Steady as She Goes, How to have smooth solder lines

All stained glass enthusiasts strive for that perfect solder line. It really isn't as illusive as you might think. Even someone with a far from steady hand can be proud of their work.
Here are four helpful hints to a line of solder that is smooth as silk. Some of my students think it flows like mercury. Not that any of us have every played with mercury as kids. Heaven forbid.

1. Take your time. Many students are in a hurry so the solder doesn’t have time to melt. Holding the soldering iron like a pencil is acceptable in this application. If I see you holding a glass cutter like a pencil, beware my wrath. Don't worry, I'm not scary. Slowing down the soldering  gives you more control and puts you in the zone. There may be music and talking around you but you will be enjoying the Zen of the process. Slow and steady wins the race.

2. Bridge across the line with your solder. You may be tempted to run the solder along your line but give yourself some experience time before pushing your limits. Touch the solder, iron and glass at the same time. Dropping the solder onto the glass will not a smooth line make. Pretend you are stitching the line instead of drawing it.  Remember you are melting  not painting . This is easier to show than tell so please refer to the video.  If you have bumps or gaps, touch and pull up to remelt the solder into the gentle mound.

3. If you are using a rheostat, turn the heat down if you are having trouble which may help your solder line flow more smoothly. This is especially helpful when you are doing small pieces like charms or 3D work. You can also cool your iron by wiping the tip off on the water soaked sponge on your stand.

4. Don’t forget your flux! If your line is extra bumpy and not co-operating one bit, make sure you have brushed your copper foil with the flux. Be careful though, you don’t want to over do the flux because it may cause popping. The popping can also be caused by air bubbles caught between the copper foil and the solder.  Be sure to clean the soldering tip on your sponge to keep it clean of ash.

I hope these tips will help you enjoy your time soldering. It might even become your favorite part.
For a visual example refer to our video link below.
                         https://youtu.be/aQAcSzAsT2s