Silver soldering?

[bikerdude666]

Anyone here give me some advice on technique and links to what solder is good? I've been given a kit to build a static steam engine, but it'll require me to do some silver soldering which I've never done before. I was going to get some scraps to practice on before trying to solder the kit together.

Thanks.

[stevestrat]

For model making type soldering don't use the electrical solder which has flux in it. Go to a decent model supply shop, one that stocks soldering supplies and get separate solder and flux. Practising on scrap stuff first is essential. there are books on metal model making as well. Have a read at this.

[Les4048]

Originally Posted by stevestrat

For model making type soldering don't use the electrical solder which has flux in it. Go to a decent model supply shop, one that stocks soldering supplies and get separate solder and flux. Practising on scrap stuff first is essential. there are books on metal model making as well. Have a read at this.

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of knowledge shared on here. I’m never going to do any soldering but the site looks very interesting

[p2roverman]

Surely silver soldering is a completely different animal to 'ordinary' soldering done with a soldering iron. I'm sure the temperatures are much higher requiring a flame (blow-lamp in the old days).


I'm going to have to get into this myself soon as have to solder up a mesh grill for an older Rover before it goes for plating, where ordinary solder is not normally strong enough and also risks melting if the temprature gets too high during the polishing.


I'm guessing there will be plenty of advice and videos on the web, has bikerdude looked there yet?

[stevestrat]

Originally Posted by p2roverman

Surely silver soldering is a completely different animal to 'ordinary' soldering done with a soldering iron. I'm sure the temperatures are much higher requiring a flame (blow-lamp in the old days).

Hell no! Some kits are all white metal, at the very least detail parts are white metal. Use that kind of heat the white metal (basically a soft alloy) would end up in a puddle!

[p2roverman]

Bikerdude is building a 'static steam engine' which I take to mean a working stationary steam engine, probably gas fired. The boiler for which has to be silver soldered to stand the temperature and pressure.

White metal is commonly used for small scale model railway steam engine kits (electric powered of course) and it does melt at low temperatures, less than boiling water. Special low temperature solder is available for assembling these.