This is my first post here. So hello! How are you? And please could one of you mighty brains help me solve this question...
I'm new to soldering, but have enjoyed a degree of success using Cookson's soldering starter kit and following the 'sampler' exercises in Kate Ferrant Richbourgh's excellent book, Simple Soldering. For those of you who don't know the book, it offers tutorials based around you creating 16 one-inch-square copper sample tiles, each of which introduces you to different metalsmithing and soldering techniques and/or materials. The squares are made from 0.5mm copper sheet and you add various bits and bobs, in silver or copper, on top using different types of solder.
As I said, after much practice I managed to complete the exercises, but on some I found that it was almost impossible to get the solder to flow. I wondered if it was because my Cookson's torch wasn't powerful enough once the top of my square had been covered with embellishments, so I tried an old campingaz VT1 torch I had in the garage from some soldering/plumbing work a friend of mine had done for me a few years before. This certainly provided enough heat, but with a flame whose diameter was around the same size as my sample tile I had no control over where the solder flowed (mmm, nice shiny puddles of solder everywhere - still, it gave me the opportunity to learn filing and sanding! ;-)). I then went to the DIY store and bought a Campingaz x-1650 extra fine burner for the nozzle, but I still find it very imprecise compared to my Cookson's torch, not to mention it sometimes has an alarming tendency to produce a fiery dragon breath effect across my soldering station when I point it at a sharp downwards angle.
So, my question is, do I need to upgrade? (I would like ultimately to be able to work on bangles/cuffs and later move on to metal clay.) Or do I simply need to become ambidextrous and use the campingaz torch for heating and the Cookson torch for directing the solder flow? If I do upgrade, would there be any point upgrading to a propane/air torch (I'm not sure my insurance would allow for a oxygen/acetelyne or oxygen/propane system and my budget won't stretch to a torch and an oxycon system). Would a propane/air torch give greater heat like the campingaz torch, but with the fine control of the Cookson torch?
Sorry for the lengthy post, but I hope giving you precise info of what I've been doing will get me some precise answers. At the moment I just seem to have more and more questions!
I have used the Campngaz torch as my larger torch, since I began about twenty years ago, but I have discarded the optional smaller burner as not very useful. Often I use two torches as described by you: Sometimes two big torches for very large work and sometimes the big torch for background heat and the minitorch to make the solder flow.
At most times though, I can make do with just one. Unfortunately, recently the Campingaz tends to flare disconcertingly when the canister is new, but improves once the pressure falls a bit. I think it is because they have the initial pressure a little higher than it should be. You will also note, that to tame the big torch and make the flame softer, one can not only turn it down quite a bit, but I have added a modification.
My modification, although not sanctioned by the company, is to add an omega shaped clip made from brass strip, which can be used to partially close the air holes. This makes the flame much less fierce.
I would also like to add that in soldering, the direction the solder flows is influenced by laying the pallions across the join and heating the piece as evenly as possible. Only when the whole reaches soldering temperature can you bring a flame closer to the join. The type of torch itself does not play a great part in this, although each one requires a certain individual knack. On the whole heating more slowly stops the solder scattering. Dennis.
The only thing I'd add is to say that copper requires a lot more work to get the solder to flow than silver as it's much harder to get the whole piece up to temperature, especially with just one torch. Working on a charcoal block helps a lot, and building a little 'furnace' of bits of charcoal or soldering brick can help more still.
A propane torch (I hugely prefer the balance of the Orca/EZ over a Sievert) will give you a lot more options, but also ties you to a hose, which can feel limiting if you're used to using handhelds.
I did read Sandra's thread, Dennis, and found it very, very useful (in fact, I first found it by googling 'solder breaking apart in the pickle' as that was happening to me too before I tried the larger torch). The two torch idea is a possibility, but the trouble is, I'm not really a naturally ambidextrous person (sometimes I find it difficult to coordinate one limb at a time, let alone two ), so I'd really like to have something in just one hand. Your omega clip modification looks interesting, Dennis. Would that give me the adjustability of the Cookson's torch, but with more heat? I guess that's what I'm really after - something powerful enough to heat the piece to temperature that I can then 'dial down' to a fine flame for leading the flow. If not, would any of the propane/air torches do that (or even the oxy/propane ones)? Or is the only adjustment in the form of changing tip? In which case, is there any advantage of having one of these hose-fed, professional type torches as opposed to switching between two different-sized handheld torches? Or am I just wrong about needing a finer flame for leading the flow? Do I just need to try and focus on the edges of the smaller piece with a bushier flame if that is what is required to heat up the piece? (Sorry, so many questions!)
