How to Repair Broken Eyeglass Frames With Silver Solder

How to Donate Eyeglasses in Maryland
Written By
Mary Lougee
Mary Lougee
Published: Dec 18, 2010
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
2 minute read
  1. Disassemble the eyeglass frames by removing the earpieces and the lenses. Some earpieces have small screws to remove in order to separate them.

  2. Place a small piece of metal wire on the area of the break in the eyeglass frames on the inside of the frames. This piece of wire will reinforce the broken area. Place alligator clips on each side of the wire to hold it together.

  3. Wrap a two-inch piece of copper wire around the junctions to hold the pieces together. Remove the alligator clips.

  4. Place the eyeglass frame in a vise and turn the handle to hold the frame steady without over tightening it and bending the frame.

  5. Dip a cotton swab into paste flux and apply a generous amount to the repair area including the metal wire and each side of the broken frame.

  6. Plug a soldering iron into an electrical outlet and wait for it to heat. This usually takes two to three minutes and most models have a light that illuminates when it is hot. Hold a piece of silver core solder so the tip touches the repair area.

  7. Touch the tip of the soldering iron to the solder and squeeze the trigger to melt the solder onto the repair area. Continue this process to cover the metal wire and both sides of the broken frames with solder.

  8. Let the frames cool and remove them from the vise. Unwind and remove the copper wire from the frames. Reassemble the lens and earpieces onto the frames.

Tips

Flux helps soldered pieces stick together by keeping oxygen from oxidizing the metal.

You can use a micro torch in the place of a soldering iron.

Photo Credits

eyeglasses image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com

Mary Lougee

Mary Lougee has been writing for over 10 years. She holds a Bachelor's Degree with a major in Management and a double minor in accounting and computer science. She loves writing about careers for busy families as well as family oriented…

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