Re: Soldering

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Posted by Gary Dodge on February 19, 2003 at 10:49:31:

In Reply to: Re: Soldering posted by jan on February 18, 2003 at 22:51:13:

Hi Jan,

One of the most common soldering problems that beginners make is not keeping firm contact between the iron and the foil. Good heat transfer is the name of the game and a clean iron tip, adequate flux and firm contact with the foil are what's needed to get it.

Where you set the temperature control is dependent on a great many variables including the temperature in the room where you are working, how wide the spaces in your glass are, what grade of solder you are using and more, and only experience will tell you for sure, but first you need a clean shiny iron tip. If you have that, use the hottest temperature that will not make your tip get dirty too quickly.

GaryD

: : Hi Dawn,

: : First we need to know a lot more about what's going on.
: : What kind of solder and flux are you using? What is the wattage and type of iron you're working with. Are you using a temperature control? what do you mean by "thick" solder? Is it thick, meaning not flowing when you solder, or is the final result that you are calling thick?
: : As for the flux on the glass part of your question, flux on the glass is a good thing. It keeps the solder from sticking to your glass. If you really just pile on too much solder it can still blob over onto your glass, but it won't actually be stuck to it, just laying there.

: : Of course if by thick you mean that the lines are wide, don't forget that they can't possibly be thinnner than the combination of the space between your glass pieces added to the foil overlap on the surface of the glass. To get a thin line, your glass must fit well and thinner foil makes a thinner line.

: : GaryD

: :
: : : Hello,
: : : I'm new at stained glass. I have most of it down but I can't figure out how to solder. Everytime I do a project my solder is to thick and not beaded. Please help me!! Does Flux on the glass have anything to do with why yhe solder is so thick?

: Hi Gary - this is Jan and I added a followup to Dawn's orignial question. One thing i wanted to add was - should I be having my iron touching my foil line or should the iron be just a little above and the solder falling onto the foil? I'm not sure if that question makes and sense but your help would be appreciated. Thanks

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: Hi Jan, : One of the most common soldering problems that beginners make is not keeping firm contact between the iron and the foil. Good heat transfer is the name of the game and a clean iron tip, adequate flux and firm contact with the foil are what's needed to get it. : Where you set the temperature control is dependent on a great many variables including the temperature in the room where you are working, how wide the spaces in your glass are, what grade of solder you are using and more, and only experience will tell you for sure, but first you need a clean shiny iron tip. If you have that, use the hottest temperature that will not make your tip get dirty too quickly. : GaryD : : : Hi Dawn, : : : First we need to know a lot more about what's going on. : : : What kind of solder and flux are you using? What is the wattage and type of iron you're working with. Are you using a temperature control? what do you mean by "thick" solder? Is it thick, meaning not flowing when you solder, or is the final result that you are calling thick? : : : As for the flux on the glass part of your question, flux on the glass is a good thing. It keeps the solder from sticking to your glass. If you really just pile on too much solder it can still blob over onto your glass, but it won't actually be stuck to it, just laying there. : : : Of course if by thick you mean that the lines are wide, don't forget that they can't possibly be thinnner than the combination of the space between your glass pieces added to the foil overlap on the surface of the glass. To get a thin line, your glass must fit well and thinner foil makes a thinner line. : : : GaryD : : : : : : : Hello, : : : : I'm new at stained glass. I have most of it down but I can't figure out how to solder. Everytime I do a project my solder is to thick and not beaded. Please help me!! Does Flux on the glass have anything to do with why yhe solder is so thick? : : Hi Gary - this is Jan and I added a followup to Dawn's orignial question. One thing i wanted to add was - should I be having my iron touching my foil line or should the iron be just a little above and the solder falling onto the foil? I'm not sure if that question makes and sense but your help would be appreciated. Thanks

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