As long as it's been brought up..

[chip anderson]

What are "quality solder joints."
Are the best ones done with gold, silver, spot welded? What?
Are the poor ones done with lead solder? Not enough or too much heat applied? Not enough time allowed after soldering for proper bond in cooling?

Why are some children's frame equiped with such soft metal on nose pad struts that the can flatten them out between the office door and the car? Why aren't they as on some adult frames strong enough that tools are required to adjust them at all, thus allowing us to make adjustments that stay? Are frames supposed to be so flimsy so the patient's can "adjust" them by themselves?

Any other questions about quality and lack of same? Please feel free to chime in and add to this post.

[EyeManFla]

and soldering is a lost art. 30 years ago I could repair any frame in the house with a good gold or silver solder. Now, nobody wants to be bothered and most of the frame materials will burn up when you try it.

[Jacqui]

and soldering is a lost art. 30 years ago I could repair any frame in the house with a good gold or silver solder. Now, nobody wants to be bothered and most of the frame materials will burn up when you try it.

Yup The metal frames that I make here are brass or sterling and then powder coated. These materials solder beautifully unlike the cheap monel that is usually used.

[chip anderson]

While both sides of the question need answered, I was questioning soldering proceedures at the manufactureing level. An no I am not one of the fear of heavy metal absorbtions freaks. Just courious as to what products and proceedures are present at the mfg. level and which is better or worse?

Chip

[Chris Ryser]

These materials solder beautifully unlike the cheap monel that is usually used.

Monel is primarily composed of nickel (up to67%) and copper, with some iron and other trace elements. Monel was created byDavid H. Browne, chief metallurgist for International Nickel Co. Monel alloy400 is binary alloy of the same proportions of nickel and copper as is foundnaturally in the nickel ore from the Sudbury (Ontario) mines. Monel was named after company president Ambrose Monell, and patented in 1906.

It has been usedas a base metal in spectacle frames for over 50 years, it is sturdy and longlasting, can be coated, painted, shaped, soldered and is the common workhorseto make metal frames.

It is used inaero space applications as well as shafts on ships. So it is not a material that is to be belittled.

In the optical it can be soldered very easily with an electric resistance soldering unit where you can control the heat with a foot pedal, you can get just the soldering point red hot and apply a thin hard silver solder wire and let it flow for a second and stop the current, and it all done. If you brush some boric acid in water (Borax) all over the close areas prior to soldering you will and see no burnmarks on the surface.

[FVCCHRIS]

I love the smell of Flux in the morning!!

[pseudonym]

Soemetimes a repair customer will come back with the silver solder intact but the metal has broken beside the joint. The only thing you can assume is that the metal was so soft that the heat from the torch weakened it to the breaking point.

Often there's a two tone appearance of a broken joint. The thing was only half soldered to begin with.

Sorry, I don't know anything about manufacturing standards in China.

[FVCCHRIS]

Soemetimes a repair customer will come back with the silver solder intact but the metal has broken beside the joint. The only thing you can assume is that the metal was so soft that the heat from the torch weakened it to the breaking point.

Often there's a two tone appearance of a broken joint. The thing was only half soldered to begin with.



Sorry, I don't know anything about manufacturing standards in China.

That is precisely what has happened. Repair soldering never restores the strength of the repaired area to like new condition. And I have to say, I think Chip's question is still unanswered....no?

[Uncle Fester]

"That's one of the reasons why they cost over $300."

"I'll take the $99 ones."

[rbaker]

First when I started my hobby of metal detecting, I do not know that there is a device called gold metal detector that can help me to have easier access to the gold metal and helps me sava time, then one of my friends told me about this device, I am so curious and want to find a good equippment to help me so I search the internet and find the one that I am satisfied with at http://www.detectorall.com and by now everything goes on well and I have find some gold coins by using such kind of gold metal detector.

Drive on up the I-5 to Oregon Exit 43 and for a modest fee I will allow you access to my gold mine and the tailings. They estimate that 90% of the gold in Jackson and Jeffferson Counties is still in the ground. It's there for the taking. Cripes, you can make up to $4.00 or $5.00 an hour mining.

[rbaker]

Any metal used in ophthalmic frames can be soldered with the proper technique and materials. Skill and talent are the key ingredients.

[idispense]

I have had good luck with laser welding, but it depends on the skill of the machine operator.

[MikeAurelius]

I much prefer requesting money orders from Nigeria.