After making two bezels for two 13 x 10 mm malachite stones (my favorite) I filed the bottom of both a little to fit the dome better. I did not file them to fit the dome perfectly. I have found that Hard solder does fill gaps even better than easy and medium. There was some small gaps between the base and the bezel. Yes I would recommend to file them to fit perfectly, but it was nearly 10:00 PM and my "cameraman" wanted to go home!
So, I placed the bezel on the dome,
sprayed on the flux,
and dried it as usual.
I placed several large pieces of solder into each of the two bezels. Each piece was about 1/8 x 1/4 inch. I wanted enough to fill the gaps and hide my laziness, and do not care what it looks like inside the bezel. The stone will cover it, and I do not do silversmithing to impress anyone except the person buying it.
I must confess, before lighting the torch I told Chad, my web master and cameraman, and all the students still working Wednesday night that I was really affraid that I opened my big mouth, and that I felt the whole piece would come a part. That all 46 pieces of square wire would just slide in to one big pile. Chad kept insisting that the hard solder, contolling the heat, and the surface tension would hold it to gether, but I was really frightened. It began to even seem to me impossible to solder on two bezels at the same time with hard solder, on to 46 six pieces standing up in a dome. On top of all that I was using the $10.00 torch, on a piece that weighs about an ounce or more.
I kept heating the piece and heating it and watching the flux for the signs that tell me the hard solder is about to melt. Then I would see the solder melt between some of the square wires and I would begin to have one of those moments that some craftsmen have. You know, I was asking my self, why didn't I put on a back sheet to hold all these wires in place. Then I reminded my self that I was going to show what happened either way, and felt that a back sheet would be cheating. I wanted to show that all those square wires would stay in place!
Then just like it should the hard solder began to melt inside the bezels and flow all around the joint, soldering them beautifully to the base. Nothing moved out of place and now that the bezels are solder on I feel they will help hold the square wires in place for the next challenge: 20 wires and tubes sticking up from the dome at about 1/2 inch.
As you can see the solder did get a little oxidized because I took a little longer to solder it than I like. I kept the flame a little smaller than I should have because I was nervous about overheating it.
It does not hurt a thing, and when pickled will not even show, but again
it is inside the bezel, under the stone!
This is what it looks like from the side. By the way I used 3/16 inch bezel so the stones could be set up and off the dome. I also wanted the stones to be raised off the base plate to look good with the 20 wires and tubes that will be soldered on next.
This peice is up to 52 solder joints with a goal of over 100.
If some one wants to take up the challenge of duplicating this piece, when do you think they would start to use medium solder, or even easy solder?
I will be adding the twenty (20) wires and tubes on to the piece next week. Would those be soldered on with Medium, or would that be setting up a problem when the next soldering joints are made.
These elements of this piece are still ahead!
1. 20 tubes and wires sticking straight up off the dome past the stones.
2. Several pieces solder on top of some of those wires and tubes.
3. Then just for a surprise for a new friend, I am going to add some surprises to the back.
1. A bezel for a large stone. This should make putting on two bezels on a done look easy to do. That is when I feel the whole thing will fall apart. What do you think, fill out the poll!
2. Some more wires and tubes.
3. Some cast leaves to add the element of soldering on some cast pieces.
4. A bail that needs to be planned, but must be impressive.
5. Something moving!
6. May be some filigree. You know that will be impossible to do with hard solder on a heavy piece.
7. Then I may just have to add a skeleton to this piece! If I do I will send one to any for free that wish to take up this challenge using easy and medium solder also.
This was not a confident, thumbs up, this was a "Whew, I love that hard solder, surface tension, and that $10.00 torch, I can not beleive it stayed together thumbs up!"
1. A bezel for a large stone. This should make putting on two bezels on a done look easy to 
