Soldering Torch

Okay, I’ve had it, it’s time to get me a new torch. But since I am basically
self-taught and don’t know anywhere near where I live to go for help…Here I
am.

First of all, let me explain the bulk of my work is in brass and copper. I
do a lot of soldering of brass or copper wire onto the contrasting metal. My
problem is that it doesn’t work very often.

I took a soldering class from GIA in February in Tucson, but it was of very
little help since it dealt primarily with fine jewelry work. In fact, I was
told I couldn’t solder wire onto a piece the way I am doing it now. Anyway,
that is the extent of my classroom experience.

My second problem is that I bought the wrong type of torch. It is
propane/air and I cannot use the small tips. So my question is two fold:

  1. Since I do not want to work with acetylene, what brand propane/oxygen
    torch do you recommend and why? How about a supplier?

  2. Any tips on how to do a more efficient job of soldering? What type of
    solder and flus is recommended for brass and copper. I have a huge
    selection, and sometime they work, sometimes they don’t. Today I couldn’t
    even solder a post on the back of any earring.

So please, any ideas and recommendations will be gratefully received.

Candy Glaze
http://www.wwwc.com/candyce/

Hello Candy,
My name is Marc Williams… how are you and welcome to our info forum…
First of all before you go and buy a new torch i think you should take a quick
breather and re-evaluate the problem. By your last staement about not being
able to solder a post onto an earing today makes me wonder… When you are
trying to do your soldering work, are the peices you are soldering cleaned of
all dirt and grime and all that stuff like tarnishing?? One of the biggest
problems you will come across is that your peices just aren’t clean enough
before you start… Very important to acheive a good solder joint… If you are
sure that your peices are clean enough, the next question I have is are you
using any kind of fire coating i.e. Boric acid powder and denatured alcohol
mix?? if you are good if not try it out. By the way, what brand of torch are
you using? If you don’t know the name describe what it looks like for me…
Don’t worry we will get your problem solved one way or another…
If you would like to e-mail me with the info my address is TDWGOLD@MSN.COM
Hang in there and don’t get frustrated. I will give you some good suppliers
to look for just email first…
Marc WilliamsFrom: owner-orchid@proteus.imagiware.com on behalf of Candyce05@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 1996 6:30 PM
To: orchid@ganoksin.com
Subject: Soldering Torch

Okay, I’ve had it, it’s time to get me a new torch. But since I am basically
self-taught and don’t know anywhere near where I live to go for help…Here I
am.

First of all, let me explain the bulk of my work is in brass and copper. I
do a lot of soldering of brass or copper wire onto the contrasting metal. My
problem is that it doesn’t work very often.

I took a soldering class from GIA in February in Tucson, but it was of very
little help since it dealt primarily with fine jewelry work. In fact, I was
told I couldn’t solder wire onto a piece the way I am doing it now. Anyway,
that is the extent of my classroom experience.

My second problem is that I bought the wrong type of torch. It is
propane/air and I cannot use the small tips. So my question is two fold:

  1. Since I do not want to work with acetylene, what brand propane/oxygen
    torch do you recommend and why? How about a supplier?

  2. Any tips on how to do a more efficient job of soldering? What type of
    solder and flus is recommended for brass and copper. I have a huge
    selection, and sometime they work, sometimes they don’t. Today I couldn’t
    even solder a post on the back of any earring.

So please, any ideas and recommendations will be gratefully received.

Candy Glaze
http://www.wwwc.com/candyce/

procedures

Candy,

I have had much the same problems in the past… wanted to purchased a 'large
acetylene torch(for melting/poring) … shopped the ‘hock shops’, could not
find anyone that knew if you could use propane in an acetylene torch…
finally found a welder… NO PROBLEM YOU CAN AND I AM… so maybe you should
try your present setup with propane first… acetylene is to ‘hot’ for
making jewelry I have been advised…

There are several good torches on the market, I’ll let someone else advise
as to brand as I have only used one. Relative to set up, I would only
recommend that you install a one way valve such that when pressure drops the
flame can’t back up… any good welding,oxygen supply can help… cost here
is $1.25 per tank. . . a good safety measure… will be listening in on your
answers as I really require much advise on soldering as well.

At 06:30 PM 9/11/96 -0400, you wrote:

Candyce05@aol.com wrote:

Okay, I’ve had it, it’s time to get me a new torch. But since I am basically
self-taught and don’t know anywhere near where I live to go for help…Here I
am.

First of all, let me explain the bulk of my work is in brass and copper. I
do a lot of soldering of brass or copper wire onto the contrasting metal. My
problem is that it doesn’t work very often.
Candy Glaze
This sounds like me 25 years ago. I walked into my local welding store
and said almost the same thing. I found that I needed to weld or braze
the brass and copper together. Silver solder does not hold up to extensive
forging or forming of the brass and copper.
If I were starting out today I would try Oxygen/Propane. I like the
Victor gas torch with a J-27 or J-28 handle. The torch is avalible at
your local welding store along with the bare brass brazing rod that you
will need and the Anti-Borax brazing flux. Mix the powder flux 1 part flux
to 2 parts water in a small glass jar and apply with brush to the work
to be joined. Get Boric acid powder from the drug store, add water and mix
to a paste (like pancake batter) and put in a tall glass jar (like a green
olive jar), this is the flux you will dip your brass rod into.
Generally the smallest brass wire that I weld to copper is 12ga. or
.083. When welding brass wire this small to copper you will find it
less likely to melt if you use a least a 1/2 hard temper and 70/30 yellow
brass wire. For wire in larger dia. a soft temper will work fine.

