 |
 |
|
Soldering(1) — peppercorn — 17/02/2010 13:14:11 | Can I ask some advice, please? I seem to have lost my confidence a little in soldering.
I wish to solder to a footplate of nickel silver about 150 long by 34 wide and 0.33 (15 thou) thick, valances of 1.5 high and 1 thick brass.
Do I tack it along the length at intervals and then go back along the whole length or go from one end to the other without stopping? Two eminent writers give different views and, to be honest, it's been such a long time since I last did this that I've forgotten what method I used. In that case - a J69 that I was making - I used brass bar soldered to brass sheet, but the footplate on the J69 is quite a short one.
I recall some four or so years ago that i had a problem in soldering some thick-ish valances for an E4 in nickel silver to a nickel silver footplate and the whole lot completely distorted: ended up completely curved. I gave up on that one.
I have a hefty electric iron of 100W, and will probably use multicore (got lots of it!)1mm in dia. Oh, and would there be any problem soldering brass to nickel silver?
Thanks, gents. |  |
|
|
|
Soldering(2) — G King — 17/02/2010 14:47:08 | I haven't had problems with curvature or buckling when soldering 1 or 1.5mm square brass bar to 8 or 10 thou brass running plate, but I use only a 25 watt iron with 140C solder and phosphoric acid flux. Your meatier iron might of course be a different proposition, I'm not sure that when using multicore you will be able exploit the power of the iron to allow you to nip in and out quickly without spread lots of heat into the surrounding metal. Would it be a good idea if possible to clip the running plate down firmly to a piece of flat wood (plywood offcut) using clothes pegs, bulldog clips or similar (so that the metal can still slide under the clips as it expands but cannot lift) and also clip the bar/valance down onto it in similar fashion, and then solder from the middle outwards to each end, continuously, or one end to t'other if preferred? I suspect that tack soldering at intervals might promote buckling as the metal tries to grow between the fixed points. The way I suggest, it may be that the brass bar will expand more than the sheet during soldering (or vice-versa), and upon un-clipping the finished job there may be a tendancy for the running plate to arch its back or sag slightly, but in a smooth curve, and you can then give it a few firm tweaks with the fingers (or massage it back and forth over a piece of pipe) to pull it flat.
I've had no problems soldering brass to n/s. Good joints appear to form, and the limited range of temperature variation to which finished models are typically subject doesn't appear to create problems.
I'm open to contradiction by others.......... | |
|
|
|
Soldering(3) — fatwindsurfer — 18/02/2010 14:54:40 | Agreed with Mr K.
Peppercorn, it is probably worth investing in a smaller iron (say 40/50w)? Even if you are doing 7mm kits this is usually hefty enough.
It certainly is good to use 140 solder and the centre to back/front method sounds best. I use a cream flux for this type of job as you can 'spread' it along the joint and it does not drain away AND it is easy to clean up afterwards (cream flux if not cleaned thoroughly, often leaves a residue which turns green after a few days!)
Let us know what happens!
PR | |
|
|
|
Soldering(4) — mikeg — 22/02/2010 14:53:12 | I would agre with both of the previous posts, but I use a 75w iron for O gauge and find my 40w iron looses the heat to fast for long jobs like valences. The problem you had was letting the iron dwell on the work to long and heating it up more than needed, the use of multicore is OK but you also need to use a paste or cream flux along the joint as multicore flux does not run very far as it is designed for electrical work where you do not want the solder to run far from the joint being made. A lot of people prefer liquid flux as cappillary action takes it along the joint and it does not spead as far as paste, also it makes for less cleaning up, but is very agressive if not washed of quickly after each section of soldering. I find as stated that paste flux does go green if left on for any length of time, but the upside of this is that you can see where it is to clean off.
When doing long joins I always tack the middle and then each end, followed by sections at the quarter points before running the joint completely, this I find helps stop the tendency to bow as it cools as the joint does not distort whilst running the joint.
hope this is clear and of some help
mike g | |
|
|
|
Soldering(5) — Neil — 26/02/2010 12:00:22 | The main criterion for how high a wattage the iron requires is the size and thickness of material; and also what kind of solder is being used. I struggled for years with paste flux an multicore solder melting at 210 degrees before discovering - later than most - that 145 degree solder and liquid flux [Carr's green label in this case] were so much easier to use. At first I couldn't believe how quickly and how well everything soldered together.
I now use a 40 watt iron for building O gauge loco and rolling stock kits, some of which include components from fairly hefty brass sheet, probably getting on for .015" thick. For smaller jobs a 25 watt iron does the trick. Brass and nickle silver certainly solder together; so should steel, stainless steel [if you can get it], copper and even aluminium and mazak, in more-or-less any combination.
It is certainly necessary to clean up the model as you go along and the green label flux, being phosphoric acid, needs to be kept clear of steel tools and any other ferrous metals. I have discovered that dunking the items in a solution of bicarbonate of soda neutralises the acid flux - shades of the old "stop-bath" used when printing photographs years ago - but a proper clean-up with a toothbrush and hot water is necessary to avoid build-up of deposits. Even so, I don't think it's necessary to clean up too quickly - at the end of each modelling session should be enough.
Happy soldering!
| |
|
|
|
Soldering(6) — peppercorn — 09/03/2010 13:35:19 | Thank you all for your useful information, hints and tips. I haven't done the deed yet: basically my workshop is sooooo cold that I don't really want to go out there. I could, I suppose, bring the stuff into the house, but there isn't a red carpet there inviting me so to do. However, with the warmer and brighter weather I shall be able to get to it soon - perhaps this weekend.
I like the idea of the lower melting point solder so may write off to C & L to get some.
By the by, I bought some nickel silver sheet in quite large sheets from Metalsmith, whose advert I saw in the GOG Journal: it arrived timely and completely flat. Later I ordered some brass from a well-known supplier in smaller sheets (150 square or thereabouts) and it, too, arrived in a timely fashion taped to a flat piece of MDF or similar. However, once untaped, it has quite a curve in it, and is useless for much of what we do, for instance footplates. I suppose the brass is half hard, and I don't think that I will be able to straighten it. | |
|
|