Soldering your stained glass project
It’s hard to believe but I’m nearly done with my stained glass project now. It’s been a really great class that I’ve very much enjoyed. One more class and we’ll be done!
This past week we finally started soldering our projects. First off we discussed some safety precautions.
- Soldering irons run at about 700 degrees Fahrenheit and you can’t tell from looking at one whether it’s on or off, so always assume that it’s hot!
- Solder is comprised of tin and lead, so no eating or drinking or smoking, while soldering
- Always wear closed toe shoes and non-flammable trousers. Hot lead dropped on exposed body parts can be very painful!
- Be sure that you have good ventilation. Those of you who are particularly sensitive to fumes, may want to purchase a flame trap
- Flux, which is used to help stick your solder to the lead, is acid based. You do not want to get in on your skin and you do not want to leave it for prolonged periods of time, on your glass, or it will etch your glass. Work in small areas at a time and neutralize the acid when you’re done soldering.
Solder, as I mentioned before, is made up of tin & lead. It typically comes in:
The first number represents the percentage of tin and the second number represents the percentage of lead in your solder. The lower the amount of tin in your solder, the longer it will stay molten and the longer it will take to harden. 60/40 will fill gaps easier because hardens faster. 63/73 is most often used for decorative soldering.
You can also find solder that contains no lead. This is typically used for jewelry and other items that are worn next to the skin.
May 13th, 2009 at 2:15 am
Doing stained glass is fun
December 18th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
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