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jools02
26-10-2009, 04:23 PM
Hi everyone, being a newbie and clueless (as usual) I would like to make life easier for myself. I usually solder using borax and a solder strip. However, is using paste a lot easier? If so, how do you do it. The only things I need to solder are cufflink fittings to the fronts. Do you just paint the paste onto the fitting, line it up and then heat it with a blow torch? How do you know when you're done?

AlexandraBuckle
26-10-2009, 05:51 PM
sorry no one has replied yet...
but I'm afraid i'm no soldering expert...
there must be someone who can help.... anyone...?

amazingbabe
26-10-2009, 06:47 PM
I find solder paste much easier to work with anyway,,, for cufflinks you just put some on and you will see it flow, you will just get like a flash of silver and then immediately remove the heat. Hope this helps :Y:

Jayne
26-10-2009, 06:54 PM
Okay, I'm no soldering expert but I do use paste solder, so here it goes. I use it in probably the same volume & position as strip solder, no flux, heat it in the same way as strip solder and, like strip solder, you know when it's flowed because it goes silvery. Oh, & I wouldn't try squeezing it straight onto the joint - I usually squeeze a bit out first & then place it gently on the joint (weak girly muscles lol).
J x

bustagasket
26-10-2009, 06:54 PM
i am quite new to paste myself but have found it great for small jobs just like Gayle says

caroleallen
26-10-2009, 07:56 PM
I don't use it for everything but I must admit I'm using it more and more for awkward solders. I don't use the syringe needle though. I squeeze a bit out and use a pin to place the paste where I need it. Heat the piece in the normal way and you'll see the flash as the solder runs.

jools02
27-10-2009, 08:32 AM
Great, thanks everybody, looks like I'll be giving it a go then. One question, do I heat up the whole piece with a blow torch until it glows red as I would normally or just concentrate on the join?

Jayne
27-10-2009, 08:54 AM
I would heat the whole piece, as with normal solder.
J x

glen
28-10-2009, 03:26 PM
if yr whole piece is going red when you solder you may be overheating. Solder works at a much lower temp than the metal and if solder is over heated then it will become brittle and porous among other things. Maybe use a easy solder that melts at lower temp.

lucy81
07-11-2009, 02:43 PM
i'm fairly new to using solder paste but find it much easier than using cut solder pieces. just put a tiny bit on a cocktail stick, and wipe it on the inside of the joint and heat up!

Fi Wilson
08-11-2009, 06:01 PM
Hi, I went through a phase of having real problems using solder paste. Paste would half go and then nothing - apart from an oogie melted mess of the piece I was trying to solder. I've found giving the parts that you will be soldering together a quick flash of heat from the solder torch has sorted this. I then apply a small amount of paste with a cocktail stick and heat the piece in the normal way. Think it's something to do with burning off any impurities and is a lazy version of using wet/dry paper for cleaning your piece.

Keep going with it, you'll get the knack.
Fi

Di Sandland
08-11-2009, 06:13 PM
I've discovered that smaller syringes (not from Cooksons unfortunately) make it all much easier because you can apply solder straight from syringe and miss out the cocktail stick part ;)

swageblock
08-11-2009, 09:28 PM
If you`re using cufflink findings which are sprung, ie with a swivel bar, don`t heat the whole finding as it will take the temper out of the spring and make it useless.Concentrate flame on item first to build up heat and introduce finding with paste on it just as the item turns red.
Tony