Douglas Salmon

In message 2.2.32.19960912143936.00677114@digital.net you happened to mention:

I have had much the same problems in the past… could not
find anyone that knew if you could use propane in an acetylene torch…
finally found a welder… NO PROBLEM YOU CAN AND I AM…

I understand propane likes a recessed exit hole on the nozzle.
I have mid-sized industrial (well they’d prob call it a tiddly sized one) and
it comes with alternative nozzles for propane - they differ only in that
they have a recessed exit hole - and I was assured that I could convert an
acetylene nozzle by doing this recess with a ball burr. I’ve seen un-recessed
nozzles working ok, but just in case you are having difficulties you might
like to CSK the nozzle hole.

Brian
BRIAN ADAM - on Acorn RiscPC - NEW ZEALAND
Eyewear, eyeglasses, specs, sunnies, shades,
optica-absurda … and other sight-specific jewellery

Brian Adam wrote:

In message 2.2.32.19960912143936.00677114@digital.net you happened to mention:

I have had much the same problems in the past… could not
find anyone that knew if you could use propane in an acetylene torch…
finally found a welder… NO PROBLEM YOU CAN AND I AM…

I understand propane likes a recessed exit hole on the nozzle.
I have mid-sized industrial (well they’d prob call it a tiddly sized one) and
it comes with alternative nozzles for propane - they differ only in that
they have a recessed exit hole - and I was assured that I could convert an
acetylene nozzle by doing this recess with a ball burr. I’ve seen un-recessed
nozzles working ok, but just in case you are having difficulties you might
like to CSK the nozzle hole.

Brian

Thanks Brian, thats new to me, when I switch from Acetylene I will keep it
in mind. I have also heard, 2nd hand, that it might be OK to switch your
regulator hose and handle over to propane but you should not then switch
back to acetylene? Does anyone know anything about this?

Douglas

Brian, Recessed Hole??? Where? . . .What do you mean, “CSK the nozzle hole.”?

I am currently using two very different torches;

- The 1st is a professional acetylene welder's cutting torch with

nozzle replaced with a copper . . ‘bud’ head nozzle(10 inches long
with a .75 inch cylinderical end with about 10 holes in the
flame. has been working very well for several years(SILVER/GOLD
MELTING) . . could I get I more heat, etc with your
modifications? Was used with acelynene? Any safty problems?

-  The 2nd is a small SMITH torch ... assumed that I could use it,

as is, from the Jewellry supplier(came with 5 small head of
different sizes.

See any problems or needed/recommended modification?
Thanks, Jim
At 11:52 AM 9/13/96 -1200, you wrote:

In message 2.2.32.19960912143936.00677114@digital.net you happened to
mention:

Reply to: RE>>Soldering Torch

Check out the Rio Grande web site (www.riogrande.com) and you will find “tips
& tricks” for tools. In that is an article on soldering that may be helpful.
Also, call your supplier and ask for technical assitance. I have found
very knowledgable people who can discuss the tradeoffs of the various products
they have.

I use a propane/oxygen setup with two torches. One is a Little Torch which I
really like for most work because it’s small size and light weight hose really
provide a lot of maneuverability. The other is a MECO Midget Torch which I
use for larger soldering jobs. They are both attached via “Y” connectors so
I can easily switch between torches as needed.

Additionally I have a casting-melting torch.

Good Luck,
Stephen C. McCarthy
The Lleado Company

In message 2.2.32.19960913152007.0067da98@digital.net you happened to mention:

Brian, Recessed Hole??? Where? . . .What do you mean, “CSK the nozzle hole.”?

CounterSinK the hole with a ball burr.
Normal nozzles have an exit hole the same size as the internal diameter of
the nozzle - so I’m saying enlarge the exit (as one would CSK a similarly
drilled hole in any piece of metal) to allow a small ante-chamber effect
where the gasses can pre-mix with a bit of atmosphere.
I think Little Torch comes with alt propane tips, and their exit holes are
recessed.

I am currently using two very different torches;

    - The 1st is a professional acetylene welder's cutting torch with

nozzle replaced with a copper . . ‘bud’ head nozzle(10 inches long
with a .75 inch cylinderical end with about 10 holes in the
flame. has been working very well for several years(SILVER/GOLD
MELTING) . . could I get I more heat, etc with your
modifications? Was used with acelynene? Any safty problems?

    -  The 2nd is a small SMITH torch ... assumed that I could use it,

as is, from the Jewellry supplier(came with 5 small head of
different sizes.

See any problems or needed/recommended modification?
Thanks, Jim

No. Try it on a spare nozzle.

BRIAN ADAM - on Acorn RiscPC - NEW ZEALAND
Eyewear, eyeglasses, specs, sunnies, shades,
optica-absurda … and other sight-specific jewellery