Information needed for diy welded rings

Started by gstours, November 14, 2019, 08:46:46 PM

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gstours

After reading this posts reply's several times and retrying to silver solder my first ring of a stainless steel ring with no success.  👿.  The ring is shiny clean, close gap, fluxed with various fluxes.  4% silver wire, butune flame 🔥.   After heating the solder roll around , balls, butt never flows and bonds like typical brazing or welding.   I,m using a stainless steel rem from a crab pot.  It's clean and bright. 
   What alloys are being used for this application?   Just wondering.😾

Bill B

Are you adding flux before soldering?  Bill
It may not be very productive,
but it's sure going to be interesting!

David Hall

I had no better luck and I am using the black flux, the proper wire, butanr torch I tried to tin the ends of some copper wire, the solder just balled up and didn't stick.  Practice, practice, practice. I need to try more.

oc1

If it beads up but doesn't flow then either it is not hot enough or it is heating up so slowly that some oxidized crud is forming and coating everything.  The whole process from the time you strike the torch until the solder flows will only be about ten seconds; maybe less.  Once the ring is shiny clean, securely supported, and fluxed, be aggressive about heating it.  Do not touch the solder to the stainless until it is just beginning to glow.  It should flow immediately or bead up for just a second and then flow.

You can get a really hot pointed flame from a mini torch with propane and oxygen.  Butane and air will work, but it is more difficult to use and makes more crud.  When in doubt, turn up the flame.  After you burn through the stainless ring a few times you'll learn when to give up and start over.

I would never do this job without a Fordom flexible shaft tool with a wire brush bit.  The thing that prevents stainless from corroding, is the thin layer of flash oxidation (corrosion) that forms very soon after it is cut.  You can't really see it, it just looks like stainless steel, but it's there.  You need something that will remove that layer of oxidation quickly so you can get on with the job of soldering before it returns.

I don't know what 4% solder is.  I have several silver solders that I could never get to work for me.  Now I only use this:
https://www.riogrande.com/Product/wire-solder-med-70-slvr-20ga-rnd/101703

-steve


gstours

Thanks mr. Octi,  your solder in the link appears to be 70% silver .   Maybe the low percent silver is for brass, silver,or copper.   Here's the things that I have tried.

gstours

Another flux was tried, it's like a gel,  grey, and another silver bearing solder about 5% with no better results.   
I,m going to try again with a higher silver content solder when I can.   Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

oc1

I couldn't make any of those products work for me.  Try the solder in the link above with Stay Silv paste flux.  Don't be stingy with the flux either.  Put on a glob of it.
-steve

gstours

It may be helpful to others to notice that the higher content silver wire/solder is quite stiff more like most wire compared to 3-5% silver wire that is very soft and bendable.  The black flux is made for the higher temperatures and stays on good butt it did not work for me using brass rings? 
    Incentidentally if someone wants some I,ll send you some for free as I got a pound for the price of a couple ounces.   Thanks 🙏.

David Hall

LOL, I ordered the same can from Amazon, I didn't think it was quite so big from the picture on the web.  Now I got enough solder to last a lifetime or two.

David Hall

My new nippers and my new butane torch arrived today and, just when I discover that my other butane torch, ( the one I purchased last year for the purpose of igniting the sawdust in my bbq cold smoker, has a lever to increase or decrease the flame and I've had it set at its lowest setting all this time? Doh!  I hate it when I do that.
Here's the new nippers and torch kit.

gstours

Ok, Dave you got what it takes.  The black flux seems to work on stainless steel as advertised its for higher heat applications.  Forget any soft wire solders even though they may contain 3-7% silver and go to about 35-55% silver bearing solder wire in about .035-.050'' diameter.   The higher silver wire will be quite stiff and ive had much better results with it.  Amazon or e-bay should have it.   Butt i,m no expert. :'(
    Your Knipixx cutters are my next investment,   Like you said,   I hate it when I do that. :D