I read somewhere that if you can use a hot glue gun you can solder. I can attest this is true.
I have fond early childhood memories of my father, bent over a circuit board with a soldering iron in his hand. I remember the smell, and his arcane ability to mend and create. I treasure that.
If you are just starting out soldering, I recommend
Simple Soldered Jewelry & Accessories by Lisa Bluhm.
This post will show shading using Copic markers, soldering and attaching jewelry components!
Being able to incorporate soldering with rubber stamping and paper arts produces objects of affection for me. Here are the steps I took to create a simple pendant.
Copic markers: 0 - colorless blender, R00 - pinkish white, R02 - flesh, R05 - salmon red, V17 - amethyst, BV04 - blue berry, BV31 - pale lavender, YG95 - pale olive, YG97 - spanish olive, E15 - dark suntan, Ranger foam blending tool,
Lockhart Primrose and Lavender dress image; Palette pad in Noir, Distress pad in Antique Linen, paper distressing tool.
The next 3 photos will show how to shade using Copic markers:
Step 1: Stamp image with Palette Noir onto white (Papertrey Ink) cardstock. Cardstock piece measures just shy of 1" x 3", which is the measurement of the microscope slides I'll be using later.
This particular Lockhart image is a breeze to color - I just dotted the lavender with BV04, and lined the stems with YG95. Colored in the Primrose with the very pale R00.
Step 2: Take R02 and add near the base of the primrose.
Step 3: Swipe YG97, R02 and E15 onto a CD or other non-porous item to serve as a palette. Use 0-colorless blender to pick up these colors and add a hint of the hue to the stamped image.
This technique is done the same way one would use waterbased markers and a blender pen.
Step 4: Stamped image complete. Blender pen and YG97 were used to fill in between the stems. E15 & blender pen were used on the hanger. Note the BV31 that outlines the whole image - making it pop.
Step 5: Small scale patterned paper is a must - I used a sheet from 7gypsies Maison 6x6 paper pack - picked words I liked on the paper and trimmed from sheet, tore edges, used the paper distresser & inked with Antique Linen and a foam blending tool. Adhere to stamped image and ink edges too. When inking the edges, don't forget the copper tape will conceal the immediate edges, so when blending, blend inward quite a bit so it shows in the final piece.
Step 6: Don't forget the back! Sign the (just shy of) 1" x 3" sheet of decorative paper and date. I inked the edges here too.
Step 7: Gather your soldering items: soldering gun/iron, jumprings (I use soldered closed jumprings, sterling silver metal, from firemountaingems.com), 2 clamps, lead-free solder, waterbased flux, two 1x3 microscope glass slides and copper tape. With exception to the jumprings, these items are inexpensive and available at stained glass shops and at major home improvement stores. I use a very moist sponge to clean the soldering iron tip and as a barrier to prevent the tip from accidentally slipping through the holder and burning my worksurface. I used 1/4" wide copper tape for this project. You can use a wider tape if you prefer; it will simply cover up more of your art. For thicker glass I use a wider tape.
Step 8: Using a cleaner (I'm a big
Method fan) and a clean paper towel, clean the glass very well. Touch the glass sides minimally until the copper tape is on, and do not touch the glass surface. Sandwich the stamped artwork (front and back) between the two glass panes, and apply copper tape.
Step 9: After copper tape is applied I burnish with my fingers. I do not use a bone folder, as I've cracked the glass doing it this way - I'm too rough and push too hard. Make sure the copper tape is well affixed to the glass slides. This is key, so the flux does not creep underneath, causing the tape to pull away.
Step 10: Apply flux (I use a cotton swab) and set up the slide using the clamps to hold it upright. You'll need this setup to apply the jumprings.
Step 11: Continue and finish soldering attaching jumprings (see step 12). When I first started soldering, I used the tinning technique - which means you pick up a bit of solder with the iron and 'paint' the solder along the flux-lined copper tape, touching the soldered-covered iron to the art piece. Tinning produces a very fine, thin line of solder. What I like to do now, to achieve the chunky look, is to hold the solder coil in one hand and the iron in the other, and form a 'bridge' of solder onto the art piece. The same 'bridge' can be achieved by getting a big chunk of solder on the iron and swipe the piece, but not letting the iron touch the piece - there will be a 'bridge' of solder between the iron and the piece. Not gonna lie here - it takes practice. But heck, it is FUN!!
Step 12: When mounting the jumprings, remember the bottom jumpring should be applied like this one - facing you. The charms will lay better. The top jumpring, that houses the cording, chain, etc., should be the opposite of this - so the cord will lay flat. If this does not make sense look at the jumpring placement of the finished piece.
Step 13: Wash your piece with Oxy Stop. It will stop the oxidation of the solder and generally clean your piece. I go over it with Method cleaner too, and wash my hands. Next step: jewelry!
Step 14: This pendant incorporates simple jewelry-creating techniques. I learned these online and from books.
Here is a good site for the simple wrapped loops I created here. If you are starting out, you'll be confronted with a ton of tools. All you really need is a pair of wire cutters, flat-nose pliers and round-nose pliers. Sure you can get the other fancy tools later but for starting out these are what I recommend. I used sterling silver headpins; all jewelry components and tools were purchased from
http://www.firemountgems.com/.
Finished pendant. I left the resolution high on these pics so you can see details.
Hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did creating it!! :)
.jpg)
