Solder Paste HELPPPPPPPPPP

[bustagasket]

I actually found that once i had warmed the paste up it seems to flow better and stuck to the links instead of sliding off when i removed the syringe lol so i dunno if they work better at a certain temp?

[EmmaRose]

need more heat and less solder? (only takes weeeny amount for jump ring)
Julie the solder paste has flux in it and easy solder, ready to go!
Em

[Maddie106]

lol i am resorting back to the old fashioned method for the rest of this bracelet and then i will practice on some scraps. I even find it hard to make the paste actually sit on the join it prefers being attached to the syringe rather than sitting on the link!!!

I find cocktail sticks an invaluable addition to my workshop for that very reason!
They are also brilliant for mixing up and application of small quantities of epoxy resin too..

Chris Hannett
Daisy Lee Jewellery

[caroleallen]

I always use a pin to take a little bit of solder from the syringe (after taking off the needle) and direct the heat above the solder joint and gradually work down to the joint. If you direct the heat under the joint the solder just runs down the piece. Not sure if that makes sense but it's clear to me!

[Boo]

I'm thinking of trying paste - I struggle cutting pallions small enough for many applications. I had already thought that scraping a little off the syringe with a scalpel blade and positioning it that way would be a better method, I've read many times on forums that getting the paste off the syringe onto your piece is hard work and wondered why people didn't try using something like their pick.

I have a pot of assorted cocktail sticks and wood skewers on my bench that get used for many things. I like polishing with one too - a bit of polish on the tip gets into crannies and corners a treat.

What I wanted to ask was if paste might be suitable for one task I'd doing at the moment where the solder is unpredictable. I'm making several pieces with nuggets of melted scrap silver on (some photos in my album) - would paste be suitable to spread on the back of the nugget before positioning, then heat to solder. I've never been trained to solder and whilst I think I understand the principles, I'm not sure if it's a good practice to put solder between pieces to be joined flatly like that.

For soldered joins, I normally get a good really flush join with no daylight visible and try and draw the solder between the two parts, from adjacent. But if I butt some solder next to the nugget and try and draw it underneath, it often flows over the domed outer surface instead. I sand both surfaces first to be nice and flat. But wondered if this might be a good application for paste?

[agent_44]

I think it probably would be Boo, and from my experience definitely better than pallions. I find with applications like you are describing, the paste can actually help hold the pieces together until the solder flows. I'd guess that you'd have a much better chance of the solder flowing where you wanted if nothing else.

[mizgeorge]

Paste would be OK, but I think I'd sweat solder something like this. Apply the solder to just one surface, heat until it flows, and then sand back to flat so only a thin layer remains on where you need to add the next bit. Flux again, position the next piece on top and then heat the whole lot until the solder flows and makes the join. That's a really bad description, but there's probably a video around somewhere to help!

[Boo]

Ah thanks, that sounds more like it George. I did actually do that last night, more by chance than good judgement and it worked well. I wasn't sure if putting the solder between flat surfaces would give rise to a solid enough join and was considered good practice, as your surfaces aren't flush when you apply the heat. I hoped that the nuggets are heavy enough that as the solder flows, they close the gap by gravity.

Many thanks, I'll try that, as you described - it made perfect sense.

I will try some paste solder though for small rings etc. If you make a good joint, you actually need less solder than you can reasonably cut from strip.

[Di Sandland]

I use paste solder for jump rings Boo. I couldn't manage them with pallions as it was all a bit fiddly but with the paste I don't seem to have any problems I do use the pick and (ssshhh) I sort of push it into the almost non-existent space with my fingers.

[caroleallen]

When I solder a small gold ball into the middle of a flower I use paste under the ball and it works very well.