How to Solder Steel Wire

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Things You'll Need

  • Ceramic tile

  • Fire bricks

  • Soldering clamps

  • Pencil torch

  • Copper tongs

  • Steel wire

  • Steel wool

  • Sandpaper

  • Flux

  • Paintbrush

  • Silver solder

  • Wire clippers

  • Tweezers

Solder steel wire the same way you solder silver wire.

Soldering is a metalworking process that involves joining metal together by bonding it with solder, which melts when heated and hardens quickly. This process is usually learned early in one's metalworking education, as it is necessary for many projects. Although steel is usually welded or brazed together, you can also solder it. Soldering steel wire is not unlike soldering other wire types like silver or copper. To solder steel wire together, follow the soldering process for silver wire.

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Step 1

Put together your soldering area. Lay a large ceramic tile on a flat work surface, and place a few fire bricks on top of it. Arrange soldering clamps over this fireproof surface, and place your torch and tongs nearby.

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Step 2

Clean the steel wire completely. Rub steel wool over the surface to remove any debris, and sand the wire to make the surface smooth.

Step 3

Bend the wire into the desired shape. Paint a tiny amount of flux onto the parts of the wire you want to solder together.

Step 4

Affix the wire to the soldering clamps, making sure that the clamps hold the flux parts of the wire together completely.

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Step 5

Cut a tiny piece of silver solder with the wire clippers, and place it onto the flux edges of the wire with the tweezers.

Step 6

Heat up the pencil torch to a low flame, and hold it over the flux parts of the wire. Keep the torch moving over the metal until the solder melts and runs between the steel wire pieces. Remove the flame.

Step 7

Let the wire cool before handling. Sand off any excess solder.

Tip

If necessary, you can add more solder after step 7. Simply apply flux again, and repeat the process.

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