Soldering for Dummies

[Bibio]

don't think there are any true 'wrought iron' blacksmiths left. its all mild steel these days.

ok so i'll rephrase the 'blacksmith' (even though we also done anvil work) part and say 'fabricator/erector'.

[timwilky]

Agree wrought is not commercially available these days. It was the malleability that made it the ideal material for true forge work. Sadly mild steel does not have the same qualities

Originally Posted by timwilky

Agree wrought is not commercially available these days. It was the malleability that made it the ideal material for true forge work. Sadly mild steel does not have the same qualities

What makes a "mild" steel? How are other steels classified?

[timwilky]

Steels are really down to the carbon content. You will normally hear of mild being described as low carbon steel. But the metallurgy is a science in its own right.

Just google iron carbon equilibrium diagrams and start to get baffled as you start looking at martensite, perlilite. Wonder about austentetic phases etc.

[Bibio]

Originally Posted by Alpinestarhero

What makes a "mild" steel? How are other steels classified?

amongst other things carbon and impurity content.

bit long winded but easy to understand:

http://www.istc.illinois.edu/info/li...s/chapter2.htm

In the US they like to SODDER!!

Weirdos.

Originally Posted by DanAbnormal

In the US they like to SODDER!!

Weirdos.

they like to do that in brighton too

huhwhateh?

[yorkie_chris]

Just get some bits of wire and see how it works, it's not particularly hard.

Just make sure your metal is clean and slide the heatshrink onto the wire before soldering the wires.

(and don't leave the heatshrink too close to the joint, or try to slide it on until the joint has cooled.)
I find a simple butane lighter the easiest way to heatshrink tubing, I find the iron is too harsh.

[ophic]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

slide the heatshrink onto the wire before soldering the wires.

Double check this. I constantly forget - along with any connectors or covers that need to go there too. Soldering, swearing, desoldering and soldering again makes a mess. And sods law says that the first solder job is always incredibly neat.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Just get some bits of wire and see how it works, it's not particularly hard.

Just make sure your metal is clean and slide the heatshrink onto the wire before soldering the wires.

(and don't leave the heatshrink too close to the joint, or try to slide it on until the joint has cooled.)
I find a simple butane lighter the easiest way to heatshrink tubing, I find the iron is too harsh.

just what me was gonna say .. few times when conecting my autocomm etc I have forgot to slide the heatshrink over first and keep it wel away from the joint.. so tried to cut it down it length after and wrap it on and then shrink it and it doesnt work.

so make sure you slide the heat shrink on and down the wire first ASH .. and yea butane lighter way easiest way to shrink it on.... self almalgamating tape is good too,,. me use that first then heat shrink