Silver-soldering loco construction
- Thread starter Giles
- Start date
Giles
Western Thunderer
Hi Tom - within limitations, it certainly would - but yes, they're well capable of getting the job too hot! Have a play with appropriate bits of scrap, as fine-tuned, it would be a very reasonable way of getting localised heat in quickly. I personally find a flame quite flexible enough - but the more techniques the better!
Giles
Western Thunderer
I had forgotten that I had already used an RSU to silver solder bits onto the Garratt.......
(From another thread) ........It will (under some circumstances) - on the Garratt, there is a step mounted on the front of the buffer beam, with the lower step mounted off the back of the buffer beam directly behind it...... I didn't spot this'll until I was fitting the last details. Of course the solution was to silver solder one of them on and soft solder the other one on - but I couldn't risk using a torch, as there were white metal castings immediately behind, and all-sorts soft-soldered together.....
So I got my old RSU out and silver-soldered one of the steps on using that (in an effort to keep the heat as localised as possible). It worked, at any rate.
(From another thread) ........It will (under some circumstances) - on the Garratt, there is a step mounted on the front of the buffer beam, with the lower step mounted off the back of the buffer beam directly behind it...... I didn't spot this'll until I was fitting the last details. Of course the solution was to silver solder one of them on and soft solder the other one on - but I couldn't risk using a torch, as there were white metal castings immediately behind, and all-sorts soft-soldered together.....
So I got my old RSU out and silver-soldered one of the steps on using that (in an effort to keep the heat as localised as possible). It worked, at any rate.
Giles
Western Thunderer
Finally finished - apart from weathering and couplings (which I'll do later).
I'll write this one up in NG&IR with Roy's indulgence. It's about as small as I'm capable of building, and was having quite enough trouble seeing what was going on. How these chaps can see to do 4mm beats me!
The valve gear would have been a nightmare to soft solder on this, particularly as some of the pieces were too delicate for purpose, so silver soldering the pins in has reinforced them.
I'll write this one up in NG&IR with Roy's indulgence. It's about as small as I'm capable of building, and was having quite enough trouble seeing what was going on. How these chaps can see to do 4mm beats me!
The valve gear would have been a nightmare to soft solder on this, particularly as some of the pieces were too delicate for purpose, so silver soldering the pins in has reinforced them.
Not yourself, obviously: this is exquisite. Wrens are such sweet little engines and this is a marvellous rendition.
Giles
Western Thunderer
A pleasure Mike - Thank you!
It's good to see that people are interested in silver-soldering as a technique.
Holding work is always an issue - I use these things quite a lot... ceramic peg-boards which hold things in place a nd square. A chassis pictured during assembly.
2019-04-24_05-30-02 by giles favell, on Flickr
It's good to see that people are interested in silver-soldering as a technique.
Holding work is always an issue - I use these things quite a lot... ceramic peg-boards which hold things in place a nd square. A chassis pictured during assembly.
2019-04-24_05-30-02 by giles favell, on Flickr
Lyndhurstman
Western Thunderer
A pleasure Mike - Thank you!
It's good to see that people are interested in silver-soldering as a technique.
Holding work is always an issue - I use these things quite a lot... ceramic peg-boards which hold things in place a nd square. A chassis pictured during assembly.
2019-04-24_05-30-02 by giles favell, on Flickr
Hello Giles,
That’s very neat. And something I’d not considered. Thanks for the illumination!
Cheers
Jan
Max M
Western Thunderer
Could you advise a supplier please?Holding work is always an issue - I use these things quite a lot... ceramic peg-boards which hold things in place and square.
Cooksongold, Google 'ceramic soldering board', 2 boards and twenty pins, £11.99 described as Round honeycomb soldering board. Sorry, my tablet keyboard won't let me create a link. Looks very useful, thanks Giles.
There are a few different shapes, sizes and prices available from several suppliers.
John K
Western Thunderer
Here is the link that Graham was referring to.
Round Honeycomb Soldering Board Large Hole, Pack of 2 With 20 Ceramic Pins
John K
Round Honeycomb Soldering Board Large Hole, Pack of 2 With 20 Ceramic Pins
John K
John Bradshaw
Western Thunderer
Silver soldering is a superb joining technique is people are comfortable with the heat involved. It's worth making the effort to develop the skill to use it as you get very strong joints and very good control over the process.