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- Soldering-
a
Basic How-To
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- For
a very comprehensive explanation of soldering complete with tutorial
see SOLDERING
BRASS & COPPER", a 19 page booklet which can be purchased
for download or mailed.
Soldering; very
simply put is 'gluing' two pieces of metal together by applying
heat and melting a third metal or alloy into the joint. This
third metal or 'solder' must melt at a lower temperature than
the metal being soldered and be able to adhere to the surfaces
being joined.
- Not all metals
can be soldered easily. Copper, Brass, Bronze, Nickel and Tin
are all metals that can be soldered at soldering iron and propane
torch temperatures (400-800f) and use solders and fluxes that
are readily available.
- Solder is an alloy
or mixture of metals that melts at a lower temperature than the
metal being soldered. The most common solder sold at hardware
and building supply stores (check the plumbing department) is
60% tin and 40% lead. Also available at a higher price but a
much safer alternative is lead free solder which is mostly tin
with a small amount of antimony. Start out with a spool of wire
solder of a diameter that suits the project at hand- -thin solder(1/16"dia.)
for soldering small pieces or thin wires and thick solder(1/8"
dia.) for soldering thick wire or large pieces.
- Flux is an acidic
or caustic powder, paste or solder core that cleans the joint
and lubricates the flow of the solder when the heat is applied.
The easiest flux to start out with is a general purpose paste
flux which is sold near the solder in a small tin, tube or tub.
It can be applied to the joint using a small brush, tooth pick
or piece of wire. In electrical soldering applications, rosin
flux is required as it will not corrode the connection. Electrical/
electronic solders have a rosin flux core. General purpose solders
can also be found with a flux core, however the addition of the
paste flux makes the soldering easier.
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- A
bit of caution here-
The fumes produced when soldering are toxic and flux is caustic.
Adequate ventilation as well as eye and skin protection are required.
Care must be taken to protect your surrounds from the heat, splatter
and open flame involved with soldering.
- Heat is required
to cause the flux and solder to melt and flow into the joint.
Heat can be applied using a soldering iron or torch. Soldering
irons are generally used for small or delicate joints while a
propane plumbing torch works best for soldering thick wire, tubing,
rod and sheet.
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- Soldering irons
and come in a wide range of wattages. The wattage or 'power'
rating of a soldering iron is the amount of heat that it puts
out. A 25 watt soldering iron will solder 18 gauge and thinner
wire using 1/16" or smaller diameter solder. An 80 watt
soldering iron or soldering gun is good for soldering 10-14 gauge
wire and thin strips of sheet. For stained glass work and small
joints in sheet metal a 125-150 watt iron can be used. The higher
wattage solder irons will melt thicker diameter solders.
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- A propane plumbing torch
is a good source of heat for most craft and art soldering projects.
The basic torch has an attached propane tank with the valve and
torch attached to it. Follow the instructions included with the
torch regarding its assembly, igniting and safe use.
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- The first step
in any successful solder joint is to clean the surfaces to be
soldered. This can be accomplished with fine sand paper or an
abrasive (Scotch-Brite) pad. Make sure that the pieces to be
joined are properly aligned and fit closely together. Soldering
relies on capillary action whereby the solder and flux flow into
and along the joint.
- Next, apply the
flux along the joint using a brush or scrap of wire. Cut a small
bit of solder and place it at the joint. Using the appropriate
heat source, gradually heat the entire joint just until the solder
melts and flows completely. Take care not to over heat the joint
which can burn the flux or even melt your project. When using
a soldering iron to solder a small joint, a length of solder
can be held in one hand and pushed against the iron and the joint.
As the solder melts on the tip of the soldering iron, it will
aid in the heating of the piece being soldered. Continue to heat
the joint until the solder flows. Excess flux can be removed
with a tooth brush and dishwashing detergent.
- Practice and experimentation
will yield increasingly better results. If you have trouble,
remember the basics: the joint must be clean, flux aids the flow
of the solder into the joint and adequate heat must be used for
the thickness of the solder and size of project.
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Basic soldering
set up including a fan blowing away for ventilation,
- protection for
the work surface, water for cooling, a torch, solder and flux
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Copper
crab made with the
soldering
set up shown above
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- (c)
Copyright 2006 the Whimsie Studio. Larry Henke & Ronald Bodoh
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