Expert: Sue Spire - 6/7/2009

Question
QUESTION: I've been trying to do some soldering making pendants with stain glass.  I started practicing with regular 60/40 lead solder that I already had.  I ordered the "Silver Gleam" lead free to use.  After doing two small pendants, the tip got so bad that it wouldn't pick up any solder.  I may have had it turned up too high.  I got another tip and it did the same thing.  I was trying to keep it cleaned off.  I could not seem to get it back to the shiny stage.  Am I using it at to high of a heat setting.  I think I had it turned up all the way over.

ANSWER: Hi Susan,

Having you iron turned up too high would not cause the problem. I never use a temperature controller so my iron is always on high. The only time it would cause a problem is if you are using an iron that is already temp controlled through the tip. The Weller irons have different tips for different temperatures. On the flat end of the tip you will see a 6 or an 8. The 6 means 60 watts, 8 means 80 watts. If you put the iron on a temp controller you defeat the purpose of the temp controlled tip. That could cause the tip to burn out.

However, I'm inclined to think it's the flux you're using. Some flux is very caustic and will eat up a tip made for stained glass work. Let me know what type and brand of flux you're using.

In the meantime, use your 60/40 solder again and see if that makes any difference.

I'll be waiting to hear back from you.
Sue





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for answering so promptly.  The flux brand is Glastar Flasflux.  However, for the things I did practicing with it, I had no problem.  And yesterday, I tried again with a new tip using the 60/40 and the tip was completely blackened and I couldn't clean it.  I even completed two small pendants with the silvergleam before it started acting up.

Answer
Hi Susan,

You've got me stumped!

The only other thing I can think of is that your flux is contaminated. If you are dipping your flux brush directly into the bottle, the flux becomes contaminated with debris from the solder, glass, and anything else your brush touches on your project. You should pour a small amount of flux into another container and work from that. When you're done soldering, dispose of whatever is left in that container.

Are you using a sal ammoniac block to clean your tip? That could be the problem. I don't use one, but I have heard of tip problems being caused by sal ammoniac.

I'd recommend taking your iron, flux and solder to a stained glass studio and ask if you can show them what happens. It's so much easier to diagnose some problem when we can actually see them.

Other than what I just said, I don't have any other ideas. I'm quite sure it's something simple, but whatever that might be...I don't have a clue!

I'm sorry that I can't help any more than that. You could try asking your question on a stained glass forum. There are a lot of people that will read about your problem and someone might have experienced the same thing and know the answer.

All the best,
Sue