Silver soldering

Hi ,

just about to venture into the dark world of soldering with a small 4 inch long 2.5 inch dia copper boiler.

questions have arisen and I would appreciate assistance.

1.i have loads of solder all from my fathers garage but I don't know what make temp melt point or any details other than it is silver solder,how do I identify it.

2. What flux do I use,easyflo? Some of the solder has flux on it,would I be better knocking it off in favour of the easyflo?

3. I have made end plates which are a push fit in the tube,do I need a gap and how much of a gap for the solder to run.

4.where can I get some decent materials for the hearth at reasonable cost?

5. Nearly done.......Pickling any tips?

Thanks to you all should you choose to help

Hi There

Go and buy some silver solder to a known standard. You are building a boiler. Any old crap will not do.

regards david

CuP alloys or Chronos do the lightweight bricks and sheets of insulation. Cup will also have soilder and suitable flux.

Like David I would use known materials for the boiler, keep the other stuff for the odd not critical fabrication.

Search here for pickle its been covered before

J

Edited By JasonB on 10/04/2012 20:51:14

Hi 007

If as you say you have loads of sliver solder.

Give it "test" I've just paid 24 squid for two sticks and they seem to look smaller all the

time.

Boiler seems to be a nice size to start on. if the caps are a push fit should be just about right

to big a gap and bye bye silver soilder.

Two lemons plus water nice and safe

Local building supplies for a couple of insulation bricks ask the guy for the ones you can cut with a wood saw

Where abouts are you in the world? I made a mild-steel hearth for silver soldering my 'William' boiler last year and it is getting in the way at present and will not be needed for about 12 months judging by present progress

I also made all the classic errors of a first-time boiler maker (not enough heat etc etc) and I have some sulphuric acid pickle brew so if you are within travelling distance of north Worcestershire contact me.

Tony

Hi, I did not think that silver solder came coated! Are you sure its not brazing rod?

I found some flux coated silver solder at a DIY store once. Bought a packet, it worked but it was high-temperatuire stuff.

Neil

Thanks guys

I intend to get it all out in the next week or so and do some tests. There must be 100 rods tucked away  in the 3 bundles total.

Mike

Edited By Deltic007 on 11/04/2012 21:50:31

Cup Alloys and others sell a range of different silver solder grades with differing melting temperatures. As the solder melts, the changes to it's composition raises the melting point. This may mean for a small boiler that only one grade need be used. I too am in a similar starting situation to 007 and wondered what grade I should choose - Cup Alloys were helpful but did not give me this answer.

Thanks

Dave

If you are only using 1 type of silver solder, then it does not really matter which you use.

I tend to use the one with the lowest melting point - 55% Silver (Cup 455) that melts around 630-660 as my general purpose silver solder, only using a higher melting point one when required.

Dave

(No connection to Cup Alloys - just a happy customer)

In a small boiler of the size 007 is discussing here, would 1mm dia silver solder be suitable for most locations? Also, what preference for flux?

Dave

I use either 1mm or 1.5mm for the bigger joints and a EF (Easy-Flo) Flux.

Dave

Unitor ships supply do a flux coated silver solder , the coating is coloured pink, as far as I can remember the melting range is 620 - 640 deg

I used a couple of firebricks from a local hardware shop.