SKU 94903 For technical questions please call 1-800-444-3353 Page 8
SOLDERING HINTS
The soldering process bonds two metal objects together using a metallic bonding
material (solder) which has a lower melting point than the items being joined. Sol-
dering is not appropriate for non-metallic objects such as plastic or wood.
Check to be sure the objects being joined will not be damaged by the heat of solder-
ing. This tool generates a temperature of 500° F. Test a scrap piece or inconspicu-
ous area of your work piece with the soldering torch before proceeding.
Be sure the surfaces being soldered are clean before beginning. If necessary, use
a soldering ux (not included) for cleaning. Apply the ux to the parts being joined,
and heat the parts until the ux burns away.
Heat the parts being joined with the soldering tool, not the solder. Once the parts
being joined are sufciently heated, touch the solder to the workpieces. The solder
will melt and adhere to the workpieces. Remove the soldering tip from the work-
pieces, and hold the pieces together until they have cooled enough for the solder to
solidify.
Solder will “follow the heat”. Once a workpiece is sufciently hot to melt the solder,
the solder can be dragged along the workpiece by moving the soldering tip. The
solder will follow the heat. This technique is helpful when soldering joints, such as a
tube in a coupling. By applying solder to the edge of the coupling and then moving
the soldering tip away from the edge, solder can be dragged into a concealed joint
as it follows the heat.
LEAD WARNING: Some solders contain lead and some do not. The solder supplied
with this kit does not contain lead. Be extremely careful not to breathe vapors from
any solder, especially ones containing lead. Lead is a heavy metal which can ac-
cumulate in the body and may cause serious health problems.
Solder is available in various types. Some solders have a ux core and some do
not. Flux core solders contain ux and reduce the need to clean the workpieces
before joining. Solid core solders do not contain ux, and require careful cleaning of
the work material, and application of ux for additional cleaning.
Solder is available in various melting points. The heat range of solder may be ex-
pressed in temperature, or may be expressed as “easy,” “medium” or “hard”. When
making several solder joints on a single workpiece, you may use a mix of solder
temperatures. Easy solder will melt before medium, and hard will melt last. This can
allow you to sequentially assembly or disassemble various parts of an item, such as
jewelry.
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