|
Some Tips about Solder Blocks
-
Our regular
braze boards made of spun glass and clay. They are the least expensive
are but they do create dust and crumbs.
-
Silquar blocks are very popular now, as
they are very hard ... no flaking.
-
Honeycomb are both hard and porous to
prevent heat sinking. Wires can be inserted into its small holes as pins
and hold downs.
-
Magnesium blocks are very soft and are
the best for careful pinning.
-
Charcoal can be pinned but it cracks and
burns up quickly. Charcoal is best for melting round balls.
-
A binding wire wrap circling the edges of
a charcoal block or a honeycomb block usually helps it stay together
longer.
Choose the right block for the things you
need them to do. Most people have several depending on the job.
- John
|
| Clay and spun glass composition. |
| BRAZE BOARD - 6"x 6"x
1/2" |
BRAZE BOARD - 6"x 12"x
1/2"
|
BRAZE BOARD - 12"x 12"x
1/2"
|
SILQUAR SOLDERING BOARD - 6"x 6"x 1/2"
|
SILQUAR SOLDERING BOARD - 6"x
12"x 1/2"
|
SILQUAR SOLDERING BOARD - 12"x
12"x 1/2"
|
 |
HONEYCOMB BRAZE BOARD
Ceramic. 3-3/4" X 5-1/2" X 1/2"
|
MAGNESIA
SOLDER BLOCK Soft to accept pins. 6" X 3" X 1-1/2"
|
 Genuine Charcoal - not artificial or synthetic. |
CHARCOAL BLOCK - 3-1/2" x 2-1/4" x 1-1/2"
|
CHARCOAL BLOCK - 4-3/4" x 3" x 1-1/2"
|
CHARCOAL BLOCK - 7" x 4" x 1-1/2"
|
 |
SOLDER CUTTING PLIERS
Box joint, stainless steel. Euro-Tool.
Quickly cuts 1/16" lengths of wire solders
AND cuts 1/16" square chips of sheet
solders
|
HEAVY HEATING FRAME 6" X
6"
Woven heavy wire. Raises work up off of heat robbing soldering boards.
|
TITANIUM SOLDER PICK -
P.E.P.E. Tools
6.25"
Anodized aluminum handle. Fine tapered sharp point.
|
SOLDERING TRI-POD:
Cast iron ring w/ 6-1/2" steel legs. Includes 6"X 6" light mesh screen.
|
IRON BINDING WIRE
1/4
lb. Spool - .0125"
|
Also see our Copper &
Brass Sheet & Wire page for spools of
pickle safe copper
and brass round
wires. |
 |
BRASS BRISTLE BRUSH 1"
X 3" Hard brass bristle. Wood base/handle.
This is the preferred brush to scrub off flux and soldering residue to help
prep for further soldering or to give metal some scratch for oxidizing.
|
TWEEZERS
6-3/4 Inch Cross Lock Soldering
Tweezers w/ Fiber Grips
Curved tips. Stainless steel - Grobet brand
|
6" Imported Steel
Cross-Lock Tweezers - Bent Tip & Fiber Grips (top)
6"
Imported Steel Cross-Lock Tweezers - Straight Tip & Fiber Grips (not
shown)
These are the same Cross-Locks as the top illustration except they have straight
tips.
6"
Imported Steel Tweezers
w/ Straight Tip & Fiber Grips (bottom)
|
6-1/8" Basic Soldering
Tweezers w/ Thick Serrated Tips: - General - Nickel plated
steel.
|
6-3/4" Soldering
Tweezers w/ Smooth Curved Tips: Grobet -
Nickel plated steel.
|
7" Soldering
Tweezers w/ Smooth Straight Tips: Grobet -
Nickel Plated steel.
|
6-1/2" Cross Lock Soldering Tweezers
w/Blunt Serrated Tips: Grobet - Nickel
Plated steel.
|
4-3/4" Soldering Tweezers w/Sharp, Smooth Tips: Grobet - Nickel Plated steel.
|
4-3/4"
Cross Lock Soldering Tweezers w/Sharp, Smooth Tips: Grobet - Nickel Plated steel.
|
9 Inch Copper Tongs -
Riveted, bent tips.
|
| 9 Inch Heavy Duty
Copper Tongs
- Riveted, bent tips. |
 |
MAGNETIC BALL THIRD HAND BASE - P.E.P.E. Tool
Features a magnetic ball swivel that will hold 5 oz.
at the end of 6 inch
long tweezers.
Included with this base is a
stainless serrated straight
tipped cross lock tweezers with fiber grips similar to
those shown above.
|
HARD SOLDER (Brazing) FLUXES
|
Batterns Liquid Flux. 3 ounce
bottle. |
| Batterns Liquid Flux. 8 ounce
bottle. |
|
HANDY Paste Flux. 1/4 lb. |
|
HANDY Paste Flux. 1/2 lb. |
|
Englehard (Wolverine) ULTRA Paste Flux. 1/4 lb. |
|
Wolverine BLACK Paste Flux. 1/2 lb.
This flux was until just recently sold
under the Englehard label and is great for base metal brazing
on long, high temperature jobs and works on all metals except aluminum, magnesium and titanium.
|
 |
Flux & Fire Scale Preventer
FIRESCOFF ™ CERAMIC FLUX SPRAY - 30 ML
(1 fl. oz.)
FIRESCOFF ™ CERAMIC FLUX SPRAY - 125 ML
(4 fl. oz.)
How to use Firescoff ™ |
ANTI-FLUXES - to prevent brazing solder flow
TIX ANTI-FLUX -
1/2 oz bottle w/ brush in cap.
|
FLUX BRUSHES
| 3/8" wide Metal Handle
|
7-1/4" # 4 Sable
|
7-3/4"
Camel Utility
|
 |
KOOL JOOL 8 oz jar
Protects jewels from heat while you solder. No need to remove jewels from settings
(except pearls, opals, turquoise and other soft stones). Rinses off in plain water.
|
 |
MiniFlam ISOFLAM
Heat proof paste up to 5000 degrees
Protects and isolates right next to the solder.
Avoids
dismantling of parts sensitive
to overheating. Spotless protection. Reusable.
If
needed, dampen with distilled water.
|
 |
PICKLING ACIDS
 |
SPAREX No. 2
DRY PICKLING ACID
|
10 ounce can - makes a quart of pickling
solution.
|
2-1/2 lb. bag - makes a gallon of
pickling solution.
|
NICKEL PICKLE
DRY PICKLING ACID - 8 Oz. bag
(Makes a quart of pickle)
A stronger acid than Sparex No. 2 for pickle cleaning soldered nickel
silver.
|
John's Silver Soldering (brazing) Rules:
A good fit.
Keep it clean.
Lots of clean flux.
Clean the solder too!
Fire it up and do the job quickly.
Heat the big pieces first.
Dim the lights if necessary to "see" the metal's temperature.
The solder follows the heat - use this to help control where it flows.
Finish by bringing the whole area (of silver) up to temp. to completely flow the solder.
- Even some of the pros don't follow this last step and get bad joints!)