“Get Comfortable With Soldering” – Follow Up

by jeanmatray on February 27, 2012

Mary Jo and Mo at the soldering station.

Mary Jo and Mo at the soldering station.

Oh what a good soldering class it was. There were six students in class on 2/26 and we had the torches going 15 minutes after class started. This was not a group of dawdlers. From 10a-5p students experimented, stopping only to re-fuel for lunch.

All work was in copper, using silver solder. Each project highlighted a different element of soldering, such as basic soldering rules, heat control, heat sinks, and project set up.

Suzanne soldering

Suzanne soldering

Tom, setting up a project to solder

Tom, setting up a project to solder

Anik soldering

Anik soldering

Next time I will set up a big bell in the classroom to ring when you have an epiphany. There were quite a few during this class. Students were able to see solder’s wicking action, and then tried many project with small bits of solder, tying to draw the solder around the seam with heat. There were some clever uses of weights and lifter uppers, and cross locking tweezers. And lots and lots of repetition. There was so much to learn both when the solder flowed and when it didn’t.

Lifter uppers and holder downers

Lifter uppers and holder downers

Lots of time was spent studying heat control. Mary Jo took a piece of copper, 2 inches by 1/2 inch and place two hard solder pieces on the sides and a medium solder piece in the middle. She heated the piece and made the hard solder flow and left the medium solder unflowed in the middle. It helped show that the torch placement matters and the whole piece does not come up to the flow temperature of the solder at the same time, and it doesn’t stay at that temp continuously.

Tom and Mo, stump talk

Tom and Mo, stump talk

Everybody had fun, except for Dianne. She kept shaking hammers at me in a threatening way.

Dianne acting threatening

Dianne acting threatening

It was a great, enthusiastic group. I hope more folks come to this class (or others), it will be held every other month at the Littleton Studio School.  Next soldering class is April 14th, 2012.

 

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Preparing for “Getting Comfortable With Soldering” Class

by jeanmatray on February 13, 2012

At the Littleton Studio School (http://nhcrafts.org/littleton) – Feb 26, 2012; April 14, 2012; June 16, 2012 from 10a-5p. 603-444-1066.

I’ve been hard at work preparing for the one-day class called “Getting Comfortable With Soldering”.  I’ve made many samples and have projects galore to help students focus on different components of soldering like…

  • Heat Control
  • Project Setup – using weights and cross locking tweezers
  • Multi-solder joints
  • Varied material size
  • Sweat Soldering
  • Binding Wire

The class will start with the basics, soldering rings to get the idea about how it all works.

"Will the Circle Be Unbroken"

"Will the Circle Be Unbroken"

Sticks

Sticks - Darn Hard to Photograph!

The thing about soldering is that you just have to do it to learn it. And do it again, and again. Very often, in class, students make pieces that are carefully designed and crafted – even to give as gifts. When it comes to soldering the pressure is on to make it work out RIGHT… who wants it not to work out when you’ve got so much invested.  The piece has become precious. The purpose of this class is to remove that precious feeling, and the pressure. Precious Pressure – who needs it! You’ll learn by doing, repeating, failing (purposefully and not).

 

Projects

Dome, Ring, Binding Wire, 3D

The class will have many levels of projects. Some students may do all of the projects, and some students may do a few, or just one or two. The purpose is to repeat a project until you feel ‘comfortable’, and then move on. There’s nothing wrong with repeating a single project all day.  What a great way to thoroughly understand a component of soldering.  Consider repeating the class – it will run every other month.  In addition, you’ll learn by hearing what’s happening with other students.  Experiment and play!

Class Projects – A Sneak-Peak

Sticks in a Row

How many sticks can you solder without using any flow inhibitor, and using the same solder type?

Sticks

Well, That's a Sticky Wicket

It isn’t easy, but practice helps. Do it over and over and you’ll learn how to direct the flame. Get the current solder location up to temp, but not the last one – it is challenging since copper is such a good conductor!

3d Shapes

Want to make bezels and set stones? This project mimics bezel soldering. If everything goes right then ZOWey, that solder does a race around that seam. It has wicked wicking power.

Three Dee

Pull That Solder Through The Seam!

 

ZigZag

If I had a nickel for every time someone said “But I can’t hold it together with my hands while soldering – how do I do it?” I’d be able to buy big brand new Durston 130mm Electric Double Combination Rolling Mill (yeah, really….I swear). This project concentrates on setup and uses gobs of hand-made weights and lifter-uppers to hold things down (and up!).  Old crappy bits, pieces of dead sewing machines – their all valuable at the soldering bench.

Zig Zag

Hey, are you following me?

Experiment

The “Experiment” list offers students a variety of different ways to approach the projects.  Suggestions include: different torch tips; move the flame distance; overheat one side, pick solder, stick solder, bally-hick solder (I made that last one up).

 

I think it is going to be a rockem-sockem class filled with lots of info and hands on work.  Hope to see you there!

 

 

 

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