Paste solder tips

Hi,

I’ve used paste solder for soldering a few jump rings - my first
experience with both. :slight_smile: … I did, however, have a problem with the
tips - For the life of me, I could not get the tips to work - I
could not push it through no matter how hard I squeezed the syringe.
After trying 3 different tips, I finally gave up, using a toothpick
to apply it, which was somewhat of a PIA. I wondered if there’s
something else about those tips I’m supposed to know? Do you need to
pierce it somewhere or ??? I’ve feel sorta silly asking this
question, but I feel sillier that everyone else is using their paste
solder and I’m not, just b/c I can’t figure the tips out, so … any
advice would be appreciated!

~Alysia
Hoping everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day holiday
www.alysiamurray.com

I had a lot of problem with this too…letting the syringe warm up
under a light bulb makes the solder flow easier.

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Hi Alysia,

For the life of me, I could not get the tips to work - I could not
push it through no matter how hard I squeezed the syringe. 

Sometimes paste solder gets a little stiff in the tube. If it’s
warmed up a little it’ll be easier to extrude.

Here’s a couple of ways you might warm it up.

  1. Put the needle on the syringe.

  2. Lay the syringe on the workbench & place an 60 watt electric
    light above it a few inches. Leave it under the light for a few
    minutes. Try it after about 5 minutes to see if it comes out any
    easier. If not place it under the light for a little longer. Don’t
    put the bulb too close to the syringe or you might melt a hole in
    the plastic.

  3. Saturate a clothe with the hottest water your hands can stand.

  4. Wrap the clothe around the portion of the syringe that has the
    solder in it.

  5. Try it after a few minutes.

One source of paste solder that I’ve found that is a little easier
to extrude & doesn’t get stiff as fast as most is:
myuniquesolutions.com.

Usual disclaimers, just a satisfied customer.

Dave

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Continue from:

My experience is that the syringes work best if you are doing the
volume of work where you would use up the whole syringe in a few
days. leave them around for a while and they coagulate.

I use an syringe applicator that is refilled from a jar and powered
by compressed air. Very good when I have a big run of pieces like
ear wires or pin joints but it tends to clog if not used for a
while. This thing has the advantage that you can just replace the
needle and that is usually enough, but you scrap out some solder
every time you do it. Not so bad if it is silver solder but gold
would be pretty wasteful.

The paste solder can be thinned with mineral oil.

Stephen Walker

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Hello Everyone,

My experience with paste solders has been good. I’ve used several
brands of gold solders over the years. The problem is one of the
paste drying out in the needle. Putting the needle under a heat lamp
will only make things worse. Just remove the clogged needle and boil
it in H20 for a few minutes and perhaps ream it out with a broken saw
blade if needed. I keep a few extra needles around to save time. If
the whole unit is dried out, then pull the plunger and dig out the
paste. Mix in some petroleum jelly and it will be as good as new. I
keep my paste solders in the smallest Ziploc bag that fits. Some of
the odd gold solders which I don’t use very often have lasted for
years if I keep them sealed. If I seal them in the bag when I’m done
they are always fresh the next time I need them.

Good Luck
Jim Miller

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Thanks for the suggestions I’ve received… I also really should’ve
mentioned, the solder seemed pretty soft w/out the tip - so is there
any other possible explanation?? Thanks!

Alysia
www.alysiamurray.com

I don’t know whether my solution to this problem will appeal to
others, but here it is–

Rather than deal with paste solder vagaries, I bought powdered
solders. I dip my solder pick into paste flux, then into powdered
solder, then place it where I want it. I am very happy with this
system. The paste solder I have doesn’t always want to stick where I
put it, and it smokes when heated. The little “worm” of solder tends
to curl up over the needle as I extrude it. I like the powder much
better. I can pick up pretty much the exact amount I need, so
there’s no question of what to do with extra that oozed out of the
tube and is tough to put back.

You kmow, I think I’ll write my next column for the CMAG newsletter
about powdered solder! By the way, I bought the powdered solders from
our own Beth Katz, (Unique Solutions:
http://www.myuniquesolutions.com) when I was at SNAG last year.

–Noel

Alysia,

Maybe the problem is that the paste solder has dried out and it
could not be pushed through the needle. Try a product that has a
non-drying formula in the future. There can be several other issues
with the soldering needles which is why you may have had trouble
using it. First, the needles could be too small a gauge for the mesh
of the particles that are in the paste. You cannot push something
through that has particles too large to go through the holes. IE:
large square peg into small round hole. The usual gauge for this
type of product in silver is an 18 gauge needle. A dark green is
usually an 18 ga. The needles that were supplied may have been the
wrong size. If the needle tip was pink in color, then it is probably
20 gauge, to small for most silver paste. This size is designed for
gold which is ground to a finer mesh. Another thing that happens is
when you get the heat too close to the needle tip or apply solder to
a hot surface using the needle. If applying solder paste to a hot
surface, then the binder can burn and go up the needle and plug the
opening. This sometimes happens when you are working fast and trying
to get it exactly in the correct spot and not thinking the project
is hot enough to make the paste cook. You can always add paste by
squeezing it out onto a toothpick and putting a small amount on the
project itself without causing the tube needle to get clogged. Paste
solder is also available in jars where you can “scoop” out a small
amount with a toothpick, piece of scrap wire, small spatula or any
other way you can devise to get the paste where you want it placed.

Beth Katz
http://www.myuniquesolutions.com
Non-Drying Paste Solder and Powder Solder for Jewelers & Metalsmiths

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Hi Gang,

 The problem is one of the paste drying out in the needle. Putting
the needle under a heat lamp will only make things worse. 

