Outdoor Silver Soldering

If silver soldering outdoors, because the Sievert 2943 (43kw) burner is too big to safely use in the garage what is the best way of keeping the wind off? A few seconds of breeze can take away a lot of heat. The options I can think of are either wait for a really calm day, get something like a metal rabbit hutch without a front or a small metal shed and stand just outside the door. What do others find effective ?

You could try welding blankets strategically set up as windbreaks.

In high winds I'd postpone to another day.

I wait for a fairly calm day, say less than 10mph. I tried silver soldering in an empty greenhouse to shelter from the wind, but it wasn't successful.

Andrew

I also am worried about large propane or acetylene burners inside. I keep them outdoors in a vented shed away from the house.

I wait for a quiet day, put the blocks and so forth up in our backyard, and go for it! In the winter, if you drop a warm/hot part, you'll not find it until spring. This was taken a few years ago, but snow is here about 1/3 of the year.  (Today the yard still has snow, a bit anyway)

Edited By John Alexander Stewart on 06/04/2022 01:42:18

Hi Phil,

I do as Bill and Andrew, I use a ceramic blanket as a windbreak and do it on the leward side of the house.

Thor

Like Andrew, Bill and Thor I silver solder outside because the garage and ajoining workshop contain too many inflamables. I save the jobs up for a dry windless day and study the seven day weather forecast closely (it is pretty accurate).

I think propane cylinders should be stored outside.

JA

I was given a big old battery charger which had a burnt out transformer. I removed all the internals, bought some insulating blocks (can't remember the correct name) from the local builder merchants and cut them to a snug fit inside of the sheet steel cabinet. The box sits on my work bench and I silver solder outside when its not windy. I notice how things get rusty after silver soldering inside the workshop, so outside only. John

Hi Phil,

If the problem is as you say"the burner is too big" why not use a smaller and more controllable flame?

Do you need 43kw?

Turn the regulator down from 4 bar to 2 bar the to reduce the gas consumption and heat output down to 23kw.

Alternatively buy a smaller burner eg 2941. That will give you 7kw at 2 bar rising to 14 kw at 4 bar.

Either way you will achieve more controlled heating and that means better quality of joint. You will find that you are also more comfortable. Remember that you are brazing and that requires controlled heating for the best results. It is not all about blasting heat at something. Leave that approach to the folks painting lines on the road!

Keith

Hi, propane cylinders should be stored outside and at least 3M from other fuels and oxygen, they should also be restrained from falling, knocked or pulled over and your insurance may not cover you from an incident resulting in a propane cylinder causing explosions or fire from such events, even when empty, the fireball from propane will expand five times the volume of the gas. All gas cylinders should also be no closer than 1M of your boundary. With any type of welding, brazing or silver/soft soldering, which is done inside, adequate fume extraction should be used as well as a safe area to do it, but of course a safe area outside where other things can't be set alight should also be used.

Regards Nick.

You can buy the bricks shown in JAS's post quite cheaply in bulk on Ebay so you can build a hearth with higher sides and sometimes with a bit of a roof if you need to using metal brackets and 1 inch screws from the big box DIY stores.

Don't forget big burners need the bigger bottle (13kg minimum) to feed gas at the full rate.

I think most of us are bright enough to pick a safe area inside to braze, but please remember to look up as well as turning a light fitting or the garage door opener into a misshapen blob is both annoying and sometimes expensive.

Many thanks to Bill Phinn and Thor for the suggestion of a fire resistant blanket to keep the wind off. Found one with plenty of eyelets so will be easy to hang up as a three sided enclosure.

Hi

Fire blanket is a good idea. I bought a cheap BBQ as a base plus firebricks from old school kiln.

It really helps to do it outside at NIGHT ……… cos you can see the colour of the metal

There are two major problems likely to arise:

1. The slightest breeze will remove heat very effectively (as discussed above)

2. In sunshine, it is more difficult to judge temperatures. This makes it likely that metals such as brass, bronze, silver, copper, nickel etc will be much nearer their melting point before a noticeable glow appears. And sometimes, above the softening point ...
In addition, the sunlight will conceal any glow at lower temperatures, leading to injury when cool-looking parts are picked up.

regards, Tim