Rio Grande Rio User manual

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Rio Soldering Machine Instructions
Suggested Uses for the Rio Soldering Machine
Soldering jobs that would be difficult or impossible to perform with
flame soldering are easily and safely accomplished with the Rio soldering
machine. For example, eyeglass frames with xylo pads can be soldered
near the pad and quenched before the heat has traveled far enough to
cause damage. Fine chains can be held in a pair of insulated tweezers
with the contact clip attached to the tweezer. Sizing rings to a larger size
can be done by using a length of ring-sizing material much longer than
required and soldering on one side first, then shaping the material to
size and soldering on the other side.
An emery cloth attached to the top of the bench is useful for removing
flux from the piece and for cleaning the carbons.
If crystallized flux breaks the contact while soldering, move the work to another spot on the carbon or scrape the flux from the
piece when it makes contact. Please Note: Do not increase the heat if the contact is broken, as this may damage your piece.
Safety Precautions
• Always wear proper eye protection.
• Never wear loose clothing or long
chains/necklaces, and keep long hair
pulled back.
• Exercise caution when placing hands
and fingers near hot areas.
• Unplug the unit when not in use.
Tip—When first using this machine, it is a good idea to practice with old parts
to get familiar with the machine and its operation before working on new parts.
The Rio Soldering machine produces intense, localized heat
transfer using an electrical energy source. It’s a great choice
for soldering jobs where a torch flame is difficult to use
without damaging fine or filigree pieces.
The machine is designed to operate on 115 volts, 60 cycle
AC current. A 15-amp circuit is adequate providing the line
is not overloaded with other equipment. After connecting
the machine to a properly grounded wall outlet, step on
the actuating foot control. A buzzing sound will indicate
the machine is receiving current.
The Rio Soldering machine is shockproof. The voltage at
the highest heat is very low, so if your hands touch the
contacts, you will not receive a shock. The temperature,
however, does get quite high; touching the carbon
electrodes while soldering at high heat can result in a burn,
so please use caution.
The heat for soldering is produced electrically, without
flame, by touching the carbon electrode to your workpiece.
The current passing through the electrode will heat the
area in milliseconds.
Remove all packing materials prior to setup.
800.545.6566 www.riogrande.com

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Accessories
The carbon holder stand is for the large round carbons and
is plugged into the end of the cord coming from the left of
the machine. The large carbon holder can be adjusted to use
carbons both horizontally and vertically, and is made low
enough so that both hands can rest on the bench to steady
them while soldering.
The pencil carbons also fit into the end of the cord coming
from the left of the machine, and are generally used in large
articles where it is difficult to bring the work to the carbons,
and for soft soldering of joints, catches, etc.
Two sizes of spring contact clips are supplied, plug one or
the other into the cord coming from the right side of the
machine. These are used to hold the article to be soldered.
Use the large clip when possible.
The pointed brass rod is used to make contact when the
spring clips cannot grasp the article. The rod is grasped with
the large clip and touched to the article to make contact.
The indicator knob controls the heat. The scale is in amps
and the higher the number, the higher the heat that it will
generate. The amount of heat required depends on the
material to be soldered, the solder being used and the size
of the article. Low heat is required for bismuth and lead/tin
solders. Medium heat is required for gold and silver soldering
applications. High heat is required for chrome metals. Larger
parts will require higher heat settings. These settings will
become more fine-tuned and familiar as the user develops
more skill with the machine.
The foot switch turns the machine on and off, although it is
advisable to unplug the unit when work is completed.
Soldering Procedures
1. Clean work by immersing in a pickling solution.
Improperly cleaned work will not permit the proper flow
of solder.
2. Arrange work so that the hands can be held steady. The
principle is to provide a complete electrical circuit, with
the carbon at the point where solder should flow.
3. Attach the contact clip to the article or larger piece of the
two to be joined, as near as possible to the joint. If clips
can not be used, use the pointed brass rod in the large
contact clip to make contact. Adjust the carbon so that
you can conveniently touch the joint to be soldered.
4. Place solder at the joint. Where two separate pieces are
to be joined, it is usually preferable to place the solder
between them or directly under the joint. In soldering
ring shanks, the solder can be pressed into the joint and
then soldered. Placing solder on top of the work usually
results in the solder balling up and rolling away. It may
sometimes be easier to tack the solder at low heat before
proceeding with the actual soldering job.
5. Apply flux to the solder as well as to the joint to be
soldered, but keep flux from the carbon as much as
possible. Remember, solder flows to flux.
6. The heat control should be set as closely as possible
to the correct setting. Remember that a small point of
contact will create intense heat; therefore, the control
should be set relatively low. The greater the area of
contact , the less concentrated the heat, and the control
should be set higher. After a little practice, you will
be able to determine the exact settings for different
applications.
7. Bring the joint to be soldered in contact with the carbon
and hold steady. Avoid using undue pressure or flat spots
or deforming may occur. Apply the heat by stepping on
the foot switch.
8. If the solder flows immediately, realease the foot switch
before removing the work from the carbon. If the solder
does not flow immediately (within 3 seconds), the heat
control may be set too low. Set control slightly higher
and try again. If the heat control was initially set too high,
the joint might burn. Although, it is possible for the quick
intense heat to oxidize the joint, thereby, destroying
the electrical contact. Examine the article carefully for
discoloration caused by oxidation. If discolored, start over
again. Cleaning the article and solder thoroughly.
General Information
Fluxes—Most metal oxidizes when heated, preventing
the flow of solder. Flux dissolves the oxides. It also
blocks the air from reaching the work, preventing
oxidation. Oxides formed by hard metals differ from
oxides fromed by soft metals. Fluxes are formulated to
work with specific metals; therefore, the types of flux
used will vary with most jobs. Flux must also withstand
the soldering temperature.
Solders—The selected solder must melt at a lower
temperature than the metal being joined, or the work
will melt. They must bond with the metals being joined,
generally, metals which can be alloyed with the work,
should be present in the solder. In jewelry work, it is
often important that the work is invisible, and the color
of the solder should match the work.
Cleanliness—It is essential that the solders and the
metals to be joined be clean before attempting to
solder. The area to be soldered should be clean and
bright. This can be achieved with a wire brush if
necessary. A soak in a pickling bath will make surfaces
chemically clean. Wiping with a damp rag from time to
time and cleaning with coarse emery cloth will keep the
electrical contact at it’s best.
800.545.6566 www.riogrande.com
Sharing your passion for making jewelry.
Products. Service. Know-how.
Rio Soldering Machine page 2