Author Topic: hard/silver solder advice needed  (Read 1187 times)

Offline kev

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hard/silver solder advice needed
« on: October 21, 2018, 06:41:39 PM »
I dont do a lot of hard/silver soldering and what I do is normally on thin boiler brass but I need to solder these chunky eccentric straps, I will clean up and machine a matching flat on the strap so will need to solder a 1/2 inch long job that is 1/4 inch thick.

If I simply coat in flux between them and lay solder along the joint will I get the full 1/4 inch penetration or should I "V" the top and feed extra solder in once the solder laid in the groove melts?


Offline Jasonb

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Re: hard/silver solder advice needed
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2018, 06:43:51 PM »
The solder should wick in no problem

Offline kev

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Re: hard/silver solder advice needed
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2018, 06:47:28 PM »
thanks, thats what I thought and hoped to hear but I did not want to risk the parts, may well do a trial part first but is seems to flash through very easy

Offline crueby

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Re: hard/silver solder advice needed
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2018, 06:54:32 PM »
There needs to be just enough space between the parts for the solder to wick in - too tight a press fit and it wont go all the way through. For parts laid on top of each other, one trick is to make a couple small prick-punch marks on one surface to hold them apart just a tad. When the solder goes liquid and flows, you should be able to see it on the far side, if not adding a little more solder is fine (too much and it will blob). Best be is to heat it on the side away from where the solder is, that way the metal melts the solder, not the flame, and it flows the best. If the parts are different thicknesses, heat more on the thicker one, so they both get up to temperature evenly. Part science, part technique, part art, lots of practise, very useful skill!


Offline Florian Eberhard

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Re: hard/silver solder advice needed
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2018, 07:36:34 PM »
Hi Kev

For parts like these it is useful to mechanically connect them so they are already in in the right position relative to each other. (for example pins, screws, rivets)
Otherwise it can happen that they are connected at an angle (unintentionally).
But Pins can be tricky too! I once tried to connect two pieces by a pin. And when the water of the flux started to evaporate, I had created a small piston which was pushed out of its cylinder by the steam  :Lol: :facepalm:

Cheers Florian

 

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