Historically soldering tips were copper, placed in braziers. One tip was used; when the heat had transferred from the tip to the solder (and depleted the heat reserve) it was placed back in the brazier of charcoal and the next tip was used.
Currently, electric soldering irons are used; they consist of coil or ceramic heating elements, which retain heat differently, and warm up the mass differently, internal or external rheostats, and different power ratings - which change how long a bead can be run.
Common solders for stained glass are mixtures of tin and lead, respectively:
- 63/37: melts between 355°-365°F
- 60/40: melts between 361°-376°F
- 50/50: melts between 368°-421°F
- lead-free solder (useful in jewellery, eating containers, rohs compliance and other environmental uses): melts around 490°F
