"Don Bruder" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Ted Shoemaker) wrote:
Hello,
I have some basic questions about soldering.
If I want to make a small art project with common metals
(steel, copper, aluminum, etc.), what do I need to know about
soldering?
About 25 years ago, I learned a very few basics about soldering
electronics.
One was that you use different solders for plumbing, electronics, and
jewelry. But which kind do you use for art? (Also, it's likely the
technology and materials have changed since then.)
Please respond to the newsgroup and not to my email.
Thank you very much,
Ted Shoemaker
Well, first thing is that you don't solder steel or aluminum. Period.
Don, steel is very easy to solder, and it's done all the time. You probably
aren't using a sufficiently active flux.
Aluminum is a mixed bag. It depends on the alloy. Many aluminum radiators
used to be soldered together; they probably still are. I've been soldering
aluminum for over 30 years and, for the last 25, at least, I've had no
trouble with it. Use 1100 (pure aluminum) or 3003 alloy if you have a
choice. Don't try to solder 2024.
I also have soldered glass. Yes, solder wets glass. It's a process used in
making some scientific apparatus, which is where I learned how to do it.
Don't ask me the details; it's been too long for me to remember.
Anyway, soldering aluminum is not for the beginner, but steel is the first
thing I learned to solder, and the entire tinner's trade was based on it.
I'm sure there's info on each of these processes online.
Ed Huntress