I'll start the new year off with a simple repair to an heirloom sun catcher. This little gem was recently discovered while unpacking old Christmas decorations in my customer's attic. This little skier may be 40 years old, purchased to represent her young daughter who was an avid skier. My task was to repair it so that it could be presented as a Christmas present. Here are the steps ..
Here's how it came to me. The copper foil had separated along the shoulders and between the hand and the wrist. Its a very lightweight, fragile piece.
As a first step, I detached the hand and head completely to prepare each piece for new foil and solder.
Now all the old solder and foil has been removed from the area.
This went quickly. I added new foil from the left mitten, across the shoulders and around the right wrist and partway down the right arm. I also added new foil to the hair and to the bottom of the face and to the edge of the mitten. Then I brushed liquid flux onto the foil. This helps the solder to flow freely. In order to make a stronger repair, I opted to attach the hair to the shoulder. Now there are two contact points, the hair and the head. This will greatly reduce the possibility of future breakage. As I worked, the right hand mitten was not securely attached to the arm. I opted to add short lengths of wire, top and bottom, at the wrist area. It successfully anchored the mitten and proved to be a strong resolution to the issue.
After all the soldering is complete, I cleaned the area using a chemical-neutralizing spray. After it dried, I applied black patina with a metal brush, as shown here. It instantly turns the solder black. After the patina set, I washed off the excess. Then I waxed the suncatcher for shine and protection.
And here she is, ready to go down more slopes this winter!
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