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Member postings for Dunstan Eloi

Here is a list of all the postings Dunstan Eloi has made in our forums. Click on a thread name to jump to the thread.

Thread: Fluxes
10/12/2009 15:02:15
Hello Okert Schoeman. Your advice is just what I am after. When I start to build my boiler I shall be using large nozzle propane torches, with the work shrouded in ceramic heat resistant wool, board or chips, to bring the parts to be soldered up to temperature as quickly as possible. I may also have the use of oxy-acetylene to facilitate more localised final temperature elevation. I will look into the J.M .notes that you mentioned,  Dunstan
10/12/2009 10:33:08
Thanks for all your replies. What still puzzles me is that my Dad used to do silver smithing to a professional standard. Many of his joints were critical as to location of parts, and the use of minimum solder for assay purposes. I watched him many times and the borax / solder combination always worked perfectly ; firsly the moisture was driven off, then  a dull red appeared in the metal and the borax visibly melted and by the time the solder fusion temperature was reached the flux was like glass and the solder ran perfectly, no bubbling or smoking from overheating or any other adverse effects So is there a metalugical difference between soldering silver & copper that now make borax unsuitable for our modern copper boilers? Perhaps There is a technical expert out there who can enlighten us,. Could Johnson Matthey be persuaded to write an authoritatve article for ME with specific refence to our boiler making activities ?  (ED?) .       Dunstan
08/12/2009 14:07:22
Hi SC. Don't know if garden shops sell borax.  It does need to be anhydrous to avoid cooling as water of crystallization is driven off slowing the procedure down. Thanks, wil look into it.
Hi Ian. We used  town gas with a pumped air blow torch, the same as silversmiths once used.  Thanks.
Thread: Why do I do it?!
08/12/2009 11:27:48
Hi Tony. Try boring out two cylinders to finished size onlt ot find they are too off centre to correct!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Mike
Thread: Fluxes
08/12/2009 11:23:56
When I were a lad, my Dad taught me to silver solder using borax ground from a cone with water, and we used this to successfully build a boiler for my steam tug to power a Stuart 10V engine. 
    I am now told by those who sell solders and  fluxes that borax is not suitable and I must use the 'new' fluxes that they sell. None of them can, or will, give me a clear technical explanation as to why I must use the modern stuff rather than borax. Vague wafflings about borax breakng down before the solder fusing temperature is reached do NOT match my experience so there must be some proper scientific reason that can be explained in simple terms, for the superiority/necessity to use what is now specified.
    Can anyone help me out?  Dunstan Eloi.
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