studio tips
studio tips
Solder: Taming the Three Headed Beast
Sheet, wire, paste. Hard, medium, easy.
Choice can be a good thing. It can also be confusing. But with a little knowledge and some experimentation you can find what works best for you.
Although I use sheet solder for everything I do, some artists find they prefer the other forms. This is especially appropriate for certain applications. For instance, solder joints on 22 gauge sheet (think woven chain), you might want to try paste instead of the complex staging of sheet.
It is good to remember that whatever you use, less is more. It may be tempting to use a lot on any given project, but a messy joint means more finishing at the end.
When to use hard, medium, or soft:
The rule is, if you have a project that needs multiple solderings, you start with hard (higher melting temp) and work your way down with the last joint using easy solder(lower melting temp).
I have found that I can do most of my work using easy solder. Again... it is a choice.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011