Silver solder

[Norton Commando]

What are people using to silver solder bits to their guns? Specifically, what are people using for a heat source? I've tried propane, map gas, and butane but none seem to get hot enough. I've been trying to solder a small "button", approx. 0.050" thick, on the end of the arbor on my Colt Dragoon. However, the solder just makes a ball on top of the arbor, despite rigorously cleaning the surface and using flux and acid core solder.

So does anyone have any tricks to getting the temperature of the parts high enough using propane or butane?

Thanks,

Not-hot-enough
Jason

 

[Jaymo]

Which solder are you using?
Hard?
Soft?

Are you soldering a .050" piece of steel to the arbor or are you trying to build up a .050" layer of solder?
I assume the former.
Mapp should get hot enough, since it gets hot enough to braze.

If all else fails, there's always Oxy Acetylene.

My guess would be that you aren't keeping the heat on the arbor long enough.

 

[Stophel]

Silver solder, and I mean silver solder, will pretty well require an oxyacetylene torch (or perhaps a propane forge).

The stuff that people like to call "silver solder" for some reason, which is basically tin with like 5% silver added can be done with a propane/MAPP torch. ;-)

To solder the arbor button, all you need is lead or tin solder. ;-)

For ordinary tin/lead solder, Both surfaces need to be clean and heated, and flux added. ACID flux. I have never been able to get rosin flux to work, perhaps some others can. Get the little can of acid flux. Apply it to the parts before trying to stick the solder to them. Heat the part until the solder flows onto it when you touch it to the part. Don't over heat it and cause the part to oxidize and turn color, which makes it more difficult for the solder to stick. Get both parts tinned, then put them together and melt them together.

 

[Jaymo]

Rosin flux solder is only good for electrical/electronic work.
For metal work, you need acid flux.
Mapp gas should get hot enough to solder a thin button, with no problem.
It's hot enough to desolder the fake flash hider on a Daewoo DR200.

If you're using "real" silver solder (50% or more silver), you need more heat.
If you're using soft "silver" solder (less than 50%), Mapp is plenty.

For your purpose, acid core lead solder, or solid core lead solder with brush-on acid flux is plenty.

 

[Smokin'Joe]

I try to avoid heating gun parts if possible. A shim in the barrel lug hole works great. Take a look at this:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=483730&highlight=arbor+shim

 

[Hellgate]

I'd think you could lose the temper in the arbor with the hot soldering and get stretching of the wedge cutout slot when the gun is fired. Drilling, tapping, I putting in a spacer would be les injurious to the gun.

 

[scrat]

i think i would just mix up a tooth pic amount of jb weld and put it together.

 

[Zeke/PA]

I have on hand a supply of Eutectic 157 lead free solder that has a flow point of around 430 Degrees F and a supposed tensile strength of 40,000 psi.
I use it mainly in knife work but other applications also.
The furnished flux is highly corrosive so a wash with a Baking Soda/water solution is necessary.
I agree however with the other posters who caution against heating of gun parts.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Do you "tin" the parts beforehand? Sometimes, it works much better if you heat the part, and apply some solder to the surface that will contact where it is to be affixed. Do the same to the area where the part will attach on the gun. Then connect the parts, and apply heat, and perhaps just a tiny bit extra of solder. IF you have to clap the parts in place the clamp will act as a bit of a heat sink, and you may have to apply heat for some time before the solder melts.

LD

 

[dogrunner]

Use Brownell's "Force 44" lo temp silver solder..........tensile is around 25M and is suitable for sights and small joinder of metallic parts.

Propane works well with the stuff and it can be had in pre fluxed coils........Brownell's web site lists it. Use the stuff for years with 100% success.

 

[bdn. man.]

silver solder

Try this. with solder melted take a piece of metal about as thick as a pencil lead and work the melted solder around- I use the tail of a small three cornerd file-the ball should flatten and tin. If not try another flux. The propane torch is lots for soldering. If you are new at this practice on something about the same size to get the feel.

 

[alsask]

For silver solder I use an Oxy-Acetelene torch. You don't have to buy fancy flux to do the job. Mule Team Borax mixed with water to form a paste works well. Liberaly brush the surfaces to be joined with the borax paste. Heat until the water boils off, continue heating until the borax residue melts and flows coating the parts. The silver solder won't flow until the steel is allmost a dull red.

Silver solder requires almost as much heat as brazing with brazing rod. Plus real silver solder is expensive. There are low alloy low heat "silver" solders out there that work pretty good as well.

 

[zxcvbob]

I used to use propylene and oxygen (very similar to MAPP and oxygen) and a very small tip to weld silver. Didn't want to use acetylene because it reacts with silver. I might have been too cautious, but it worked well.

 

[Norton Commando]

Thank you all for the great suggestions!

And Merry Christmas!

Jason