Soldering question ? and lesson learned.

[Dale Hatfield]

So I fluxed and tinned a piece of copper to solder to a piece of Nickel .
Fluxed over the nickel warmed it up .Bail popped of the back = soft solder. So cleaned it up and hard soldered it back on.
Soldered the Copper piece on. Tossed it in the pickle pot and ate my dinner. Mistake.
Come back to a copper flashed nickel pendant. I used Pickelet from Rio Grande.
I thought it was ok on nickel and copper.
Thinking I thought wrong. Shaking My Head.

 

[Southtexas]

The copper plating is very thin. You can likely buff it off. Copper in solution in the pickle will plate to steel (and nickel) as soon as it's introduced to the bath.

 

[Haraga.com]

Use sparex #1.

 

[Dale Hatfield]

Might have been able to buff if it would have come right back out. But I sat down and ate supper.It took a createx wheel to remove it.

 

[lesholmes]

And throw out the batch of pickle. It will continue to copper plate anything you put in it.

 

[Haraga.com]

Dale that is the problem when the idiot before you used soft solder. It just creates problems down the road for everyone else that works on the piece. Did I mention that the guy that used soft solder was an idiot?

 

[Dale Hatfield]

I think im going to wait to pitch the pickle .Im going to engrave a nickel pendent and then pitch it in. The plan is to have the engraved line to be filled with copper and buffed back to nickel.
Harga
It would be safe to say that you have very little to no use for soft solder

 

[Southtexas]

I think im going to wait to pitch the pickle .Im going to engrave a nickel pendent and then pitch it in. The plan is to have the engraved line to be filled with copper and buffed back to nickel.
Harga
It would be safe to say that you have very little to no use for soft solder

Couple of things...
The copper in solution was likely used up by the first plating. If so it won't plate again until saturated with copper (from the silver alloys etc) Can put copper scraps or wire in to dissolve into solution.

And it may have to be energized by steel introduced into the bath at the same time as your nickel piece. Slightest amount will do it. Typically from steel tongs accidentally used but could even be from steel wool used to polish the piece... The steel causes the electrical reaction.

 

[Haraga.com]

My only use for soft solder would be on a pocket knife with spring steel built in the knife. I am sure there are other uses, I just can't think of any. I can't remember, have I mentioned the word idiot?

 

[Dale Hatfield]

Southtexas
Thanks for the info. The problem was, is, that it was a fresh batch. No steel tongs as Im the only one in the shop and steel tongs only at solder station.
Bingo the light bulb just got brighter. I usually use distilled water. I was out and didn't even think of it used the Tap water. Iron rich water should be the cause of the copper plate. Mystery solved.

 

[Southtexas]

Scooby and Shaggy could not have solved it better. I love a mystery, but only after it's been solved. Have fun.

 

[Haraga.com]

Good to hear that the mystery was solved. In case it rears its ugly head again, just go ahead and buy the Sparex #1.

 

[Brian Marshall]

That's not it - unless the iron in your tap water is way above the "minimum daily adult requirement" - in a shot glass...


B.

 

[Dale Hatfield]

Brian
We don't drink it or cook in it. Everything has a red ring in it that will not scrub away.