Pickling and Super Pickle
Since soldering produces fire scale on metal, pickling to remove it is a must.
Instructions
Pickling mixed metal pieces in plain pickle results in plating brass, silver, and nickel silver with a layer of copper.
Super pickle, a mix of half regular pickle and half hydrogen peroxide, solves that problem.
Super pickle works fast, so keep checking the piece. The fire scale will separated from the piece but sit on the surface so move it around when checking it.
The second photo shows a copper, brass, and silver piece after it was pickled in super pickle.
Super pickle, a mix of half regular pickle and half hydrogen peroxide, solves that problem.
Super pickle works fast, so keep checking the piece. The fire scale will separated from the piece but sit on the surface so move it around when checking it.
The second photo shows a copper, brass, and silver piece after it was pickled in super pickle.
After pickling, the surface of the metal has a matte finish, use a toothbrush and water to remove any fire scale still sitting on the surface of the metal.
If the bottom of the piece contacted the bottom of the pickle pot, there may still be fire scale there. It may be necessary to put the piece in super-pickle again.
If the bottom of the piece contacted the bottom of the pickle pot, there may still be fire scale there. It may be necessary to put the piece in super-pickle again.
After the pieces are dry, a quick brushing with a soft bristle steel or brass brush will remove any little pieces of fire scale that were not rinsed away.
Brushing will also polish and shine dried pieces to a satin finish.
Brushing will also polish and shine dried pieces to a satin finish.
A note on flux and fire scale
Fluxing pieces creates a barrier that helps reduce fire scale and improves the flow of chip and wire solder.
Paste solder contains flux, which helps with flow but doesn't do much to prevent fire scale.
Since the pieces will need to be pickled anyway, I don't worry much about using extra flux on base metals when using paste solder.
I always use flux on sterling silver and gold-filled items, but not always on Argentium, which doesn't develop fire scale the same way.
Regardless of the metal, I'm more likely to use flux on larger pieces.
Why? Because larger pieces require longer heating times.
The longer the metal is heated, the hotter it gets, and the thicker the fire scale layer can become which could damage or destroy carefully applied textures.
Paste solder contains flux, which helps with flow but doesn't do much to prevent fire scale.
Since the pieces will need to be pickled anyway, I don't worry much about using extra flux on base metals when using paste solder.
I always use flux on sterling silver and gold-filled items, but not always on Argentium, which doesn't develop fire scale the same way.
Regardless of the metal, I'm more likely to use flux on larger pieces.
Why? Because larger pieces require longer heating times.
The longer the metal is heated, the hotter it gets, and the thicker the fire scale layer can become which could damage or destroy carefully applied textures.
Materials
No materials listed
Tools
Daddy Dipper Pickle Pot, 24 Ounce Capacity
CLN-585.00
- CLN-585.00
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
- Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
- Price: $45.95
- Gold Club Price: $34.46
NATURE'S TOUCH CITRIC PICKLE, 2LB PLASTIC JAR
CLN-163.00
- CLN-163.00
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
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- Price: $17.95
- Gold Club Price: $13.46
Sparex Number 2 Pickling Compound
SOL-802.10
- SOL-802.10
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- Price: $7.95
- Gold Club Price: $5.96
Large Bench Brush
BRS-969.10
- BRS-969.10
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- Price: $8.95
- Gold Club Price: $6.71
Small Brass Brush
BRS-966.10
- BRS-966.10
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Steel Brush
BRS-967.00
- BRS-967.00
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- Price: $8.25
- Gold Club Price: $6.19
Basic Soldering Kit
G15-4
- G15-4
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- Category: Metalwork
- Technique(s): General Education
Judy Larson
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