 |
Check
list
• Butane Torch (2400²F)
• Soldering Board
• Soldering Pick
• Flux
• Flux Brush (cheap art brush)
|
•
Pickle
•
Copper Tongs
• Pickle Pot (Crock Pot)
• Solder (soft)
• Quenching Bucket (water)
• Tumbler (w/carbon shot) |
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| Prepare
your work area. Your pickle (bisodium sulfate, citric acid or
sulphuric acid) should be warm to work effectively. Small, inexpensive,
crock pots do a wonderful job. |
What
we are about to do is technically brazing. Soldering is what
you do with a soldering iron and tin solder at low temperatures.
If you are making stain glass objects you are soldering. |
| Prepare
your work: Metals should be cleaned prior to use. Dip them in
the pickle for a moment and rinse. The pickle is a mild acid,
I prefer to rinse the work after each application to reduce
exposure. |
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| Flux all parts by brushing (paste flux) or
dipping (liquid flux). Flux does three things, 1) it reduces
fire scale. 2) Reduces the temperature that solder melts 3)
Help solder flow along the join. |
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| Position the two pieces to be joined so that
they touch. If the pieces are not touching the solder will not
melt or flow. I keep my soldering pick at the ready to nudge
parts close together. |
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| Place a small piece of solder (approx. 1mm)
on the join. Too much solder will make a secure join but the
excess will sit on top and make the join area unattractive. |
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| Dry the flux. Apply heat to your work from
a distance. Flux is water based and will boil which will throw
the little piece of solder off its mark. When the flux hits
its target temperature it will turn clear and be stable. |
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| Apply flame evenly and steadily. Solder likes
to melt and flow toward the hottest object. By heating both
sides of the join evenly, this will be prevented. Don't move
your torch around. Hold it steady, approx. 1/4" from the
work to the tip of the blue flame. Be patient. The solder will
ball-up, become a shiny liquid, then flow. |
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| When your piece is successfully soldered,
quench (dip) it in water. This will instantly bring it to room
temperature. Test your soldered joint to see if it is secure. |
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Place your item in the warm pickle to
clean. The pickle will eat away at the fire scale and should
be ready for the next solder join in a minute or two.
Repeat the cycle for each solder, don't try to do too many
at one time. Take your time and enjoy the process. |
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| Having problems, look at the troubleshooting
section |
|
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