What happened to my silver?

graniteguy52 · Sep 21, 2015

After better than a week of having a Argentium silver strip (bracelet) hot melt glued to a block of wood while I engraved it, I heated it with a heat gun and removed it to find some stains/etching on the reverse side. It took considerable sanding and polishing to remove the marks. Under the microscope it looked like it was etched.

Any ideas as to what I did wrong? It did not look like fingerprints, and had corresponding marks (very hard to see) on the hot melt glue. It was not residue glue.

Thanks for any information that will keep me from this problem in the future.

Brian Marshall · Sep 21, 2015

You had some kind of chemical reaction. I've noticed it before, but don't recall how long I had it glued. Wasn't as bad as yours.

Never liked that stuff... it is only "tarnish resistant" - not tarnish proof.

Thankfully, most of my clients have quit requesting it over the years.

If you drop it while it's hot (annealing) it shatters like a piece of glass.

The solder that you are supposed to use with it does not flow like "normal" solders. It has to be pushed around like peanut butter.

If you use other solders you get a dark line.

So far, I haven't had a problem fixturing it with one of the thermoplastics.

Brian

graniteguy52 · Sep 21, 2015

Thanks Brian,

I had done the same thing several years ago, without this reaction. I'll use the thermoplastics next go-around.

delder · Sep 22, 2015

painter's tape on the silver and the wood avoids this , and makes it easy to remove . No clean up

monk · Sep 22, 2015

anybody's guess what rogue chemicals may be resident in the wood. that + heat is likely the culprit. i found favor putting 2 or 3 coats of clear, spray lacquer on the wood block first. this allows for easier removal of the hot melt with iso p alcohol. wood block good to go for next project. it's also possible the contaminants on your hands may enable such tarnish.

silverchip · Sep 22, 2015

One of those marks looks like a gremlin face print, gotta be gremlins!!!!!!!

graniteguy52 · Sep 23, 2015

Thanks delder, Monk, and Silverchip.

I must have gotten some gunk on my fingers from the last bunch of gremlins that I "deceased" and hung on the shop wall to deter more from showing up.
Time for a new plan.

What happened to my silver?

graniteguy52

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