03-29-2009, 11:17 AM
Very nice work, Kurt, and, not surprisingly, up to your usual fine standards of workmanship. 
There are at least a couple of ways to solder additional pieces onto an already partially-assembled construction without fear of un-doing the previous work. One is to use solders of different melting points, starting with the highest temperature ones first. This requires that you know both the melting point of the solder and the temperature of your soldering iron.
Another method is to use suitably-sized clamps or alligator clips to hold the previously soldered parts in place - usually, only the joints nearest the current work site need to be so protected. The clamped work will be held in place, while the clamp itself will act as a heat sink, drawing excess heat away from the finished joints. The danger in this method will be that the work being performed will heat the entire assembly faster than the sinks can draw it away - this is especially true if you're using a torch as the heat source.
The method that works best, at least for my limited soldering skills, is to wrap all nearby joints in wads of wet (not merely damp) facial tissue or paper towels - if you're doing a lot of such work in succession, simply leave the tissue in place, adding water as it boils away. As long as the tissue is wet, the temperature of the joint will not exceed the boiling point of water. With a torch or iron of sufficient wattage, you can solder almost immediately adjacent to a previously-soldered joint without fear of un-doing it - the key is to apply a large quantity of heat for a short period of time.
I look forward to seeing the rest of this project. Even if, like Kurt, you don't need the product of such a build, this is a good way to expand your skills at a reasonable cost. New skills beget confidence in your own abilities, which leads to better workmanship in other areas, too, and a willingness to push yourself even further.
Wayne
cnw1961 Wrote:I was quite nervous about soldering the legs and the beams together. If I’d fail to do it right, the whole project would go down the drain.
There are at least a couple of ways to solder additional pieces onto an already partially-assembled construction without fear of un-doing the previous work. One is to use solders of different melting points, starting with the highest temperature ones first. This requires that you know both the melting point of the solder and the temperature of your soldering iron.
Another method is to use suitably-sized clamps or alligator clips to hold the previously soldered parts in place - usually, only the joints nearest the current work site need to be so protected. The clamped work will be held in place, while the clamp itself will act as a heat sink, drawing excess heat away from the finished joints. The danger in this method will be that the work being performed will heat the entire assembly faster than the sinks can draw it away - this is especially true if you're using a torch as the heat source.
The method that works best, at least for my limited soldering skills, is to wrap all nearby joints in wads of wet (not merely damp) facial tissue or paper towels - if you're doing a lot of such work in succession, simply leave the tissue in place, adding water as it boils away. As long as the tissue is wet, the temperature of the joint will not exceed the boiling point of water. With a torch or iron of sufficient wattage, you can solder almost immediately adjacent to a previously-soldered joint without fear of un-doing it - the key is to apply a large quantity of heat for a short period of time.
I look forward to seeing the rest of this project. Even if, like Kurt, you don't need the product of such a build, this is a good way to expand your skills at a reasonable cost. New skills beget confidence in your own abilities, which leads to better workmanship in other areas, too, and a willingness to push yourself even further.
Wayne