Soldering a WW clasp to a partial frame

John in Canada

John in Canada

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Hello. I haven't done this in a very long time and really don't have the required materials on hand, so I will be purchasing. I have a partial chrome cobalt cast framework and need to add a wrought wire clasp. I do stock 18ga Ticonium wire for the clasp. I am intending on using a butane torch to solder, if that is possible. Suggestions please for the proper solder, flux, and wire for clasp if the Ticonium wire is wrong. I have been told that Ticonium wire is made to be embedded in a wax up and cast to-but I thought that technique went out in the 80's because it changes the structure of the metal and makes it brittle causing early breakage. But that is for another discussion. thank you for the guidance!
 
rkm rdt

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Why not embed it in the acrylic?
 
John in Canada

John in Canada

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No acrylic to embed in
 
nvarras

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Hello. I haven't done this in a very long time and really don't have the required materials on hand, so I will be purchasing. I have a partial chrome cobalt cast framework and need to add a wrought wire clasp. I do stock 18ga Ticonium wire for the clasp. I am intending on using a butane torch to solder, if that is possible. Suggestions please for the proper solder, flux, and wire for clasp if the Ticonium wire is wrong. I have been told that Ticonium wire is made to be embedded in a wax up and cast to-but I thought that technique went out in the 80's because it changes the structure of the metal and makes it brittle causing early breakage. But that is for another discussion. thank you for the guidance!

Call Jim Ellison at Sterngold. They should still have chrome 2 solder and low temp flux to use with it. This solder is designed to flow before oxides begin to form on chrome. He'll be able to walk you through the technique.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
denturist-student

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soldering is a risky business for frameworks. far better to do a laserweld.
 
2000markpeters

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where in Canada are you. Im in Toronto and have lazer welder. Let me know if I can help
 
John in Canada

John in Canada

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Thanks. This is a project I have to do myself, and soldering is the method of choice as I don't have and won't be purchasing a laser welder for my one man lab in Winterpeg.
soldering is a risky business for frameworks. far better to do a laserweld.

I don't know what is risky about it. I've only been in the field for 32 years, and it's done daily with great results. In my lab I concentrate generally on completes, and send out solder jobs, and castings for that matter. BUT, in this instance, it is a task that I must do, can do and will do. Unfortunately, the lab I send these things to does not have the silver solder and flux that I apparently need. Nice stained glass work. Did you make it?
 
Wade Bognuda

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soldering is a risky business for frameworks. far better to do a laserweld.


If so, how did we manage all those years without a laser?? I couldn't imagine!!! Oh, the horror, a torch!!!! Actually a torch weld is the best weld but BBQ's everything not metal so it has to be removed first (acrylic saddles, etc.). I have been soldering forever, I like to solder because I don't BBQ anything if I do it right, but the strength isn't there as opposed to the other methods. I would get a lab nearby that has a laser to do it, although I can laser weld if I had one. You need alloy, flux and investment. CMP has all this. Are you welding CrNi or CrCo?? You need to know this. By the time you buy all this and figure out how to do this, a laser weld by an outside lab is pretty cheap. There's $.02 worth!!
 
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Wade Bognuda

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One other thing, if you use GC America metal primer on the wire and embed it in the acrylic, the wire will break before it will separate from the acrylic. Works like a champ.
 
JMN

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One other thing, if you use GC America metal primer on the wire and embed it in the acrylic, the wire will break before it will separate from the acrylic. Works like a champ.
That really is amazing stuff. Love it. Not enough good thigs to say, use it on every metal acrylic junction.
 
Wade Bognuda

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Welding, soldering and brazing are three distinct methods for different metals and applications. We weld and solder.
 
denturist-student

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Thanks. This is a project I have to do myself, and soldering is the method of choice as I don't have and won't be purchasing a laser welder for my one man lab in Winterpeg.

I don't know what is risky about it. I've only been in the field for 32 years, and it's done daily with great results. In my lab I concentrate generally on completes, and send out solder jobs, and castings for that matter. BUT, in this instance, it is a task that I must do, can do and will do. Unfortunately, the lab I send these things to does not have the silver solder and flux that I apparently need. Nice stained glass work. Did you make it?
Yes I did make it. It is a colored version of Picasso's spanish lady. I like Picasso for stained glass. I know a guy here in Edmonton who only does frameworks and he has a laserwelder..He does so much with that. broken clasps, repositions, repairs, and such. Have you tried an alternative clasp? I have just used some clear clasps and they work out quite well.
 
JMN

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Yes I did make it. It is a colored version of Picasso's spanish lady. I like Picasso for stained glass. I know a guy here in Edmonton who only does frameworks and he has a laserwelder..He does so much with that. broken clasps, repositions, repairs, and such. Have you tried an alternative clasp? I have just used some clear clasps and they work out quite well.
I've done some stained glass, and you really really did an awesome job. That is amazing, glass cutting is not as easy as it looks, the varying strength of the same sheet from color shifts can take a lot of getting used to, especially with all the different ones you used.

Really quite impressed.


On topic, which clasps did you use? Keystone's ItSoClear, the Flexite, or something else of which I'm unaware?
 
JKraver

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I've done some stained glass, and you really really did an awesome job. That is amazing, glass cutting is not as easy as it looks, the varying strength of the same sheet from color shifts can take a lot of getting used to, especially with all the different ones you used.

Really quite impressed.


On topic, which clasps did you use? Keystone's ItSoClear, the Flexite, or something else of which I'm unaware?

Cutting glass is hard, but imagine having to do it traditionally, all those hammer welds and poured glass.
 
denturist-student

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I've done some stained glass, and you really really did an awesome job. That is amazing, glass cutting is not as easy as it looks, the varying strength of the same sheet from color shifts can take a lot of getting used to, especially with all the different ones you used.

Really quite impressed.


On topic, which clasps did you use? Keystone's ItSoClear, the Flexite, or something else of which I'm unaware?
itsoclear mollar clasps. The premolar clasps are junk imho....regarding stained glass cutting is quite easy. I have a grinder to clean up and square up the edges. some glasses are very difficult to cut and some cut really well. but almost all need truing with a grinder. I have one plus a band saw for glass...but it does take time to lay it out and copper foil the edges...then soldering takes some skill. I use regular 60/40 for initial soldering and finish with 50/50 because it melts at a bit of a lower temperature so you don't get as many melt throughs...
. garysdoor.jpg
 
JMN

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itsoclear mollar clasps. The premolar clasps are junk imho....regarding stained glass cutting is quite easy. I have a grinder to clean up and square up the edges. some glasses are very difficult to cut and some cut really well. but almost all need truing with a grinder. I have one plus a band saw for glass...but it does take time to lay it out and copper foil the edges...then soldering takes some skill. I use regular 60/40 for initial soldering and finish with 50/50 because it melts at a bit of a lower temperature so you don't get as many melt throughs...
. View attachment 25065
Total agreement on the premolar clasps, not worth buying.

That's beautiful!!

I have a few hundred feet of copper foil on spools for it, used my Kester electronics solder, and never had any way to cut it aside from the score and tap method.
Carpet and glass don't go together too well, haven't had time and a place to make anything in years, now that I think of it, I don't own a single thing I made anymore.
 

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