Thanks to everyone that gave me some tips and on low cost
soldering boards. I bought a ceramic 12x12 board the other day and
am very pleased with the way it doesn’t chip up and break apart
quickly like the white boards I was using. However, after soldering
for about 2 hours I nearly panicked when I realized my bench
underneath the ceramic board was hot enough to possibly self ignite!
What is a good solution to keep the heat from burning up my bench
underneath this board?
No problem to keep the heat from burning up your bench if you lay
the soldering board over your pumice filled annealing pan. I put my
bricks or whatever in it when I am soldering and it absorbs the
heat.
Alma
Catherine,
try using fire brick under your ceramic board to keep the heat
where you want it. I also use a board I cannot find anywhere. It
is called “homasote” and it is by far the best heat and flame
retardant (non asbestos board) I have ever used. To give you a
clue, I had it in my house on my worksurface when my house burned
down. Left standing? the homosote board, the table it was on and
the contents underneath.
So, If any of you fellow Orchideans out there know where to
purchase homosote board I would be interested in finding some more.
Jennifer Friedman
enamellist and jewelry artisan
Ventura, CA
You might try setting the soldering board on fire bricks or on one
of the solder pads you no longer plan on using. Lee
Try the white board you previously wore out. You need at least two
under your current soldering pad.
Terrie
Lay a couple of firebricks on your work bench and set the ceramic
soldering board on top of them.
Dee
I use an aluminum (I guess?) pizza pan that I bought from a
restaurant supply house. Mine is old and a little warped which
causes it to turn easily allowing me to get all around a piece when
soldering. Underneath that I have a scrap piece of formica
countertop - from a kitchen sink cutout -that you can probably get
from any remodeler’s discards. My wooden bench underneath has never
been affected.
Grace, Cleveland
Hi Catherine,
Whenever I am doing my warm glass work, I use one of those insulated
baking sheets that has a non-stick coating (Teflon?). I place it on
a bench and it provides a good working surface. However, It is
somewhat large and I can’t use it on top of my jeweler’s bench.
Perhaps something like that would work for you.
dennis
What is a good solution to keep the heat from burning up my bench underneath this board?
I have a big sheet of “cement board”, used under tile, on top of my
bench (actually an ancient desk, bought much-used back in college
days around 1970). It has pits and holes in it that can swallow
solder chips, small beads and unwary stones, but it is durable and
fireproof (and fizzes nicely if I spill acid on it). I’ve been
meaning to “spackle” it, but probably never will. Anyway, it is
pretty cheap and available at home centers. Our local Home Depot has
a bin of cut-offs that are really cheap, and much easier to deal
with than a very heavy 4x8 foot sheet.
–Noel
Catherine,
I have had this happen to me before. My bench was actually smoking
when I lifted the solder pad. I would recommend a couple of things.
First get a 12" X 12" solderite pad to place under your ceramic
board. This will help insulate the top board. The ceramic can and
does retain a lot of heat which is good for soldering but bad for
your bench. The other trick that I use is to put maybe a dozen
nickels down between the solderite pad and top ceramic pad. This
helps support the top and also allows air to circulate between the
two pads keeping the lower pad cooler. The nickels will not allow
the pad to shift easily but do give you that little bit of extra
security you may need.
When soldering small items for short periods of time your probably
ok. Extended periods of time will require a little extra precaution.
Happy and safe Soldering,
Phillip Scott
Technical Support & Sales
Rio Grande
1-800-545-6566
Catherine-
To prevent the burning of bench underneath, you might try raising
your ceramic board some, and place some loosely folded B-B-Q weight
aluminum foil under it. I found this aluminum foil much better than
asbestos (olden times) in shielding from from heat in using a blow
torch in plumbing around wood. I bought 12" sq tiles, so I am glad
to read of your experience! I was setting up for some stain glass
work, I just bought a new work bench with drawers from Sears for
doing some jewelry, as I have my father’s jewelry tools from long
ago. He did beautiful work as a hobby, very classic, graceful
design. I have done a little from a one day class up at the Fndy
Provincial Park during the Canada Centenial. I learned to do a
bezel, using powd solder. Now I wonder how I will solder the pin
clasp on the back!- after I make that set up. I will figure
something out. My work bench is a zinc top, but fiber wood under. So
I think I should be cautious. I am so very glad to have access to
the Orchid newsletters!
Laura Voigt
So, If any of you fellow Orchideans out there know where to purchase homosote board I would be interested in finding some more.
Hi,
Try Delphi Glass.
www.delphiglass.com/index.cfm?itemsysid=144650&page=itemView
dennis
You are most likely using N.C.F.R. Homasote (it will have a black
stamp identifying it as Class A). To locate a source near you write
to: Sales@homasote.com
Hey all
Here in Denmark the most common soldering pad is made of a material
called vermiculite. It is a light weight, non toxic material with
extreme insulation properties. It comes in a variety of thicknesses
and in some different hardnesses as well.
The softer ones wear away, but only after years of use, and they are
very easy to cut to pieces for propping up, you can easily place
pins in it for holding ackward pieces and it is quite inexpensive.
I have seen some glass blowers and other glass people use it ond
some types are also used as insertions in ovens and fire places.
Wonder, if anybody else know of this wonderful material.
Greetings
Niels Lovschal
from windy Bornholm, Denmark
Continue from:
So, If any of you fellow Orchideans out there know where to purchase homosote board I would be interested in finding some more.
http://www.homasote.com/home.html
http://www.delphiglass.com/index.cfm?itemsysid=144650&page=itemView
jesse
So, If any of you fellow Orchideans out there know where to purchase homosote board I would be interested in finding some more.
Home Depot stocks it.
Eugene C. Gentile (Gino)
National Accounts Manager
Hoover & Strong, Inc.