I am used to balling up solder

Jewelry Discussion
7

Balling up solder is the preferred way to transfer solder onto a
pick and then precisely transfer it to your joint. Overheating, if
not melted properly, as Jim eloquently states, can create a poor
seam.

Here are a few suggestions to maintain the integrity of your solder
seam.

  1. Melt your solder, just to a balled state on charcoal and with any
    flux EXCEPT paste. Paste flux will make your nice charcoal gummy and
    sticky. You can continue the process with paste flux, I like Superior
    Six.

  2. Heat your pick and quickly dunk it into the paste flux.

  3. Prepare your work ready to solder. Joints should be flush fitting
    and tight.

  4. Solder ball transfer. With your heated pick, I bring my torch and
    keep my pick hot and and the little ball of solder also hot (but not
    brightly glowing) and transfer the ball onto the heated sticky flux.

  5. Heat your piece and then transfer the balled solder to your
    joint.

Solder ball vs. chip. The feature of a soldered ball is that solder
is already flowed once and ready to go. It’s a great way to solder.

For other hints on soldering:

Karen Christians
Cleverwerx