This IT solder stuff is way more complicated than it needs to be. While I
was looking it up to purchase, I came across this other solder….and well now I
just don’t know what to get.
Both IT and Eutectic Solder are used to solder onto enameling metals
before enameling. Their relative high melting and flowing points keep the
solder from flowing when the enamel is fired.
IT solder contains silver, copper and zinc and can cause enamel to bubble
if they come in contact.
Eutectic solder contains only silver and copper and can be depletion
gilded and enameled over.
It appears as though Eutectic solder flows at 1435 F
IT solder flows at well I have to look it up since the internet doesn’t
want to tell me.
The thing about Eutectic solder is…..
well James Binnion seemed to explain it well…Well at least I think he’s
right:
“You need to
understand how the eutectic solder works. I don't know
where the folks at Thompson get the melting
point number of 1460 for the
eutectic solder but the silver copper
eutectic flows at
1435F. The thing about soldering with the
eutectic on sterling is
you will never get it to remelt at the
eutectic temperature once it
flows the first time. The solder diffuses
into the sterling or fine
silver and this raises the solder alloys
melting point
significantly. You will be safe using
eutectic solder with your
enameling but it is tricky to get it to
flow the way you expect
silver solder to flow. It takes some
getting used to. IT solder has
a higher melting range but does have some
zinc in it so transparent
enamels may have some issues.”
However… Hauser
and Miller describe IT solder as: Special enameling solder where color is
important under transparent or translucent enamels.
Just for
reference and perspective the melting points of the metals I would use are:
(Melting Point
of Sterling Silver - 1640 F)
(Melting Point
of Fine Silver - 1761 F)
(Melting Point
of Fine Silver - 1981 F)
just for reference:
I like how this handout explains soldering and such.
