question about soldering issues

[Ankolosova]

Good day, I really need some experts clarification on issues I have with soldering. Still trying to master it. some times it goes flawless with metal melting so lovely (I love this moment) some times I have solder burning and getting dark but not melting I attach picture. What can be wrong there? I have hard and medium solder purchased from cooksons. I am starting with low tems and moving ard and then slowly increase. some times I have metal bright red but solder not melting at all!!!! :(|
thank you !

[Dennis]

I presume you are using strip solder and cutting pallions. I also presume that you clean it well with sand paper, or a Scotchbrite pad, before you cut it. Smaller pallions melt better than large ones.

The joint and solder must be fluxed using borax, or Auroflux.

Now use your torch to heat your object far away from the join until the metal goes very dull red. Then get nearer to the joint and the solder will flow.

keep you torch constantly moving and work in a darkened area so that you do not overheat one place. Dennis.

[Ankolosova]

Dennis , many thanks for comment and YES I clean with sandpaper solder and cut my strip solder into several pieces before. I tend to use smaller pieces and I pass solder thru rolling mill too to make it even more flat.also I use borax (standard cone) adn I put lot's of it all time... I do my moves ofc as I start from far slowly moving to the center... but still something not goes right... maybe I am not using right proportions of oxygen plus gas?

[Dennis]

I'm not familiar with using the Little Torch, but some members have one and will hopefully reply.
All I can say is that I rarely have the air hole on my burner fully open, so I use a soft flame to avoid accidental hot spots. Dennis