Yes, Two of the most important things of Enameling an artist needs to learn is:
1-Understand your available fluxes.
2-Test all your enamels.
I was young once, ha and still am at heart, and remember how anxious I was to make something beautiful. I also did not want to take the time to really understand what enamels were. So instead I jumped in and made plenty of messes.
There was only one book I could find and no classes or instructors in my area.
But today there are many books and many classes. Do yourself a favor and cut many years off you bad side of the journey. Study first.
Start here https://alohilanidesigns.com/vitreous-enamel-flux-comparison/ and read my site. I have shared here for 12 years.
And if you would enjoy a one on one class join me or contact me and I am happy to help you find a great instructor in your area.
https://alohilanidesigns.com/enameling-classes-with-patsy-croft/
I have eliminated the solder issue because the two parts are welded together. I heated my ring with a torch and put it in hot, not simmering nitric acid. I am not sure what my strength Nitric is -I used silver etchant from Rio. (This is what I had on hand. ) I did this 10 times brass brushing after rinsing. I was getting a grayish cast oxidation upon heating towards the end so I think I’m close. I will try again in my kiln this time with a hotter solution. It seems like my nitric is strong enough by the results I’m seeing but I will call Rio and find out what strength the acid really is. Your site is wonderful! Thank you for being so helpful and supportive.
Beth, great news. I have a welder and need to practice using it more. But it is a great way to leave off soldering and make enamels happy.
I am glad to hear your progress. And please keep us posted on your success.
Thank you for sharing! Patsy
Beth, thank you for getting back and sharing your success. I am posting for her.
Hi Patsy,
I did try to enter this photo again on your site. The image size is 1.9MB and a jpeg. I didn’t have any luck. I wanted to thank you for your time and help with this. The depletion gilding was definitely scary! I did it outside with a respirator. I had no problem with firescale on the enameled area. I did have heavy scale everywhere else that had to be removed and that was laborious. My customer was quite pleased. In retrospect, I would have designed the ring differently but I got through this! Thanks again!
Beth deVitry
Dear Patsy,
I sent a few questions a few days ago and have refined them now…I have a cast piece in 18k yellow gold that will be asoldered to a heavy ring shank and then enameled. I am getting some Bovano 2 flux. Should I depletion gild the two pieces I am soldering together before joining them? Also, is it necessary for the nitric acid to be hot? Should the gold be hot too? I have a good ventilation system but this does make me nervous. Any help is appreciated. I can’t seem to send a photo that is small enough on this site.
Hi Beth, sorry you have had trouble sending images. I will check that out. I would like to see the parts. If there is a way to add a post through the two parts and add the solder to each side of the post, where the post enters and exits the two parts would be nice.
-To start chase the two parts to an eliminate porosity.
-With the acid. Deplete the two jewels. My system. I work with the nitric outside with a acid respirator and fan blowing fumes away from me. On my rolling table is a kiln, fan, hot plate bowl of water.I use 70% Regent nitric. It needs to simmer. The jewel goes in the kiln then to the acid, then to water, dry with a towel and back to kiln. If I am going to enamel= fire the jewel at 1400 degrees then that is what temp. the kiln is. If I plan to enamel 5 firings I deplete till I can achieve 5 repeated times into kiln with little oxidation. It can take several hours
-Light tumble.
-When the metal is depleted with an acid the idea is to create a fine layer of pure gold. In soldering I have seen other have a problem with the solder join holding. So I would remove the spot where the fine metal needs to join each other. Use the highest temp solder you can get. Like 18K hard is better than 14k hard.
-Solder and enamel then tumble*)
Good luck, Patsy