Silver Brazing Fun

This forum is dedicated to the Live Steam Hobbyist Community.

Moderators: cbrew, Harold_V

timmy wheeler
Posts: 237
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 6:21 pm
Location: So. California

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by timmy wheeler »

Thanks guys!
illigitimi non carborundum
jcbrock
Posts: 511
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:50 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by jcbrock »

What kind of torch setup works best for the indirect heating method? Based on my experience, it seems it would almost require an oxy/acetylene. I can't see getting that much heat onto the part with my Sievert propane unless I heat for a very long time.
John Brock
User avatar
Greg_Lewis
Posts: 3014
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 2:44 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by Greg_Lewis »

John:
I use an o/a torch with a long feather on the flame. I let the work heat up slowly. Patience is the key; trying to rush the heating frequently leads to overheating and failure.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
daves1459
Posts: 279
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:58 pm
Location: Plainfield, Illinois

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by daves1459 »

I like the snifter design and have obtained a copy of the 2002 article. I plan to make four valves. I have a couple questions before I start. How is the little round piece kept from moving out of position when the water is boiling out of the flux and how is the silver solder wire fed into the joint with out pushing the little round piece out of position? These are common problems for me for years when silver soldering small parts and always have had to use some sort of positive position retention method.

Thanks, Dave
User avatar
Greg_Lewis
Posts: 3014
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 2:44 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Well, I can't remember how I held the bits in place, but Russ should!

I don't feed solder, I cut bits of it and set them at the joints. Use less than you think you need. The heat will cause the solder to suck into the joint. I use the cadmium alloy solder. Considering the amounts used and some common sense in working with it, I'm not worried about the cadmium. I find the cad alloy flows better than the other stuff.

Check Jack's thread here for the frogs he makes to hold things for soldering:
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=107782&start=432
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
User avatar
NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by NP317 »

Dave:
The round part of the snifter valve in my brazing setup had gravity holding it in position. The "W" shaped heating "pan" was purposely bent with a tilt to it.
And the "frog" wire held the main part slightly angled upwards, increasing the tilt of the parts. The round portion nicely seats in the machined recess of the main body part.

The heating flux (black) didn't seem to move the parts. The black flux seems to bubble and blow less than the white flux I usually use.
I had thin tweezers ready to reposition the round part if required.
I used thin wire 45% silver solder (cadmium free) and simply draped a 3/8" long piece over the joint.
When it melted I fed a little more solder into the joint.

It worked so well I was a bit surprised!
RussN
Patio
Posts: 1369
Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2010 3:14 pm
Location: Centralia Wa

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by Patio »

Nice work RussN!
That is a nice trick to keep in the memory bank.
Thanks for showing that.
Live for the moment!
Prepare for tomorrow!
Forgive the past!
User avatar
NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by NP317 »

Just sharing wha others pass on to me!
RussN
daves1459
Posts: 279
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:58 pm
Location: Plainfield, Illinois

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by daves1459 »

NP317 wrote: Sat Nov 14, 2020 8:34 pm Dave:
The round part of the snifter valve in my brazing setup had gravity holding it in position. The "W" shaped heating "pan" was purposely bent with a tilt to it.
And the "frog" wire held the main part slightly angled upwards, increasing the tilt of the parts. The round portion nicely seats in the machined recess of the main body part.

The heating flux (black) didn't seem to move the parts. The black flux seems to bubble and blow less than the white flux I usually use.
I had thin tweezers ready to reposition the round part if required.
I used thin wire 45% silver solder (cadmium free) and simply draped a 3/8" long piece over the joint.
When it melted I fed a little more solder into the joint.

It worked so well I was a bit surprised!
RussN
Thanks for the explanation and tips. I have used the black flux although only for large work. I hadn't thought of it for small parts I'll give it a try. The local welding shop, and only shop around here, only sells silver solder 1/16" diameter one troy ounce coils. Can you recommend a source for smaller diameter wire? I can get Easyflo 45 from the local shop. But, again only in 1/16" diameter.

Dave
daves1459
Posts: 279
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:58 pm
Location: Plainfield, Illinois

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by daves1459 »

Greg_Lewis wrote: Sat Nov 14, 2020 7:49 pm Well, I can't remember how I held the bits in place, but Russ should!

I don't feed solder, I cut bits of it and set them at the joints. Use less than you think you need. The heat will cause the solder to suck into the joint. I use the cadmium alloy solder. Considering the amounts used and some common sense in working with it, I'm not worried about the cadmium. I find the cad alloy flows better than the other stuff.

Check Jack's thread here for the frogs he makes to hold things for soldering:
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=107782&start=432
Thanks Greg. I've tried putting little bits of silver solder at the joint, But, the bubbling of the boiling flux often pushed it out of position. One of the Techs. at Harris suggested letting the flux dry then heat. That worked better, but, I had to wait over night for the flux to dry to white crust. I've considered, but not yet tried, silver solder paste.

Dave
User avatar
Greg_Lewis
Posts: 3014
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 2:44 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Dave:
I get my cad alloy silver solder from McMaster. They have it in strips at .005 and .010, and wire at 3/64 and the 1/16. But I use mostly the 1/16 and just nip off a little piece about as long as the diameter and set it at the joint. (Tweezers are part of my soldering kit.)

https://www.mcmaster.com/silver-solder

As to the floating solder bits, I have a short piece of 1/16 welding rod, perhaps 6 inches, that I use to push the solder around when that happens. One end is bent 90 degrees and the other has a loop in it for holding. Works fine.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
User avatar
NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Silver Brazing Fun

Post by NP317 »

DaveL
Jewelry supply outlets have silver solder in varying percentages, forms and sizes.

Here's an example from Amazon.com of small diameter 56% silver solder:

https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Solder-Ga ... s9dHJ1ZQ==

McMaster-Carr has silver solders as shared above by Greg.
RussN
Post Reply