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Cold heat soldering device

Jewelry Discussion
#1

Hello,

I keep seeing this cold heat soldering device at the craft store. I
have a smith little torch and a butane torch and they work fine,
but…I have ideas for designs that require soldering near glass. I
can’t do this with a torch. I was wondering if anyone ever used this
cold heat device before. If so, how did it work out? Did you use
silver solder with it and if so, can you solder IT with it? I’m
curious, but I don’t want to shell out the $30 and be sorry.

Thanks,
Augest Derenthal
Cry Baby Designs.com

#2 
I keep seeing this cold heat soldering device at the craft store.

It’s just a soldering iron that cools down quickly. Can’t use it to
do silver solder.

Elaine
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com ™
Hard to Find Tools for Metal Clay

#3

I never used it myself but I have heard that it works the best with
snake oil as a flux. Some people even say that it is the best
discovery since solar powered flashlight was invented.

Leonid Surpin

#4

You will be sorry lol I got mine as a gift

It is meant for lead solders. I contacted the company about its
claims of jewelry repair and they said well no but they have a new
pro model did I want to buy it and I said what temp does it solder
and they said well the same as the regular lol

uh huh mine is on the shelf destined to go to the garage lol

PS there are many shielding agents that you may consider? I have not
used them but I have seen them talked about like cool jewel

Teri
Silver & Cameo Heritage Jewelry
www.corneliusspick.com

#5

I have this device and have attempted to use it without any luck.
It’s very tricky. Nice idea though. It just doesn’t give the heat
needed to do the job and the technique is difficult. Mine has been
sitting unused in my toolbox for about a year now.

#6

I too, was intrigued by the “Cold Heat” soldering iron. It is a low
voltage low amperage soft soldering device for things like small
electrical wires or circuit boards. In my opinion it is nearly
worthless. It uses AA batteries to send a small current through two
carbon (graphite) “feet”. When they make contact with something that
conducts electricity - it shorts out the graphite and the graphite
heats up, transferring heat to the object to be soft soldered. At
least in theory that is how it is supposed to work. In practice, it
is pretty but worthless.

Marlin in HOT Denver

#7

Hello August,

it is useless for jewelry making as the temperature melts only low
temperature solder alloys as used for electrical repairs, silver
bearing solders that are flowable with a match…the cold heat
devices are good for sealing nylon reinforced plastics…the buck
stops there…invest the same amount in a Bernzomatic brand $26. 00
torch kit and you can melt gold and silver and preform small jewelry
operations on up to 12 gauge metal-or as i said, melt precious metals
for direct casting applications…if purchased through home depots or
Lowes they even have an extended warranty that makes them replaceable
for 4 years, at about 7. 00 extra. They run on butane and can rach
temperatures to 2900 degrees F…

R. E. Rourke

#8

The low heat soldering device will not work on jewelry unless you
want to use low temperature electronic solder. The stuff they solder
wire and circuit boards with. Not a good idea.

The device will not work as a wax heating tool in that the graphite
tips must contact metal in order to heat.

Leonid has it right. The thing might work with a good dose of snake
oil.

In my opinion its a worthless tool for the jewelry trade.

Lee Epperson

#9

Reading the responses to this thread strikes me that this cold heat
soldering device is unfit for the purpose for which it is sold,
which here in the UK is grounds for immediate refund. The whole thing
is a contradiction in terms as soldering is a “hot” heat process!

From one response, even the manufacturer has virtually admitted that
it’s useless for repairing jewellery! Definitely a tool I will NOT be
investing in. It’s not the fault of people who have bought it in good
faith but the fault of the manufacturer/promoter of the product. I
hope it wasn’t expensive.

Helen

#10

It works well for what it is and does small household solder jobs.
If you what to see one go to Radio Shack as they sell them it is made
by Coleman Co. Anybody on this site knows that it will not work for
jewelry. As they did say it heats up to 800’F which isn’t good for
much. Even using it around the house you have to have a light touch
as the tip is prone to breaking,chipping. Since you have to press
down on the iron to get it to work,breakage is common. The
replacement tip was $3.00 less than the whole thing.

As to jewelry repair yes it will do them. The example they show is
clearly a cheap item. They are talking about costume,base metal
plated jewelry. Not the kind that this site deals in. Come on, its
Advertised on TV as the be all end all to everybody’s problem. Like
everything else, that is sold in 30 second chunks its junk before you
get it out of the box. There is no such thing as a free or easy
lunch.

glen
been there done that !

#11 
Reading the responses to this thread strikes me that this cold heat
soldering device is unfit for the purpose for which it is sold,
which here in the UK is grounds for immediate refund. The whole
thing is a contradiction in terms as soldering is a "hot" heat
process!

It works acceptably for the main purpose it was created for - low
temp, rosin core electrical soldering. I’ve used it for that purpose
and it worked OK. For real jewelry and hard solder or even Tix?
Forget it.

Diane