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A Good Day at the Soldering Station

6/17/2012

 
I have spent at least 3 hours today soldering and yesterday I probably spent another 2.  I am soldering the decorative rings on the second chasing & repousse canister I am making. I finished the first two rings I started yesterday and I also finished the second two (There are rings at the top/bottom of each piece and on the lid and the body where the two halves meet)

The primary purpose of the two canisters is of course to hold my chasing & repousse tools. But the other goals of these projects were to:
  • use a lapped seam on one canister
  • use a keyed seam on the other canister
  • make a post slide and twist locking mechanism
  • improve my soldering skills.

I have to admit that I have never been good at soldering. Part of it is my fear of getting burned.

I spent two summers in college doing welding and brazing (mostly with copper and aluminum) and I got caught in a torch "explosion". The torch was not put on the hose correctly by someone else and then when I lit it, there were flames  everywhere and it started to melt the hose. I did not get badly burned but I certainly got singed.  

I am not afraid of fire nor do I have a problem with my little butane torch, or when I am annealing with my propane/air torch; my problems happen when I am using big torches and soldering. I don't like getting my hands near the flame to apply the solder.   

As a result, when I am soldering big pieces I usually get solder everywhere because I won't hold my hands near the flame and then they start shaking and I just want to get it over with and have bad heat control.

Over the past 2 months that i have been working on these canisters (with Deb's help) I have learned that:
  • The piece won't melt right way.
  • Use lots of flux and learn when it gets glossy and up to temperature
  • Place a few pieces of solder on the joint so you know when the piece is hot enough and the solder will flow. 
  • You can move the flame to the side to place more solder. 
  • How to feed the solder in using the stick soldering method (and if you aren't nervous, it wont shake and get ALL over the place)
  • Control the heat and you really can see the solder flow down the joint
  • GO SLOW and BREATH.

And today I have to say I did an excellent job. I won't have a massive amount of solder to clean up and I stick fed almost all of it. Right now the halves of the canister are in the pickle but below is a picture of my left hand showing the result of my time at the soldering bench.
Picture
Dirty Hands. Yes, that is green around my nails
Deb Jemmott link
6/17/2012 03:02:15 pm

I see green and I see flux, but I do NOT see any burns! And the rings are on!! Great job!!

The Silversmith
6/18/2012 12:54:36 pm

Thanks Deb, you have no idea (well actually you probably do) how much my confidence and skill has grown in just these few sessions. I have also realized that if I hold the torch in my right hand and the solder in my left (I am left handed) my solder feeding control is much better as well.


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