I have since got them soldered using silver solder off the rudder post.
A couple of questions. What is in the "pickle"? You say your flux is boric acid and methylated spirits. Is the boric acid just Borax?
Boric acid is powdered borax purchased at the drug store and mixed with methylated spirits Until it is suspension. When you put the piece in the mix and then light it, the spirit burns off leaving the piece covered in powdered Borax. This protects the piece from oxidation and is also a flux.
The pickle is sodium busulfate which makes up a weak acid that cleans metal surfaces. After you solder the burnt flux on the piece looks awful and needs to be cleaned. This is what i was advised to use. It is found in pool supply stores and is used to lower the PH of the pool water.
the pickle can also be used to clean the piece before soldering
The pickle is sodium busulfate which makes up a weak acid that cleans metal surfaces. After you solder the burnt flux on the piece looks awful and needs to be cleaned. This is what i was advised to use. It is found in pool supply stores and is used to lower the PH of the pool water.
the pickle can also be used to clean the piece before soldering
Thanks Kevin. I have some PH minus for my hot tub I'll try. It's sodium hydrogen sulphide, sounds similar but it may not work. Trying it now.
Just an update. I got some medium silver solder with a flow point of 1360f and this torch will work with it. That makes this torch even handier
It works great. Turns the copper nice and pink.
Hi Guys,
Great video Kevink.
Here in Australia you can by Silver solder flux already mixed in a small tub, this is what I use, plumbers use it as well. You can add water to thin it if it gets too thick.
www.automegastore.com.au
As for a pickle vinegar works quite well giving the item a scrub afterwards, or even dishwashing liquid and a stiff brush.
I usually use thinner/acetone to chemically clean before soldering.
Cheers,
Stephen.
Great video Kevink.
Here in Australia you can by Silver solder flux already mixed in a small tub, this is what I use, plumbers use it as well. You can add water to thin it if it gets too thick.
Silver Flux Paste 200g
Silver Flux Paste 200g is a fine paste with excellent suspension & easy to spread. General purpose low temperature silver brazing flux Perfect for jewellers when silver soldering 30 – 60% complex potassium fluoroborates Manufactured in Australia.
www.automegastore.com.au
As for a pickle vinegar works quite well giving the item a scrub afterwards, or even dishwashing liquid and a stiff brush.
I usually use thinner/acetone to chemically clean before soldering.
Cheers,
Stephen.
OK rule number one. Don't drink three cups of coffee and then try to silver solder small parts . Now I have to wait 2-3 hours for the buzz to wear off
. Now I have to wait 2-3 hours for the buzz to wear off
Something I've noticed. When I squeeze the little hypo full of silver solder paste it comes out like a little solid worm. When I've positioned the parts the little worm is stiff enough to push them apart. The little worm was very reluctant to release itself from the hypo. I found that if I position the parts and put on a little straight flux( water and borax), then heat it enough to dry the flux it would hold the parts in position a bit. Then, because the parts are hot the little worm liquifies and drops right on target. Then finally heat it to melt the solder.
My new jewelers oxy-acetylene torch arrived yesterday. It's a cheap little thing ($35can) but it works well. I did a couple of joints with my hard silver solder that my butane torch wouldn't melt and it was fine. I was concerned that the valves wouldn't be smooth but it's very easy to adjust. The only thing wrong is that the hoses are too short (6 feet) for my shop layout so I'm going to have to figure a way to get my tanks closer to my vise. Sometimes cheap crap works.
This solves the problem
My tanks are much bigger but I should be able to come up with something. Thanks.
I did some searching and discovered that my torch is a counterfeit.
It is a very good copy but for $35 it must be a copy. All the fittings worked on mine( unlike the video) so that wasn't a problem. I didn't know it was a knock-off when I bought it as it wasn't advertised as a Smith on Amazon. I thought it was just a cheap Chinese torch. It wasn't until I got it and saw that it said "Smith" on the back of the box that I got looking. I knew that Smith was a good brand and that they went for a lot more than $35. Anyway, we'll see how it lasts.
Just a heads up.
I did some searching and discovered that my torch is a counterfeit.
Just a heads up.
Hi Don,
I also bought a low cost Chinese copy for a similar amount and for the price it's not bad. Over here downunder the genuine one from a jeweler's supplier is around the $400 to $500 dollar mark way over my price range.
Cheers,
Stephen.
There are lots of different caddies on amazon at good prices. Having it on wheels make it so much more user friendly. The basic price of the Smith little torch runs from $140 - $180 depending on the time and retailer.
Your picture twigged a thought. I have an old hand truck in my crawl space that will work perfectly for this. It is too light and flimsy to carry any amount of weight, that's why it's stashed away in the crawl space.
Thanks
Thanks
These beautiful and highly expensive equipment must be doing a beautiful job on jewellery, structural parts, lathe tools and the like for sure. BUT if we want to hard solder only parts for our historic models, we don't need this. A small $20 solder torch from eBay will do the job and a set of hard-medium-soft solder paste is enough for years! (Just to make sure we are on the same wavelength 'soft' hard solder paste is not equal to the stuff what we are using for soft soldering, but everyone knows this for sure). At least this is what I am using and I am happy with the results.
János
János