Re: copper washers

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: Ed Phillips <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net> 

Tesla list wrote:
 >
 > Original poster: Jim Lux <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>
 >
 > At 08:08 AM 11/21/2003 -0700, you wrote:
 > >Original poster: "RIAA/MPAA's Worst Nightmare" <mike.marcum-at-zoomtown-dot-com>
 > >is it possible to solder brass ones together (without an acetylene torch)?
 >
 > You bet.. all it takes is the appropriate flux.  A propane torch would be a
 > good source of heat, but another approach is a cast iron frying pan on a
 > stove.  You can easily get it hot enough to melt the flux and solder.  You
 > can stack up all the parts on a steel mandrel, dip it in flux, stand it up
 > on the pan, get it good and hot, and just touch the solder to the outside
 > of the joints and it should just "wick" in.
 >
 > If the pan gets red hot, you're too hot.  The key on this kind of thing is
 > to wait long enough for all the brass/copper to get thoroughly hot (which
 > takes longer than you think).
 >
 > One problem is oxidation when it gets hot.  Suitable flux helps, by melting
 > and covering the metal, as well as reacting with the existing oxide.  I've
 > seen this done, but not actually tried it: putting it in a deep cast iron
 > pot (like a dutch oven) and flooding the pot with CO2 (from a small hose
 > from a tank/regulator). He had a sheet of steel over the top with a  little
 > hole in it to reach in and manipulate the parts (brazing aluminum in 
that case)
 >
 > Oh yeah... large quantities of molten flux, etc., >>> good ventilation is
 > essential.  Do this outside on a camp stove!

	Clean brass solders beautifully.  I've always had good results by
cleaning the brass to get rid of crud and then  solder using ordinary
zinc chloride (killed acid) liquid flux.  Put the parts together, apply
heat from the torch, and when the parts get hot enough you can just
touch the joint with solder and, if all is clean, the solder will flow
as if sucked into the space between the parts.  For this is use plain,
not cored, solder of course.  It's really a pleasure to see how quickly
and neatly this process works.  After the solder has solidified dunking
the piece in cold water will get rid of most of the flux.  If I worry
about corrosion I clean everything so as to "look pretty" then soak the
piece in a solution of baking soda for a few minutes, followed by
another rinse with warm water.

	That sounds like more a lot more work than it really is.  All that is
really necessary is to get the parts clean, wet them with flux, and then
warm them until the solder flows.

Ed


Ed