams are ensured provided that thoroughly cleaned elements of the product are joined. To remove contaminants, alkaline solutions are used; the ambient temperature is +60°C and above.

Then the metal is additionally treated with an organic solvent.

Apply flux and join the parts end-to-end or overlapping

Sections of the broken chain are joined in different ways: end-to-end and overlapping. The second option is preferable; it provides a more reliable connection, but cannot always be implemented, which is determined by the configuration of the chain links.

Before connecting parts of the product, flux is applied.

Introducing solder and heating it to the same color as gold

Burnout of the components in the solder when heated provides the desired result. The parts are firmly connected, the trace of the crack disappears. At this stage, the color of the seam, which is formed during soldering of the gold chain, acquires the same color as the base metal of the product.

Soldering and seam processing

Before starting soldering, you need to adjust the burner flame to the required thickness of the torch. Then uniform heating of gold begins in the joint zone.

It is necessary to accurately determine the moment when solder can be introduced into the joint area. Typically, this phase of soldering is marked by some change in the color of the heated area. The “sense of metal” comes with experience; the first attempts will most likely be unsuccessful.

After heating the product, a solder rod is applied to the joint. The solder must be oriented relative to the burner flame in such a way that the required amount melts.

Excess molten solder will either drain from the product, or after soldering it will have to be removed with a needle file or drill. Do not forget that gold predominates in the composition of solder!

The molten solder should wet the joint and fill the gap at the future seam. The consistency of the melt should be maintained in such a state that it does not flow off the part, being held by surface tension forces.

Heating does not stop until the solder matches the color of the product material. This is a signal that the cadmium contained in it has burned out and the soldering process can be completed.

After the gold has cooled, you can begin its final processing. Larger irregularities are smoothed out with a file; final finishing grinding is best done with a drill with the finest-grained attachment.

If the filler material was chosen correctly and the grinding was done efficiently, the soldering location should not be determined by eye.

The main criterion for excellent chain soldering

The quality of the seam obtained during soldering depends on various factors:

• degree of metal cleaning before starting work;
• applying flux;
• solder composition;
• proper handling of solder, it should not be overheated;
• choosing the method of connecting the metal sections of the chain will determine how long the product will last, which means that this factor is the main one when assessing the quality of the soldering.

Soldering gold products requires high precision and accuracy

Application area

The areas of application of laser soldering are varied:

1. Making jewelry. Laser soldering of jewelry is a popular method of joining individual elements. This is due to the fact that the laser beam precisely affects the work area. It can be used to connect materials of different structures. For example, this applies to precious stones and precious metals.
2. Creating strong connections on printed circuit boards. A focused beam combines contacts that are less than 1 mm. This allows you to make more precise seams.
3. Glasses repair. Laser equipment does not heat the area around the broken contact, and the structure remains intact.

Powerful units allow you to fasten large parts of industrial machines.

Question-answer section

How to solder a gold chain at home with a soldering iron?

Expert opinion

Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich

Jeweler 6th category

The process of connecting chain links is conventionally divided into stages:

1. Preparation of gold products, as well as flux and solder.
2. Application of flux.
3. Adding solder after heating the gold.
4. The connection of the links of the product, the chain in the problem area is fixed end-to-end or overlapping. The metal heats up here, which ensures a reliable connection.
5. After soldering is completed, the seam must be cleaned and the metal is ground.

How to solder a gold ring at home using improvised materials?

Expert opinion

Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich

Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop

To repair gold jewelry, consumables are used that are prepared independently: flux for soldering gold can be made from borax, water and boric acid, and solder is created from various metals (selected taking into account the material of the ring). They are universal and are used to restore the integrity of various jewelry. But repairing the ring is not so easy - the seams will be noticeable. It is recommended to contact a specialist with a similar problem. This will extend the life of the decoration.

Silver and its properties. When is silver soldering necessary?

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Silver is a “white” precious metal that is actively used to create jewelry. Its sacred properties have been known since ancient times, but it was precisely its physical properties, such as softness, plasticity, and fusibility that made it popular in the jewelry industry.

When it is necessary to restore a broken piece of jewelry or correct a deformed area, silver soldering is used.

Soldering silver is used not only for repairing jewelry, but also for making new products or updating old ones. 925 standard is used as a basis.

Soldering a silver ring

Repairing jewelry in a workshop

Jewelers use a standard scheme for restoring the integrity of a product:

1. Preparing the decoration: cleaning, fixing.
2. Choice of flux and solder.
3. Soldering. At this stage, workshops use special equipment - laser.
4. Cleaning the seam, polishing the product.

To repair silver and gold jewelry, you should contact the jewelry workshop closest to your home. Salons in different cities:

Advantages of laser soldering at a jeweler

Positive qualities of technology:

• high accuracy;
• small radius of the light point;
• performing soldering in areas where access to the broken part is limited;
• no metal stress effect;
• increased corrosion resistance;
• no need to use filler material;
• the ability to solder coated products without the risk of damage.

When you need the help of a jeweler. Table: cost of services in your city

If you urgently need the help of a jeweler to repair silver jewelry, then it would be advisable to contact a workshop at the nearest address. A set price list is provided for each type of soldering.

Soldering prices vary depending on the type of work and region.

Krasnoyarsk:

Tyumen:

SPB:

Moscow:

Novosibirsk:

The price is also determined by the complexity of the decoration and the amount of work.

Advantages and disadvantages

Laser soldering has a number of strengths compared to other methods of joining parts:

1. Only the desired area is heated, which allows you to work without overheating neighboring elements on the board.
2. High speed of heating of the working area.
3. Ability to work with elements no larger than a fraction of a millimeter in size.
4. There is no need to touch the heated parts with the tool. The laser works without contact.
5. You can work with noble metals without disturbing their structure.
6. No noise during operation.
7. There is no contamination at the junction of individual elements.
8. Laser units are most often equipped with CNC systems. This improves the accuracy of work.

However, in addition to the advantages, machines that generate a focused beam have certain disadvantages. An unstable electrical voltage is generated at the output. Because of this, errors can often occur. Laser exclusion may damage vision.

Voltage instability can lead to destruction of the board and damage to individual radio components. To reduce the risk of damage to parts, you need to change the intensity of the equipment’s radiation and change the size of the laser spot.