-
Welcome back Guest! Did you know you can mentor other members here at H-M? If not, please check out our Relaunch of Hobby Machinist Mentoring Program!
Need a piece of silver solder
- Thread starter DAN_IN_MN
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2013
- Messages
- 655
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2012
- Messages
- 630
Original question was resolved but other might come and look for more information 
I just bought some off ebay. Seller was rlm1147. An ounce of flat rolled 55% silver with a jar of flux and a brush was $36 to my doorstep.
That is actually quite a bit of solder since you use so little at a time.
I just bought some off ebay. Seller was rlm1147. An ounce of flat rolled 55% silver with a jar of flux and a brush was $36 to my doorstep.
That is actually quite a bit of solder since you use so little at a time.
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2012
- Messages
- 1,352
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2011
- Messages
- 2,476
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2011
- Messages
- 8,031
I've bought sil/phos at HD a couple of times. Good for air conditioning work. Color doesn't match perfectly for cosmetic purposes, but it is strong. Now they make a glue for a/c work good for 1200 psi. Sounds crazy.
I buy ss for welding copper tubing now from the a/c supply house. Pretty high but no flux needed. Just like gas welding.
Copper electrical wire isn't the best for welding copper, but it will work. It can be TIG welded, or O/A. Most welding filler rods are oxy free, but still bare solid wire can be used. Probably never pass code, but for ornamental work, or non-critical applications it's probably just fine.
I buy ss for welding copper tubing now from the a/c supply house. Pretty high but no flux needed. Just like gas welding.
Copper electrical wire isn't the best for welding copper, but it will work. It can be TIG welded, or O/A. Most welding filler rods are oxy free, but still bare solid wire can be used. Probably never pass code, but for ornamental work, or non-critical applications it's probably just fine.
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2012
- Messages
- 630
The silver solder you can get at the hardware store is usually in the range of 1% - 5%. Much different than the high sliver content solders. For high strength, get up into the 45%-55%. The others are not as strong (although much stronger than most solders.)
TMI:
There is a range of melting points for silver solder (Yes, it is brazing and not soldering but don't get too worked up over the inconsistency). When you are soldering together something complex, you start with the highest melting point solder and then move down the temperature range so the previous solder doesn't get re-melted.
The flux you use for the high temp solders is basically borax (boric acid). The fluxes you get at the hardware stores don't take temperatures high enough for silver solder.
You really need to read the contents of the solders you use. Some use cadmium to flow more readily but it is not as common because of the health effects) Like the problems with lead, you really don't want to breathe cadmium fumes. Ventilation is your friend.
Wash the parts down after soldering to neutralize the acid. If you don't, they will usually start to corrode.
If you have specific questions about sliver soldering, feel free to ask. We got into excruciating detail when I took a jewelry making class and ended up being responsible for more silver soldering information than anyone will probably ever need... That and making wire. Lots of making wire....
TMI:
There is a range of melting points for silver solder (Yes, it is brazing and not soldering but don't get too worked up over the inconsistency). When you are soldering together something complex, you start with the highest melting point solder and then move down the temperature range so the previous solder doesn't get re-melted.
The flux you use for the high temp solders is basically borax (boric acid). The fluxes you get at the hardware stores don't take temperatures high enough for silver solder.
You really need to read the contents of the solders you use. Some use cadmium to flow more readily but it is not as common because of the health effects) Like the problems with lead, you really don't want to breathe cadmium fumes. Ventilation is your friend.
Wash the parts down after soldering to neutralize the acid. If you don't, they will usually start to corrode.
If you have specific questions about sliver soldering, feel free to ask. We got into excruciating detail when I took a jewelry making class and ended up being responsible for more silver soldering information than anyone will probably ever need... That and making wire. Lots of making wire....