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View Full Version : Not hieroglyphics! just a quick way to tell silver solder types apart.



Bigwol
04-11-2009, 08:09 PM
Not my idea, I think it was from one of Tim McCreight's many books,

To quickly identify your silver solder, make a different shaped bend in each one.

Mine has one bend (L Shape) for Extra Easy, two bends (U Shape) for Easy, three bends (square) for Medium, which just leaves Hard which is wider than the rest (6mm) and Enamelling which is thin and nearly square section anyway (1 mm x 1.5 mm)

This picture explains it better

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/DaveWallisPics/Bench/Solder.jpg

ben b
04-11-2009, 08:51 PM
good idea!

of course if your rolling your solder out, to make it thinner and easier to cut and work with, the origional shape of the strip becomes different, and can no longer be used as a reference.

I use quite an advanced technique, of purchasing a metal 'writing on' scribe from cooksons (or a hardware shop) and then writing easy or hard or enam. on the strips...lol.

Then, i go really overboard..and have plastic draws with dividers, on which i write easy med and hard etc...

mizgeorge
04-11-2009, 09:55 PM
I do the same thing Dave (also after reading Tim's book), but am now struggling about how to add three grades of argentium solder into the mix!

bustagasket
04-11-2009, 10:01 PM
very kool!!! thank you

MuranoSilver
05-11-2009, 07:23 AM
I just use a 4 big sharpie pens and colour them different colours :Y:

caroleallen
05-11-2009, 01:46 PM
Cooksons solder always comes with masking tape holding it together. I always cut it in two leaving the masking tape on and write with a permanent marker on the masking tape.

Boo
05-11-2009, 02:09 PM
I use masking tape too - wrap a little flag of it around one end, stuck back on itself and write on it with sharpie.

I do it a lot to identify power leads and the assortment of computer related leads we accumulate, that all end up looking the same.

Carl Martin
05-11-2009, 07:05 PM
hey i like the tip , thanks.

Ominicci
05-11-2009, 07:10 PM
Mine are in separate ziplock bags and I cut a whole load of pallions at once into different mini containers; a 1" square plastic box with lid for Hard, a dumpy round plastic one with lid (old seed bead container I think) for Medium, and one of those tiny single jam portion jars for Easy. They all sit on the 'asbestos' mat next to the soldering block in easy reach so I don't have to move far for any of them.

Gemma
06-11-2009, 04:17 PM
Good tip even if it is 'borrowed'
Shows I have much to learn though as I thought one type of solder would be all you need. Easy of course....why would I need to make it difficult by using hard solder? :">

Dano
09-11-2009, 03:50 PM
I do the same thing Dave (also after reading Tim's book), but am now struggling about how to add three grades of argentium solder into the mix!

put an extra bend on the end in the opposite direction to the other ones to indicate argentium =D

Sparkle Designer
09-11-2009, 07:20 PM
I use a punch: H- hard M- medium E- easy X- X easy G- (glass) enamel etc... for my silver. a good hard punch imprint every inch or so survives the roller better than a scribe or marker pen. For argentium solder I suppose I'll just put an A with the other letter.
When it comes to Golds, Palladium and Platinum I keep them in separate marked up plastic bags, so my 18ct red is seperate to the 3 18ct Yellows I have. They are always stamped with what they are. I bag just to speed up selection and stops me mixing them up. Then into a lidded tray to store in the safe. If that went missing think of it's cost? :'( If you want to keep it traceable? Stamp the center with your hallmark punch, handy if you go to workshops.

Bigwol
10-11-2009, 12:47 AM
You use hard solder if you know you have more soldering to do on the piece, each solder grade melts at a different temperature, Hard being the highest and Extra Easy the lowest

According to Cookson's product info the temperature ranges for each are as follows -

Hard 745-778°C
Medium 720-765°C
Easy 705-723°C
Extra Easy 667-709°C

so if you used hard for the first joint, you can use medium for the next, easy for the one after that and finally extra easy to perform the final soldering op.

Of course, it never works out quite that easily, and you may need to use various methods to prevent earlier solder joints 'coming unglued' as you attempt further soldering.

My favourite dodge is tippex, because it is made from kaolin (china clay) it acts as a refractory (or insulator) and protects solder joints coated with it - and then when pickling the piece it goes to mush and is easily cleaned off.

Gemma
10-11-2009, 09:06 AM
My favourite dodge is tippex, because it is made from kaolin (china clay) it acts as a refractory (or insulator) and protects solder joints coated with it - and then when pickling the piece it goes to mush and is easily cleaned off.

Wow- great tip thanks

swageblock
11-11-2009, 10:57 PM
I never use medium grade solder as its molten range touches both hard & easy grades leading to unwanted meltdown.
Like the Tippex suggestion.Beats rubbing a bit of tripoli on to the join.
Tony

Wolfie75
12-11-2009, 03:48 PM
I use the same method as Ominicci (bet I have spelt that the wrong way)
I actually cut it in the bags, to stop it flying around the room...x