Fluxing, placing, flying, jumping, dropping, swearing,
and then having to look for the damn things with a lit torch in one
hand....Drove me nuts,(not that it was a far drive), and I was a
menace. Besides, clip solder seriously thwarted my impatience.
Especially swearing!! You spend all that time carefully placing
itty bitty solder squares in itty bitty locations to then watch
them jump around like Mexican jumping beans. Whew – I’m tensing
up just thinking about it. I’m a convert to paste solder and with
Dave Arens PVC pipe suggestion I may never use those pallions
again! And yes, I do have exhaust system.
There’s a secret to not having solder bits jump around and I’ll
share it.
Apply dilute paste flux where needed.
Melt the flux until it’s clear.
Turn off torch.
Place solder.
Light torch.
Gently heat the metal until the solder is "glued."
Heat as usual until the solder runs.
I really don’t have much of a problem with this system.
Apply dilute paste flux where needed.
Melt the flux until it's clear.
Turn off torch.
Place solder.
Light torch.
Gently heat the metal until the solder is "glued."
Heat as usual until the solder runs.
I really don't have much of a problem with this system.
Yep, — you’re right. I’m just too impatient. I have sooooo
much to do at this time of year that turning the torch on, melting,
turning torch off, placing solder, and turning torch on again takes
just too much time especially since most of my pieces have at least
three to four soldering steps. Paste solder has solved that
problem for me. I’ve found that I can do in one soldering step what
used to take two or three soldering steps before. I love paste, I
love paste, I love paste. In case that wasn’t clear, I love
paste!! Now if they could just somehow make it without the nasty
fluorides …
I agree with Marilyn on her process of soldering. I, too, melt
the solder but I don’t turn off the torch. With my right hand, I
touch the tip of a titanium pick to the flux, then pick up a
pallion and place it on the piece. Meanwhile, I play the torch over
the metal to keep it warm - important with silver. Once you have
placed the pallion or ball of solder, it usually doesn’t move. It
feels spastic at first but is really easy. Good luck - Gini, in
sunny Florida (at least today)
There's a secret to not having solder bits jump around and I'll
share it.
Hello All: I must say, I love my solder pic. I used to watch my
solder clipings fly. Now I put the solder were I want it (95% of
the time). Of course a pic will not always work. I was welding
Platinum with 1700 solder once and was using my carbide pic. The
high heat made a lovely flash of light and I had carbide fused to
platinum.
I was welding Platinum with 1700 solder once and was using
my carbide pic. The high heat made a lovely flash of light and I
had carbide fused to platinum.
Ditto Michael, I had the very same thing happen to me just a week
or so ago. Had a Bear of a time trying to file the titanium or
carbide off the ring…Hard lesson learned. Ken