Soldering

This is just more of an informational one. When I took metalsmithing for the first time, we learned the 3 basic types of soldering. There's a Sweat Solder which is usually just used for a decorative quality, a Butt Joint for making containers and for stone setting, and a Post Solder for earrings mostly. You really need to have access to specific tools and things before trying to attempt these...but it's still pretty easy none the less.

What to Get:
Piece of copper, nickel or brass (your choice)
Jewelers solder (easy, medium, hard)
Wire cutters
Jewelers saw (like a little coping saw)
Piece of tubing or rod in copper or brass
Flux
Torch (oxygen and acetylene)

**THOROUGHLY clean the metal after you cut it the way you want it with your jewelers saw**

How-To (Sweat Solder):
1. Take a little piece of metal and a large piece
2. Paint flux on the little piece
3. Cut pieces of solder about the size of a pencil point and place them evenly around
4. Lightly heat with the torch until the flux turns clean and the solder is just about to melt
**it'll look like sunny side up eggs**
5. Paint flux to the larger piece
6. Lay the small piece face down and heat until you see the small piece "drop"
7. Last step! Quench in a bucket of water and you have your two stuck together pieces.

http://jewelrybydave.tripod.com/fabricat.htm

How-To (Butt Joint):
1. Position the two pieces of metal perpendicular to each other like an "L" with a very small overhang on one side
**the more left at the more you have to file off later for the finished project**
2. Paint flux on both edges
3. Place the solder on the outside edge
4. Heat from the opposite side until the flux bubbles and the solder even flows
5. Last Step! Quench in a bucket of water. File away the edge make the corner nice and smooth.

http://www.conniefoxvideos.com/blog/page/9/

How-To (Post Solder):
1. Make sure the piece of post or tubing is straight
2. Put flux all around the base and use one small piece of solder
**use pliers to stand it on the flat piece of metal**
3. Place the whole set up on a metal screen and heat from the bottom with the torch until the solder completely melts
4, Last step! Quench (again) in a bucket of water.

http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/yellow-gold-nd-palladium.htm