About the Course
Torch & Soldering
Control the flame, choose the right solder, and join metal cleanly — from chains to ring posts.
Building on Bench Fundamentals, this course teaches torch operation and soldering technique: flame control, flux and solder selection, and clean joins on both delicate small-scale work (chains) and functional attachments (ring and earring posts). You'll finish with soldered pieces that demonstrate fire control across different soldering tasks.
Class Details
Duration: 5 days (Monday–Friday)
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (one-hour lunch)
Class size: 6 students max
Prerequisite: Bench Fundamentals
What's included: Tools provided for in-class use; materials and finished practice pieces are yours to keep
Suggested price: $1,000–$1,250 (provisional — consistent with the premium pricing band from our repricing discussion; not yet finalized)
Skills You'll Gain
Operate a jeweler's torch safely, controlling flame size and heat for different tasks
Select and apply flux and the correct solder grade — hard, medium, or easy — for a given joint
Flow solder cleanly without pooling, fire-scale, or overheating the piece
Solder chain links and repairs, controlling heat on small, delicate work
Solder jump ring, earring posts, and similar findings onto a chain
Day-by-Day
Day 1 — Torch fundamentals: torch types, flame anatomy, fire control basics, and safety.
Day 2 — Solder and flux: hard, medium, and easy solder grades, flux application, and joint preparation.
Day 3 — Soldering technique: flowing solder cleanly, avoiding fire-scale and pooling.
Day 4 — Soldering chains: joining chain links and repairs, controlling heat on delicate small-scale work.
Day 5 — Soldering earing posts and capstone: attaching posts and findings, applying the week's skills to a final soldered piece.
What This Class Doesn't Cover Jewelry repair techniques like retipping and sizing (covered in Jewelry Repair) and wax carving (covered in Wax Carving Fundamentals) — this course is torch and soldering technique only.
What You'll Leave With Soldered practice pieces, including a repaired chain section and a piece with an attached post, demonstrating fire control across different soldering tasks.