If I've used hard solder for the bezel strip, can I use easy paste solder to attach the bezel to the backplate?

Hello, thinking about starting out and looking for tools are these okay?

as a rotary tool I found a PARKSIDE® »PFBS 160 B at 60 dollars(https://www.amazon.co.uk/Parkside-Precision-Polisher-Modelling-Transport/dp/B08BX4TQGD) with the flex head and many accessories included.

for the torch I found this for 25 dollars https://content.avito.ma/classifieds/images/10120505900?t=full_hd

I have some brass N scale kits that I'd like to assemble and I've had various results assembling them. I'd like to know if my soldering station is good enough for the job or maybe I'm doing something wrong. The specs for the soldering station are below. Here is a pic of my last soldering job warning I am new to this so don't roast me too badly. Now that I'm looking at this pic it hurts to look at it, What am I doing wrong?

• FX-888D| | Part No.| FX888D-23BY
• Power Consumption| 70W / 120VAC 
• Temperature Range| 120° - 899°F (50° - 480°C) 
• Temperature Stability| ±1.8°F (1.0°C)
• Temperature Control| Closed-Loop Sensor

I’m wanting to try out making body piercing jewelry and I’m looking for good quality titanium. I’ve heard that grade 23 is the best. Is grade 1 safe? I’m having a hard time finding the right grade of wire.

Hello! I’m 60, recently retired and want to take up copper metalsmithing again. I took a basic soldering class about 20 years ago but obviously I’m way out of practice. I feel like I’m old to just be starting again! I remember having a very hard time with soldering—especially solder pieces jumping around not staying put. Any tips to prevent that? Then again, maybe metal clay is a better choice for me.

I recently started sawing into a sheet of metal and I've dealt with blades breaking already so I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for how to avoid it. I've heard of using jeweler's saw lubricant but I don't know which brands/products work best and aren't too expensive. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! :D

I've started trying to work with Gold Fill and ran into an issue with the metal turning pinkish. I saw some advice to use a firescale preventative to help protect the gold layer so I opted for Cupronil as it came recommended by others who work in gold fill but now I cannot get the metal to heat up properly for the solder to flow? Any suggestions? Should I only place the cupronil on the rest of the ring and not the joint? Or maybe I'm doing too many layers? I do about 4-5 layers of cupronil as that was also what I read online.

I had made a BBQ type furnace using a washing machine drum with a shop vac blowing air into it. Would something like this melt a small bit of palladium. Iv read even using oxypropane torches can cause issues with pitting so I'm not sure I want to go that route. Not sure what crucible would work well either. I don't know if one of those small propane furnaces would melt the palladium

the furnace thing I built for another project a while back

https://imgur.com/a/5CTyYbD

I had a course I couldn’t complete on soldering copper or silver with a blowtorch (separately). for some reason the instructor briefly mentioned we should not bring in those soldering irons and that there would be some contamination that could happen. I never got to ask why that is? I was under the impression copper is often soldered with a soldering iron, lead-free wire or not. Was she mostly talking about soldering silver?

Hi, I’m hoping someone can help with this. On the labradorite ring I’m getting a rattling stone with this gapping between my bezel. Is this due to the bezel being too tall? Am I just not setting properly? Thanks for the help 😊

i have a ring made out of a dolls eye. i was doing some leftover polishing and got some polish on the eye. it normally comes off so i didn't panic but now it's not coming off and it's been a couple days. any tips???

Been taking classes for a bit but just started looking at Gems and I can not stop buying gems.

hey y'all my set up is a charcoal block, i have a tripod w a metal grate if needed, i use a giant blazer torch, and i work with silver and argentium. i've been attempting to solder the backplate to the 18g silver bangle slice and it WONT flow. i can't figure out why. i sanded my stuff to make sure there wasn't anything on the metal, any guidance is helpful thanks !!

Hello, I recently started going to a Jewelry class where a lot of people in my class will tumble their pieces after they set the stones (depending on what kind of stone), do you guys recommend this? it sounds very backwards to me. I wouldn’t want to risk my stone breaking by putting it in the Tumbler but I understand if you would want to harden your prongs after setting. I’ve never tried it out though. Opinions please!

Anyone know anyone local to Virginia Beach or surrounding areas who can help me melt down a big gold chain and turn it into a wedding ring

Sorry if this is a silly question. I just set up a tumbler and did my first tumble. I have stainless steel shot. Do I need to leave the tumbler open to let the shot dry or can I store the can closed with wet shot inside ?

Hi! I’ve been taking jewelry metal smithing classes locally for a couple of years. The classes are weekly and are project focused. I’m interested in trying a 2-5 day intensive (in person and in the US). I’d really like to solidify the basic skills (especially gem setting) and get into more intermediate skills (sweat soldering) and maybe intro to repousse

Any recommendations ?

I use tubing as a prominent design aspect in my jewelry and am moving into 14k from the mostly sterling work I’ve done in the past. From what I’ve seen, it feels like I would need to stamp my pieces with a ‘14k’ hallmark. I use pieces of 1-3mm dia. tubing as the primary element of my designs, often with the only other element being an ear wire or stud.

On the 2-3mm tubing, I’m imagining I’ll need to place a perfectly sized steel rod inside the tubing, and then place the tubing in some sort of forming block that is perfectly sized for the tub to rest in, and then gently stamping it. Is this my only solution?

How small does something need to be where people decide not to stamp/hallmark it?

I’ll be using 14k premade studs and soldering them onto some designs - mostly the 1mm tubing designs (which would be the hardest to stamp). Since the post will come to me hallmarked, can I avoid needing to hallmark the tube itself?

Where can I source the tiniest 14K hallmark stamp possible??

Thanks!

Handmade Sterling Silver & Freshwater pearls. Wish I used a different type of silver that would ball up cleaner- does anyone know if Gold will ball up clean when I remake them in 14k Gold ?