Kinds of Solder Used.
In soldering any metal the solder should be so proportioned that it will melt many degrees lower in temperature than the metal to be soldered. Otherwise it would be quite probable that holes would be burned in the work before the solder would melt. There are exceptions to this rule, however; for example, lead burning, where one piece of lead is fused to another. As also with Britannia metal, it can be, and is, soldered with its own material, but it would be likely to have holes burned in it occasionally, and to avoid this a solder mixed for that purpose should be prepared. Two receipts are given here for quick melting solders that are suitable for this work. The first is preferred, but the second will answer the purpose.
Solder No. 1: Procure 4 ounces of pure lead, 4 ounces of pure tin, and 2 ounces of bismuth. The lead should be melted first and thoroughly stirred and cleaned. It should then be allowed to cool to the melting temperature of the tin, which should then be added. Lastly add the bismuth. The whole should then be stirred and poured into a suitable mold into very thin strips, about the size of a No. 8 wire, making strips of solder that can be rolled up and carried in the pocket.
Solder No. 2: This solder is composed of two parts of tin and one part of lead. These should be mixed as described above. To have success in making solders several points must be observed. The metal melting at the highest temperature should be melted first, which must then be allowed to drop to the melting temperature of the next metal to be added, and when ready to pour into molds the mixture must be stirred, as the specific gravity of the several metals differs considerably, and unless constant stirring is resorted to the mixture will partially separate upon cooling, and the result is an irregular solder that will not do the work.