Member postings for shaun meakin 1

Having just returned from the MEX we thought once again it was very well organised. We at CuP Alloys really enjoy all the exhibitions we attend. For us it's not always just about selling on the day, we feel we are seen and then orders will come in the future. Talking to the visitors has helped shape our product range. You wanted a thin wire - we now stock 0,.5mm dia, etc. We probably advise almost as many people as those who buy on the day, all part of the service and hopefully a reason to visit the shows. The lectures held at MEX and (formerly) Bristol are a great innovation shown by the attendance at them. All traders need to keep thinking of new and different ways to attract business. As many of you know CuP Alloys also go to Model Engineering clubs with their talk offering advice and discounted products. We are currently looking at new ways to expand this service, possibly with Skype. We could also use Skype to show some demonstrations, eg what does a type of burner look like when lit? Just an acorn of an idea currently but please watch this space! On the subject of pricing, we always discount our prices at the shows, this coupled with the removal of shipping costs represents great value. A little tongue in cheek I know, but we often say if you buy a brazing hearth from us you have just about paid for your entrance!!

CuP Alloys are delighted to announce they will be launching the new book by Keith Hale at the 2017 Midlands Exhibition. The book, entitled 'A Guide to Brazing and Soldering - Everything you wanted to know about Silver Soldering but were afraid to ask' is a modern guide to the principles of the Brazing and Soldering processes. A 'must have' for every Model Engineer.

Here we see Keith in action at one of our latest talks to a full clubhouse.

Just a quick post to say 'well done' to all involved with the Manchester Exhibition. Nothing was too much trouble for the stewards and staff. They were all very helpful throughout to both traders and exhibitors. Yes Saturday morning was a bit chaotic with the amount of people there but they organisers reacted immediately and opened the doors to the exhibition early to aid the flow of visitors. We at CuP Alloys look forward to next year's event.

Fair play Neil, however Mark's, cones are a bit bigger. I perhaps should have made that clearer. As I'm sure you know most flames are roughly at the same temperature it's the amount of gas burnt that gives the heat. For anyone interested Keith is writing a series of articles starting in the August edition of Engineering in Miniature on 'Heating for the Model Engineer'. (Can I mention that on here???)

Hi Mark. As usual sound advice here. For info if you find your blowtorch too big we have just launched the new Hanydyjet torch which is the 'baby' of our torch kits. **LINK**Sorry Neil but i don't think the cook's torch will generate enough heat here for silver solder. Always try to heat the larger component first, letting the smaller piece get it's heat from the larger, playing the flame around so as to bring the whole piece up to temperature at the same time. As stated, ensure you are using the correct silver solder. For small pieces such as this use the lowest melting alloy containing 55% silver (our 455) unless of course you still have some of the cadmium bearing alloy left. As well as the paste mentioned by Mick 455 is available in fine wire 0.5mm dia which again will help you here. I hope that helps Mark.
Shaun.

John, we sell 100gr packets of cleaning salts which make approx 1 gallon. Therefore (with my shoes and socks off) I calculate 50gr to make up about 4 pints!!!

Also thanks for the kind words.

Shaun.

John, many thanks for the info. In truth the same apples, as the silver copper phos range of alloys will also join brass but with flux. However, again the joint will suffer rapid corrosion in a hot sulphur atmosphere so they should not be used in a coal fired boiler.

Brian, you can get a 45% cadmium free alloy in the UK (our 445) but I don't think you will be able to source cadmium bearing alloys in the UK. This is because the demand now is so low (ie only to countries outside the EU) that it is not stocked, not to mention that the EU manufacturers cannot by law supply UK customers with these alloys, regardless of where they are ultimately sold on to.

Shaun.

HI Brian. As usual Jason gives very good advice. The range of alloys held by your hardware shop are the silver copper phosphorous alloys designed for the fluxless brazing of copper to copper in industries such as refrigeration or air conditioning. However, before you get excited by the fact that you are wanting to join copper to copper, these alloys suffer rapid corrosion in hot sulphur-containing atmospheres, eg a coal fired boiler! They should not be used by Model Engineers for their boilers.if coal fired. The Ag155 alloy with 55% silver (or as we call it 455) is the lowest melting point alloy commercially available in the EU. If you are in Australia you should still be able to buy the cadmium bearing alloys of which the 42% silver alloy has a slightly lower melting point still. As posted earlier on this thread, if you require any further advice or assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.

[email protected]

Edited By shaun meakin 1 on 08/05/2014 09:27:16

hi Jo. Unfortunately as Neil says colour is really no indication of silver content. If you can sort the various rods into their various colours what Neil suggests is an excellent test to show the differing melting points. However, there is no substitute to buying silver solder properly labelled and certified. Using the wrong material can prove costly. For further advice and tips please visit www.cupalloys.co.uk

HI Dave,

just a more modern design of handle and hose. The handle and hose are now '1 piece'.

Otherwise everything as before.

Shaun.

*STOP PRESS*  

We now have the latest version of the torch kit, the TURBOTORCH 1000.

See the link in my post above.

Edited By shaun meakin 1 on 06/02/2014 10:40:42

Hi Russell. The kit looks very similar to the one CuP Alloys sell, the TURBOTORCH 90 and can be seen here **LINK**

This is a very popular kit in the UK for soldering and brazing of small components. The replacement cylinders are readily available.

Alternatively we sell the 'big brother', the  OXY/ULTRAMAPP kit, which by changing the gas regulator can be adapted to oxy/propane. The kit is further down the page on the link above. This kit was demonstrated at the Midlands Exhibition last year by Helen Verrall-Stait of Western Steam brazing a small marine type boiler.

I hope this is of interest.

Shaun.

Edited By shaun meakin 1 on 06/02/2014 09:15:10

Was sent this video by a friend and I though I'd share it.

Amazing!!

http://www.wimp.com/tiniestengine/

Hi Dougie,

our advice for silver soldering CI because silver solder will not flow over the graphite on the surface of the iron. remove it by heating the iron to a red heat (no flux) with the oxidizing part of the flame. That is the area outside the blue zone. Allow to cool and brush with a stiff wire brush. Apply HT5 flux and treat normally.

But as is said I don't know if this will help you with the cracks.

shaun.

Hi Steve, Once again good advice. JasonB refers you to our website, where, as he says, you can find lots of info re joint design, alloy selection etc. if you decide to go down the silver solder route.

All the best, Shaun.

HI Mark, some really good advice here. The guys are right, your problems seem to be twofold, using the wrong flux and not enough heat. Tenacity5 (or as I prefer HT5!!) is fine for the high temperature alloys and indeed will work with the low temperature but as the residues are quite corrosive please ensure you clean as much off after brazing. Do not use wet and dry as this can leave residues that the flux cannot remove. The joint area doesn't have to be really, really bright and clean, as long as there is no oil or grease the flux will sort out the rest. Ensure you have plenty of flux all around the joint area. if you are mixing a paste as it seems it should have the consistency of a thick yogurt. The 3941 burner isn't producing enough heat especially for the sf24 (or, again as I prefer 424 - sorry guys for the plugs!!). Try a 2941. The rest is as per the excellent advice given above, particularly from Gary but also the links to CuP Alloys' hints and tips as posted by keith. Especially, as we always say, 'heat the joint, not the rod'!

See your messages Roger.

Thanks for the kind words JasonB.