Smaller Solder Bits - best explanation I've ever seen!

This is a repost from Joe and Anat Silvera's newsletter.  I've Joe's first book and will be looking forward to this one.  If half the tips are as good as this it will be a definite winner for any library.

TIP: How to Split Solder   Here's a quick tip excerpted from Joe's upcoming second book on soldering, Soldering Beyond the Basics: Techniques to Build Confidence and Control, which is due for release in June 2014. You can pre-order the book at SilveraJewelry.com.    Splitting Solder   A little bit of solder can flow a long way. I've witnessed 1mm chips flowing up to 12 mm (1/2") or more along a seam, if the join is good enough. But even a tiny 1mm chip can leave extra solder to clean up. It's hard to cut them any smaller, but they can be split with a pick while they're molten!    Here's how to do it: Cut, and flux a 1mm chip of medium solder on your solder board. Balance the fine tip of your pick on top, with just a little pressure.  [ A ] Heat the the solder and tip of the pick,and when the solder become molten, press the pick down, separating it into two pieces.  [ B ] Remove the heat, but hold the pick in place so that they don't slip back together. You can also use this technique on the solder even if it's already been previously heated into a ball.

 

 

And here is the post where you can order the new Silvera book where so many fantastic tips are going to be published.  Honestly, you can never have too much information or new tips.

 

Enjoy!!!