P.O. Box 360 Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
Phones: 800-897-8989  440-247-6322  Fax: 440-247-4630

Reviewed by Mike Grulber, WAISVF

No doubt about it -- soldering is essential to almost any electronics project. As many hams and hobbyists have discovered, it is also a great way to make many home repairs. Unfortunately, solder is not with out its limitations and drawbacks. Electronics-type solder, usually a mixture of 60% tin and 40% lead with a rosin-core flux, works on a limited number of metals. And, as Murphy's Law would have it, the most critical soldering jobs are always just out of reach of an extension cord. The Solder-lt kit is intended to overcome both of these limitations. The kit includes a refillable butane pencil torch, torch stand, syringes with solder pastes for a variety of materials, and a vinyl plastic storage pouch.

Soldering Torch

I find the quality and performance of the torch to be consistent with its price tag. It seems well made and durable. It' s an excellent choice for general purpose and home hobbyist soldering. The torch isn't a replacement for your soldering iron, but it is an excellent choice for soldering wires outdoors. Butane for the torch must be purchased separately. It's widely available as fuel for refillable cigarette lighters. I purchased a 2.5- ounce container (large enough for several torch refills) for $2.39. Filling the torch is a snap-just press the butane container nozzle into the torch valve. According to the manufacturer, a refill lasts an hour or more. Although I didn't time it, a fill-up did last a surprisingly long time. Fuel did not appear to leak, even when the valve was closed and the torch left idle for several weeks.

ARRL staffer and resident antenna expert. Dean Straw, N6BV, reports excellent results with a Solder-It pencil torch while at the top of his 120-foot tower. He cautions, however, that even moderate winds have an adverse effect on the torch's flame and heating ability. Solder-It is introducing some optional wind-proof tips, but these were not available for the review. Dean also admits to more than one accidental drop test and recommends a tether line from the torch body to the tower.

The plastic torch stand, which looks a bit like a top hat with the top cut out, holds the torch upright on a flat surface. The kit includes two types of tip attachments: a blow torch and a soldering iron tip. Thirteen optional tips, including a hot knife and a variety of chisel and wind-proof tips, can be purchased separately. Solder-lt also offers a lighter-duty optional torch that's a little easier to carry around. You can specify either torch with the kit, or buy them separately.

The Solder Paste Syringes

I find the specialty solder-paste syringes handy to use. Flux and solder are contained within the paste, so there are no messy flux brushes to clean or replace. You just apply the paste to the solder joint and heat. It's that simple.

As with any product of this type, the importance of eye protection and proper ventilation cannot be overemphasized. All of the solder pastes contained within this kit tend to smoke and splatter. Always be extra cautious whenever using a torch or any unfamiliar type of solder.

All of the solders in this kit are specified to have a low, or very low, melting point. The silver-bearing solder, in fact, is even touted to work with the heat of a match or lighter. Keep in mind, however, that these low-temperature claims are relative to solders in general, not to the familiar 60/40 rosin-core solder used in electronics. The melting point of 60/40 is actually a bit lower than these Solder-It products.

Aluminum solder. Aluminum solder has many uses around the household or shack. Refrigeration systems, radiators, storm doors and windows are all potential candidates for aluminum solder, but antennas are no doubt of most interest to amateurs. Who hasn't broken an element or two on his favorite Yagi at one time or other-I know I have! One antenna repair could save enough to pay for the entire Solder-It kit.

I've tried aluminum solders before, with disappointing results. Aluminum has always been difficult to solder, but the Solder-It product boasts not only of soldering aluminum to aluminum, but of soldering aluminum to other metals as well. The specified melting temperature is 395F. The tensile strength is 28,000 PSI with a finished joint that is stronger than the base metal. The color match is ideal on aluminum.

I used several aluminum and other metal samples to test the aluminum solder paste. I achieved acceptable results in almost all cases, including aluminum to aluminum and aluminum to brass. Some types of aluminum-roof flashing for example-cannot be soldered with this product, but it works fine with 3003, 6061, 6063 and other alloys I've used for antennas and equipment enclosures.

It takes a little practice to develop the technique. Be sure to thoroughly clean the surfaces to be soldered (I used steel wool) and apply heat only around the solder paste until it begins to bubble. Now apply heat directly to the joint until it flows, then immediately remove the heat. I recommend a practice joint before attempting anything critical.

Pot Metal Solder. One of my other hobbies is the restoration of a 1952 MG TD. During a carburetor overhaul session a few years back, I was a little less careful than I should have been with the one of the float-chamber covers. As you have probably guessed, much to my chagrin, that precious little lid was made of pot metal! At that time, I had no way to repair it, and finding another exactly like the original was both difficult and expensive. Ouch!

Pot metal, and similar die cast metals contain zinc. Its popularity stems in part from the ease with which it can be cast. Relatively low casting temperatures, minimal die wear and good surface finish make pot metal parts cheap and easy to produce. You'll fnd pot metal in carburetors and other car parts, trophies, junk jewelry and toys. I have even encountered pot metal on my antique crank-up Victrola machine! The down side to pot metal, of course, is a lack of durability. It's not particularly tough stuff.

