Soldering

[AlanG]

I have the Dremel gas soldering iron. Solid as a solid thing.

[Guest]

Mike, which torch do you use? I used to have a nice Ronson one, but it fell apart.
Pete

Hi Pete
It is called Nimrod Europe Solderpro 70. Available from numerous outlets.
Mike.

[stillp]

That's interesting Mike - I have a gas soldering iron, I wonder if I can take the tip off and use it as a blowtorch?
Pete

[Guest]

It depends on the type Pete, but some of them you can.

I have a couple of Snap On branded ones. The baby can't be used as a torch but the bigger one, that looks very similar to the Dremel Alan pictures, can be. I've used it as such for popping the resin bubbles on my two recent diorama.

I do have a fairly decent electrical solder station though so might look into soldering for my etch, since I still have a bit of a CA glue handicap. Looking at the Carr's site they seem to do quite a range of liquids, pastes and solders though. Could anyone advise on the most suitable combination for brass photo etch please?

[Tim Marlow]

Hi Andy, I would go for the Carr’s 145 and their green flux, if you use an iron it will be like working with melted butter......if you can source phosphoric acid a 10% solution of that will replace the green flux and be even more effective.....wash the flux off with soda crystals dissolved in water. It’s acidic but that’s what makes it effective. Plumbers power flow flux also works well, but you wash that one off with meths.

[Guest]

For model making you do not need the old fashioned soldering technique & solder.
You are far better off with the low heat soldering.

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The Dremel as has been mentioned above gives the heat. uses lighter fuel to top up. The picture shows the low heat soldering part on the end.

The low heat solder is just squeezed out in the joint & then heated by the Dremel gun until it fizzes. Very strong joint.

Just been using it on some PE. Holds joints together far better than CA plus. Plus place some solder on the outside of the joint & it fills the joint.

Use a diamond file to smooth then a sander to give a perfectly smooth finish. The low heat is unlikely to distort thin metal but best to test.

Also sticks PE to plastic. But makes a hell of a mess of the plastic. ( do not do please just joking)

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Laurie

[Guest]

Brilliant Tim, thanks for that.

Laurie, I have that "nozzle" for my gas iron too, I normally use it for heat shrink. I can't quite make out the soldering product though, would you have a link or product name please?

[boatman]

HI Mark I use a normal soldering iron an normal solder for my jobs but if tryin to solder something like brass which requires a high heat then I use a pencil gas torch a pic of it below which I bought from my local model shop an it soon solderd my A frames for my tiger an as the guys have said put on safety glasses an a mask
chris

[Guest]

Brilliant Tim, thanks for that.

Laurie, I have that "nozzle" for my gas iron too, I normally use it for heat shrink. I can't quite make out the soldering product though, would you have a link or product name please?

Hi Andy

A number out there but this is the one I use
SOLDER PASTE, SN, BI, AG, 138DEG C, 15G SMDLTLFP By CHIP QUIK

Obtainable on Amazon & no doubt Ebay. I first have a small bottle of
another manufacturer but difficult to dispense.

With the one above with the nozzles you can get the paste where it is needed quite accurately.

Cannot give you any tips as I have only used in anger over the past week. Must try & find a demonstration how to use.

One tip is if it is PE give a good sand with a fine sander to remove the junk they spray on to the metal.

Laurie

[Tim Marlow]

Best thing I found for treating etch before soldering is a glass fibre scratch brush used wet with a dilute solution of water and dish soap. Do the whole fret before cutting parts out. Don’t be tempted to use the brush dry, the fibres are irritating....
the most flexible approach is to use both mine and Laurie’s suggestions.....there are many tips and tricks to soldering, and not all work with both methods......if you want to know how to approach a difficult joint, sing out and I’ll help if I can.....

[Guest]

Best thing I found for treating etch before soldering is a glass fibre scratch brush used wet with a dilute solution of water and dish soap. Do the whole fret before cutting parts out. Don’t be tempted to use the brush dry, the fibres are irritating....
the most flexible approach is to use both mine and Laurie’s suggestions.....there are many tips and tricks to soldering, and not all work with both methods......if you want to know how to approach a difficult joint, sing out and I’ll help if I can.....

Like that not thought of sanding the whole fret. Must be right stupid. Thanks Tim.

Laurie

[Guest]

Thank you both.

I have been cleaning and sanding/scratching the PE before cutting from the fret but having recently obtained a glass fibre pencil I'll give that a go.

Will probably give both types of soldering a shot and see which I prefer.