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Web Extra: Soldering and Making Wire Hooks

From "Freeform Furniture"
episode DFFF-212

Host Amy Devers shares information on the proper way to solder and how to make hooks out of nickel wire in this Web-extra Freeform Furniture segment.

Host Amy Devers demonstrates the keys to soldering.

Soldering

The framework/armature is made out of 10-gauge nickel wire. It is roughly 1/16" in diameter—a little bit larger than the size of a coat hanger wire. Thin wires are sold in coils and that makes them difficult to work with. So, using wire cutters, trim the nickel filament to amore manageable length, then clamp one side down to the table.
Insert the free end into a cordless power drill in the same place where you would normally put the drill bit, tighten the chuck, stretch out the wire, and turn on the drill.
Take the straight wire and cut it to size.
Before beginning to solder, mark some guidelines on the wire so you know how the pieces should fit together before soldering the armature. Soldering involves making a sound mechanical joint between metals by joining them with a soft solder. A soft solder is a low temperature melting point alloy of lead and tin. Oxygen and acetylene are combined in a soldering torch to form a small flame. The flame is so small that you don't even need safety protection. The flame heats up the two pieces of metal to be soldered together. When soldering, it is important that both parts of the joint are at the same temperature. The same temperature will allow the solder to flow evenly and also make a good mechanical joint.
When soldering, it is always a good idea to bounce the flame off of soldering blocks to protect the work area from the flame. Soldering blocks can be made from many materials. The porous soldering block used on Freeform Furniture is made out of a mineral called magnesia, which is an economical choice for this project. Put the wire to be soldered in position on the soldering block and use thumbtacks to pin secure it into place.
Line up the joints and then paint that area with flux. Flux is made from glass. It is used to protect the joint from any impurities from the dirty flame that could weaken the joint and it is also used to help the solder flow. It protects the metal from oxidizing while it is heating up. The flux comes in a paste and you can just brush it on. Once the flux is on, clip off a small piece of solder and place it on the joint with tweezers, then heat up the area with the soldering torch. Continue to heat the joint until the solder gets so hot that it starts to melt and it flows into the joint, fusing the two pieces together.
The solder will melt immediately and flow around all the parts that are at, or over, the melting part temperature. Make sure that no parts of the joint move after soldering until the solder is completely hard. This can take quite a few seconds with large joints. If the joint is disturbed during this cooling period it may become seriously weakened.
It is important to use the right amount of solder on the joint. Too little solder will result in a weak joint. If there is too much solder, the joint will be sloppy.
The finished and cooled solder on a properly made joint should have a smooth shiny appearance. In a properly made joint, the solder will bond the components very strongly since the solder actually forms a molecular bond with the surfaces of the joint.
When you are soldering the metal, you are actually annealing it or softening it. Any weight will cause it to slump if you don't hammer it back into stiffness. So when it is cool, you can do something to it called work hardening. To work harden, use a ball peen hammer and firmly tap the solder joints.
The discoloration from the soldering can be cleaned up with a file and some synthetic steel wool. Use the metal file to gently file away the discoloration from the solder joints. The steel wood polishes the surface.

Amy Devers shows you how to make hooks.

Making Hooks

There are many uses for nickel wire that range from jewelry making and crafts, to electrical work. Nickel wire is drawn of cylindrical form and is easy to work with. In this project a pair of basic pliers were used to bend the hooks for the chandelier. Pliers can be used to make simple bends with nickel wire, or for more complicated designs, you can try using a blow torch for assistance.
Nickel wire is both strong and sturdy and can be used for both function or decoration. It is generally inexpensive and can be purchased at any hardware store and many craft stores.

RESOURCES :

Festool
Website: www.festoolusa.com

Stanley Tools Product Group
Website: www.stanleytools.com

Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, Inc.
Website: www.lie-nielsen.com

WMH Tool Group
Website: www.wmhtoolgroup.com

Adhesives, Abrasives and Safety Equipment
3M
The 3M Company
Website: www.3m.com

Power Tools
Porter Cable Power Tools
Website: www.deltaportercable.com

Gladiator GarageWorks
Website: gladiatorgarageworks.com

Hand Tools
Garrett Wade Co., Inc.
Website: www.garrettwade.com

The Peck Tool Company
Website: www.pecktool.com

Biesemeyer
Website: www.biesemeyer.com

Saw Blades
Forrest Manufacturing Company
Website: www.vacupress.com