Enter Solder-It pot-metal soldering paste: I tested it by joining the wings of two die cast toy airplanes. I cleaned both mating surfaces with sandpaper and applied the paste. The metallic shine of the metal solder soon began to emerge from the paste and form a molten ball. Shortly thereafter, the solder began to flow and I removed the heat.

When the joint cooled, I tested its integrity by bending the wings, both of which broke before the joint. I was extremely impressed with the results, and can recommend this product for making pot metal repairs. Again, make several practice joints before attempting anything critical. The flow characteristics are considerably different than with other solders. The syringe label indicates that the solder has a melting temperature of 400F with a tensile strength of 22,000 PSI.

Silver-Bearing Solder. The silver-bearing solder performed well in all cases that I tried, including copper and brass joints. It is also specified to work on other metals, too, including bronze, nickel, platinum, chrome, monel, stainless steel, galvanized metal, gold, silver, coated steel, cast iron, black steel and steel. The sales literature says that this solder is very conductive with a 2% silver content, and a joint that is 5 to 10 times as strong as conventional solder. Neither tensile strength nor conductivity are specified, however. The syringe label indicates that this solder has a melting temperature of 430F.

The sales literature also touts this solder as being particularly useful for soldering PL-259 connectors. I tried using the paste to solder PL-259s, but found that conventional wire-type rosin-core solder is easier to use because it allows more control over the amount of solder added to the joint.

The literature indicated that conventional 60/40 solder has a melting point of 610°F, which is inconsistent with other references that peg it at 361 °F-somewhat lower than the Solder-It silver paste . A telephone call to Richard Bell, who developed the Solder-lt syringe concept, revealed that the literature was in error. Richard explained, however, that although they have a higher melting temperature, the tiny solder particles in the Solder-It silver paste melt sooner than wire solder because of their small size. My personal feeling is that even if the smaller solder particles melt sooner, a good joint still requires the PL-259 connector body, or any work piece, to be hotter than the solder' s melting point. A higher melting temperature therefore still translates into higher connector body temperatures during the soldering process.

I decided to ask several HQ staffers with varying levels of soldering experience to try soldering PL-259s with Solder-It paste and conventional solder. They all found it easier to work with conventional solder. (Of course years of conventional soldering experience is no match for the few minutes spent with the Solder-It product. With practice, you may prefer paste to wire solder for soldering PL-259s.)

Plumber's Solder. The old favorite of plumbers, 50% tin and 50% lead, has been banned for several years because of concern over the health hazards of lead contamination in our water. The most common replacement plumber's solder is 95% tin and 5% antimony. Although 95/5 is considered far less hazardous than 50/50, there are still heath concerns about the antimony. The Solder-It product boasts no lead, cadmium or antimony. The tube's label, however specifies that it contains copper.

This solder has a melting temperature of 430F and can be used on copper, brass, stainless steel, nickel and bronze. The label also states that the finished joint is a bright silver that will not tarnish or blacken. Its tensile strength is not specified, but the label indicates that it is five times as strong as ordinary solder.

I used a sample piece of 1/2-inch type L copper tubing and a 90 degree elbow for my test solderjoint. I cleaned both mating surfaces to a bright metallic shine with steel wool before applying the solder paste. Using the pencil torch, I heated the assembled joint. The result was a perfect solder job the first time, but the following should be noted:

1) The pencil torch works fine, but it's not a replacement for an acetylene or propane torch if you have a lot of plumbing to do. Although I used the hottest portion of the flame, the tip of the inner blue cone, it took a while to sufficiently heat the joint.

2) Once the joint is assembled, it is more difficult to add solder and control the amount of solder in the finished joint with the paste than with wire solder. The paste sometimes runs off if the work is already hot, and the plastic syringe tip can melt if it touches the metal. The amount of solder in my initial test joint was minimal but adequate.

Conclusion

As a radio amateur, hobbyist and homeowner, this kit impressed me. It offers the ability to solder an unbelievably wide range of metals. As an antenna experimenter, I also like soldering capabilities in the field, and on the rooftop and tower without the need for a long extension cord or recharging batteries.

You can expect a learning curve with each of the solders in the kit. The torch seems to be of good construction, and the pastes eliminated the need for a flux can and brush. Each of the solders performedas well, or better, than I expected. In terms of dollars and cents, I can think of several repairs to antennas and car parts that would have more than paid fot a Solder-lt Kit. It can be extremely handy to have in anyone ' s toolbox or workshop.

Manufacturer: Solder-It, Box 20100, Cleveland, OH 44120; tel 216-791-4600. Manufacturer's suggested retail price: Solder-It soldering kit, $59. Additional torch (standard or light duty), $39; replacement solder-paste syringes, $6; optional tip attachments, $5 to $14.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The Solder-It Kit offers the ability to solder an unbelievable wide range of metals. For the antenna experimenter, it makes a compact package good for extended use in the field and on the rooftop.

QST/April 1994

 
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