Alright so I've decided to get into more metalwork with my pearl designs...more specifically (to start off with), threading a thin chain through pearls. Obviously this will mean that at some point, I'll need to add a rings and clasps to either end of the chain...and i decided this was a good time to learn how to solder.
I've done soldering in the past...but as a tech geek, I was working on electronics, not jewelry. Anyways I figure the two applications are not that far apart, so I decided to buy a jewelry soldering kit. The items I am not sure about (within the kit) are...
- Methanol
- Borax
- "Sparex" No 2 (granular dry acid compound)
- "Batterns" self-pickling flux
From what I've seen on YouTube, as I understand it, the Borax can be mixed with water to be used a flux for silver soldering...the "Batterns" self-pickling flux can be used as flux on both silver and gold...and the "Sparex" No 2 gets mixed with water to remove any scaling that may have occurred on the soldered joints.
Assuming all of this is correct (and if not then PLEASE feel free to correct), I still have no idea what the methanol is for...
I've done soldering in the past...but as a tech geek, I was working on electronics, not jewelry. Anyways I figure the two applications are not that far apart, so I decided to buy a jewelry soldering kit. The items I am not sure about (within the kit) are...
- Methanol
- Borax
- "Sparex" No 2 (granular dry acid compound)
- "Batterns" self-pickling flux
From what I've seen on YouTube, as I understand it, the Borax can be mixed with water to be used a flux for silver soldering...the "Batterns" self-pickling flux can be used as flux on both silver and gold...and the "Sparex" No 2 gets mixed with water to remove any scaling that may have occurred on the soldered joints.
Assuming all of this is correct (and if not then PLEASE feel free to correct), I still have no idea what the methanol is for...