This is typical practice in many tinsmithing tasks, which is why a soldering iron is regarded as one of the most important tinsmithing instruments. A soldering iron is the equipment used to melt the solder that will be used to fuse the two metals. This device is 40% more powerful than the two types it replaces, making it ideal for soldering. The tinman uses his soldering iron to join metal strips or sheets together to make containers such as soup cans or jars. He also uses it to attach objects such as nameplates and handles to these containers. The most common use of a soldering iron in tinsmithing is to fuse metal strips onto can ends or onto sheet metal upholstery fabric to make body panels. These body panels are then attached to the can bodies to finish them off. The term "soldering" comes from Latin word "sodalicium", which means "solder". In fact, the first solderers were actually tin miners who needed a way to connect seams of metal ore together to form long strips they could work with. By heating the seam and adding molten tin to each side, they created a joint that held strong while they worked. In tinsmithing, a soldering iron has two main purposes. First, it melts the solder that will bind the two metals being joined together. Second, it heats the metal above its melting point so that it can be worked on without burning your hand.