An easy & inexpensive solution to the ‘plugged needle’ syndrome with
pate solder syringes is a trip to the hardware store (take one of
each size needle along) Most hardware stores sell hard steel wire
called ‘music wire’ in 1 ft - 3 ft lengths. The wire is available in
many diameters. Select the largest diameters that fit in the needle.

Cost of 2, 3 ft long pieces will probably be under $3. When you get
back to the shop, cut about a 3" long piece, fold about 1/4" of
one end over at 90 deg for a handle. Insert it in the needle. Use it
both as a cleaner & as a stopper when not using the syringe.

As someone also suggested, if the paste gets stiff, dried out,
mixing a drop or two of mineral oil with the remaining paste will
probably restore it to the correct consistency. It’s the evaporation
of the vehicle that causes the paste to get stiff; the solder & flux
are still fine. Replacing the vehicle, mineral oil, usually restores
the paste to a workable product.

Also storing the paste filled syringes in a zip lock bag between
long periods of non usage will help keep the vehicle from
evaporating.

Dave

Another way to tightly seal air out, rather than a zip type plastic
bag, cut off a sheet of the new Glad “Press and Seal” wrap. This
very easily seals odd shapes such as a paste solder syringe.

It is really worth buying a box and simply experimenting. This is
wonderful for keeping Metal Clay pliable.

Hugs
Terrie

Stephen,

Your idea of using the whole syringe of solder is a good one, if the
binder is the type that will dry out. That type of drying formula
has been around for years and is what gives paste solder a bad
“taste” for some people. There are organic binders that do not dry
out even when left out on the bench… no need to put it in a
plastic bag or to use it all at the same time. This is the same for
silver or gold pastes. I have been running several experiments
over the years with my organic binder paste solder. I have one
small jar of silver paste solder and a few syringes of silver paste
and two of gold sitting to the side of my bench for over 5 years.
They have never dried out. There will be no need to scrape them out
or to add other materials to make them work. I use these test
items every so often to make sure they are still viable. So far, so
good. I think that is a darn good shelf life for silver and gold
paste solder. They are working as well as they day they were first
put into service. I do nothing special to these syringes (or jar)
except to leave them out of direct heat. They are just sitting on
the side, no special treatment or special storage. All the
syringes have either the needle attached or just with an open end
and no needle. The small jar is just closed and nothing special has
been done to keep out the air. I will truly be disappointed when
they finally run out. I am planning to use them just twice a year
as a test so they will be on my bench for years to come.

Alysia, As for why the paste will not work… there are several
theories. One, heat got to the needle and the paste froze in the
chamber not allowing the paste to be extruded through the needle.
You can ream out with a thin wire and try again or just replace
with a new needle. Another is that the size of the needle is just
too small a diameter (gauge) to have the paste pushed through it if
the mesh (size of the particles) is too large for the opening
provided. Just two ideas. I am sure there are many more. Send me
email off list and I will send a sample (to Alysia) of the organic
binder silver solder paste.

Beth Katz, Unique Solutions, Inc.
http://www.myuniquesolutios.com
Paste (non-drying) and Powder Solder for Jewelers and Metalsmiths.

Noel,

In that case, if say one had medium powder and hard or easy paste,
which would prevail? Do you match easy paste with easy powder?

I just sent Beth a question before reading your message.

Thanks
Terrie

Hi All,

I’m sorry to keep up the same discussion - I wish I’d been more
thorough to begin with… I should’ve mentioned, the paste solder I
was trying to use, was brand new, seemed really soft and dispensed
fine w/out a tip - albeit it was a fat blob, lol, and the tips were
brand new tips that came with the solder.

Are you supposed to pierce them before you use them or something?

confused Thanks! :slight_smile:

~Alysia

Noel,

Nice tip, but where do you get the powdered solder ?

Ron Mills, Mills Gem Co. Los Osos, Ca.

In that case, if say one had medium powder and hard or easy paste,
which would prevail? Do you match easy paste with easy powder? 

I’m sorry, Terrie, I don’t understand what you’re asking. Easy
paste, easy powder and easy sheet/wire should all be functionally
the same-- same for any grade, of course. Different manufacturers’
formulas may have slightly different melting points, but I choose my
solder (temperature and form) based on the task, and use one
interchangably with another of the same grade (temerature). Did I
cover your question?

–Noel

Ron,

Beth Katz, Unique Solutions.com is the source mentioned.

Terrie

Noel,

Yes I believe so. I was not the clearest of clear. I believe the
“help tips” on Beth Katz web site, wuniquesolutions.com are
wonderful.

I was thinking of buying only 2 of the powder grades of solder and
all 4 of the silver paste.

I was originally instructed in chains to use only paste solder, and
find it excellent. I still hear disdain for paste solders. I believe
in many cases there is a learn how fear factor.

Thanks again,
Terrie

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heat got to the needle and the paste froze in the chamber  not
allowing the paste to be extruded through the needle. You can ream
out  with a thin wire 

Beth,

I have had excellent results with your gold and silver paste
solders. Like you, I do not take any special care of them. I have
on occasion gotten the needle too hot. When this happens I use a
small twist drill bit (I actually keep one next to the tube) to ream
it out–works great.

Del Pearson of Designs of Eagle Creek in Beautiful South Texas,
where we are still getting some much-needed rain.

 Yes I believe so. I was not the clearest of clear. I believe  the
"help tips" on Beth Katz web site, wuniquesolutions.com  are
wonderful. 

Hi,

Thanks for the confidence in the “help tips” for the paste solder.
The correct web address is http://www.myuniquesolutions.com

Beth Katz