I'll certainly look into the 'furnace' idea, George. I plan to use a lot of copper early on because of the price, so I need to find a way of building the heat up and retaining it. I also appreciate the point about ensuring that the whole piece is the same temperature, Dennis. In fact, recently I have been heating the asbestos-substitute solder sheet around the copper tile to build up the heat through induction because licking the tile directly with the flame seemed to be causing the smaller embellishments on top to heat up too quickly and the solder wouldn't flow (or it would burn out in the case of paste). This new approach seems to be more successful.
That said, I do still have one problem. What do you do when you can't see the solder? I've had some projects where the solder is underneath another item (like in a divot under a ball). Obviously, you only use a tiny amount of solder because you don't want it to flow out of the divot, but how do you know when it is approaching the flow point and that it's time to focus the heat on the smaller piece. And how do you know if it has flowed or not? I've been heating the copper tile to the glowing orange stage and praying that my previously soldered items don't reflow (they're also under stuff, so I can't see them either), but I'm sure there must be a more scientific approach. (The soldering gods seem rather fickle and demand too many sacrificial pieces for my liking! ).
As ever, I'd appreciate any help you can offer on either of these two subjects.
I have a Sievert type for everyday use, but started with hand helds and still use them now. I have the plumbers torch that you are talking about, but the cylinder is about 9 inches high so its the bigger one. The answer to soldering with the bigger torch is to buy a bigger sheet to use on your bench so you dont cause a fire and I put my things on a charcoal soldering block but on a turntable that is raised so you can see where the end of the flame is. You must bear in mind that with the big torch it is quicker, so do it in stages rather than wait until everything melts. This is my experience, not the way I was taught, also there are two varieties of cooks torch, one is quite small and the other is bigger, so it may be that a bigger one would be better for you.
The answer to your question about how to know when the solder has flowed is to watch the colour of your piece and don't have a light directly above it. You should see a small flash of solder around whatever you're soldering but I admit that's not always the case if you use such a tiny bit of solder. It's really all down to experience. As George says, copper is much harder to solder than silver.
The heat of a torch depends on the size of the burner (the tube the flame comes out of), and the type of gas used. Butane is quite cool until you add propane and/or oxygen.
It also depends on the admixture of air, for torches with an air hole. The mini-torch already has a ring to vary this. My omega clip is a modification for the plumber's torch and could also be used with the Sievert. In fact some videos show the demonstrator putting a finger over the air hole. I think that's unsafe.
One benefit of reducing the air is to have a gentler flame. Another is that with reduced oxygen you are less liable to get firescale.
All the members above have chipped in with useful advice, but ultimately you will develop you own instincts to match your system. I just happen to have a pic to show the furnace idea, below. Dennis.
Thanks again for all your responses. It really is very illuminating (if you'll pardon the pun).
Patstone, do you know if Cookson's Max Flame torch is significantly different to the campingaz torch I have already? It looks less unweildy than mine to be sure, but is it basically the same performance?
Dennis, thanks for posting the photo of the 'furnace' I can see what you mean now. I think creating that sort of arrangement will be my first step. I was interested that you described butane as being quite cool until you add propane. Does that mean a propane torch like the Sievert or Orca is hotter than a handheld butane torch with the same size burner? If I want to work on larger scale copper pieces, such as cuffs, will I have to bite the bullet and upgrade and if so would a propane/air torch be sufficient?
Caroleallen, thanks for the info. I had a horrible feeling it might be down to experience. Still, I've already improved, so I guess I'll get there in the end! By the way, I looked at your website. You have some gorgeous pieces. I must admit after seeing it I went off on a little research trip round the web looking at what's involved with using anodised aluminium. So that's now yet another thing on my seemingly endless list of things I'd like to try!
Well the Campingaz canisters already contain the butane/propane mix. Historically, the company making the torch was called Taymar and the canisters contained only butane.
At that time I struggled with large pieces so got a second torch the same.
This was also when I approached them with my modification, but they were not interested on the grounds that it would need independent health and safety testing. Can you imagine the French company which now owns it, even considering my idea, or responding to the complaint that it flares when a cylinder is new?
That said I have used the omega clips for many years without problems, other than that they quickly get too hot to turn with fingers. Dennis
Upgrading from a microtorch
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks