Soldering: What’s the worst that can happen?

[Arilynn]

I’ve always wanted to learn how to weld, but this, along with my demand to use a chainsaw, frightens my husband. As a compromise of a sort, he got me a soldering kit. I think I’d like to make jewelry, but it’s a pretty vague thought as I have no idea 1) about anything regarding soldering, and 2) what one would solder that would result in jewelry.

I’ve looked at some stuff online, but I’ve found it a bit overwhelming. I’ve also read conflicting stuff about safety.

Any suggestions about how to start?

 

[Ashiri]

I’ve always wanted to learn how to weld, but this, along with my demand to use a chainsaw, frightens my husband. As a compromise of a sort, he got me a soldering kit. I think I’d like to make jewelry, but it’s a pretty vague thought as I have no idea 1) about anything regarding soldering, and 2) what one would solder that would result in jewelry.

I’ve looked at some stuff online, but I’ve found it a bit overwhelming. I’ve also read conflicting stuff about safety.

Any suggestions about how to start?

Is this a soldering kit with a gas torch?
If so, where to start would simply be getting comfortable using it.
I can't help with what to with regard jewelry.

 

[Soen Eber]

Take a jewelry class. At my votech it was involved enough to require a semester, and required a lot of wire and soldering work.

 

[Noodles]

I have only ever soldered electronics. I made a bunch of specialized serial cables of specific lengths at my old job to connect the automation system to equipment. They were all just 3 wires though, not all 9 pins needed things connected to them.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

I have only ever soldered electronics. I made a bunch of specialized serial cables of specific lengths at my old job to connect the automation system to equipment. They were all just 3 wires though, not all 9 pins needed things connected to them.

All of my soldering experience has been with electronics as well. I did try to solder a broken eyeglass frame once though. It didn't turn out well.

 

[Clara D.]

electronics and plumbing here.

jewelry is a whole nother level.

 

[Sid]

The basics of electronics soldering are easy to learn and master.
I think making jewelry needs a far more advanced skill set.
So I agree with Soen, taking classes is most likely the solution here.

 

[Tirellia]

Soldering seems to be some kind of reverse alchemy when I've tried it. I start with some lead solder and whatever I'm supposed to be soldering. I'm left with a puddle of lead solder and half of whatever I was trying to solder. Oops.

 

[danielravennest]

Soldering seems to be some kind of reverse alchemy when I've tried it. I start with some lead solder and whatever I'm supposed to be soldering. I'm left with a puddle of lead solder and half of whatever I was trying to solder. Oops.

I hope you are not using any old solder that actually has lead in it. The vapors are toxic. New solder wire is lead-free.

 

[Soen Eber]

You really don't want to be breathing in lead fumes. I did litigation support for the marketshare based lawsuit against the Lead Industries Association 20 some years ago, and every dose is cumulative and does not get flushed out of the body unless you get hospitalized for chelation therapy; the cumulative affects are neurological and (I think) circulatory. There are other solders out there.

 

[danielravennest]

I’ve always wanted to learn how to weld, but this, along with my demand to use a chainsaw, frightens my husband. As a compromise of a sort, he got me a soldering kit. I think I’d like to make jewelry, but it’s a pretty vague thought as I have no idea 1) about anything regarding soldering, and 2) what one would solder that would result in jewelry.

I’ve looked at some stuff online, but I’ve found it a bit overwhelming. I’ve also read conflicting stuff about safety.

Any suggestions about how to start?

First, only use new solder wire. The old stuff had lead in it, and the vapors are toxic. Next, make sure your workspace is fire-resistant. A simple example would be oven hot-pads to protect the table or workbench, with a plain (not non-stick) cookie sheet on top. The metal sheet will conduct heat sideways and spread it out, so if for some reason the iron makes contact, it won't harm anything. If you have a garage workbench and a large piece of sheet metal sitting around, that would work too.

Low-temperature solder is used for electronics. For that you only care that it conducts electricity, and is not so hot it damages the electronic parts. Jewelry-making sometimes uses silver solder, which is higher temperature. If you are starting from scratch, just play around with the solder wire, and bits of scrap metal, small hardware nails, or bits of glass to get a feel for how fast it melts, then solidifies when you remove the iron, and how to handle the iron in one hand and the wire in the other.

There are a number of books out there. I have a few e-books about soldering, but they are about electronics, not jewelry. I'm sure there are YouTube videos.

 

[Arilynn]

Is this a soldering kit with a gas torch?
If so, where to start would simply be getting comfortable using it.
I can't help with what to with regard jewelry.

Thanks. It is electronic.

 

[Clara D.]

I hope you are not using any old solder that actually has lead in it. The vapors are toxic. New solder wire is lead-free.

They still make the lead stuff for electronics (called 60/40, tho it's really 63/37).

And even if you get the lead-free (aka silver solder) do it with plenty of ventilation, the flux has it's own set of fumes.

 

[Arilynn]

First, only use new solder wire. The old stuff had lead in it, and the vapors are toxic. Next, make sure your workspace is fire-resistant. A simple example would be oven hot-pads to protect the table or workbench, with a plain (not non-stick) cookie sheet on top. The metal sheet will conduct heat sideways and spread it out, so if for some reason the iron makes contact, it won't harm anything. If you have a garage workbench and a large piece of sheet metal sitting around, that would work too.

Low-temperature solder is used for electronics. For that you only care that it conducts electricity, and is not so hot it damages the electronic parts. Jewelry-making sometimes uses silver solder, which is higher temperature. If you are starting from scratch, just play around with the solder wire, and bits of scrap metal, small hardware nails, or bits of glass to get a feel for how fast it melts, then solidifies when you remove the iron, and how to handle the iron in one hand and the wire in the other.

There are a number of books out there. I have a few e-books about soldering, but they are about electronics, not jewelry. I'm sure there are YouTube videos.

A book is a great idea. Thanks. All the community-type classes that I know of are either canceled or virtual due to Covid. I tried YouTube, but the captioning was terrible.

Thanks also for the info about lead-free solder. That was one of my concerns. I also got a…I don’t remember the term, but it’s a platform with tiny Doc Oc arms, rubber grippers, a light, and a magnifier. I’ll check to see if it’s fireproof.

And great ideas on stuff to start on. Would anything you mentioned produce harmful fumes; i.e., should I only use this with special ventilation? Also, I will be able to melt glass?! That’s great!

 

[Arilynn]

They still make the lead stuff for electronics (called 60/40, tho it's really 63/37).

And even if you get the lead-free (aka silver solder) do it with plenty of ventilation, the flux has it's own set of fumes.

Thanks. I didn’t know that.

Any other hidden dangers?

 

[Soen Eber]

You might also want to look into doing stained glass which does a lot of work with solder. We have a stained glass studio that also has classes on the side so you may also have the same situation where you live. A commercial studio would have all the equipment you'd need to rent out, so you can try out the hobby without a large investment. Also, if you get into any sort of decorative hobby you're going to need to get vested in the local art community anyways, so might as well plunge in, look around, and say hi.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

I seem to recall there was a story on Usenet back in the '80s involving naked soldering. I think that would qualify as the worst that could happen.

 

[Kokoro Fasching]

Soldering... fire... smores!

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

I hope you are not using any old solder that actually has lead in it. The vapors are toxic. New solder wire is lead-free.

I started electronics soldering when I was 13, before lead-free solder was a thing. So far, I seem fine... umm, what were we talking about? Oh, look! A squirrel!

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

Thanks. I didn’t know that.

Any other hidden dangers?

If you accidentally drop your soldering iron, don't try to grab for it in mid-air. I made that mistake once.

You probably shouldn't set up your workspace where the floor is carpeted or covered in linoleum or vinyl flooring.