silver solder agggg

by **Smbjk** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:36 am

Hi guys

Tried silver solder and well... I'm not that good. I know what I did wrong but I think I might try soft solder. My question is what is the best soft solder to use? Ie ratios etc.

thanks all for your help :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **karrotbear** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:39 am

I think the general consensus would be the Benzo - Silver Solder or plumbing solder (it has a blue stripe). About $20 per roll.

by **JayD** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:57 am

use no solder with lead in it...Aquasafe is good.

by **Smbjk** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:00 am

Awesome thanks :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **dogbreath vodka** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:21 am

If you are intending to do a lot of soft soldering go with the aquasafe.
Half kilo for the same price as a benzo kit.
I used bakers soldering fluid, does a great job, if you don't mind the liquid instead of the paste.

:handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

You will need to learn how to use the silver solders if you make easy flanges.
Go the 15% and you don't need any flux.
As always practice makes perfect.
The man that never made any mistakes never made anything. :D :D

DBV

by **jim** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:22 am

http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_pro ... 60362.aspx is the stuff I use. They dont keep it in the tools section, rather in the plumbing section right next to all the tin/lead solder. Be very careful that you get the right stuff.

I have only been using the bernzo flux with the aquasafe solder, but its only 28g amount of flux in each can for $10. Does the Bakers solderine flux paste work for soft solder?

http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_pro ... 60249.aspx

I purchased one of the cans on the right, but I'm not sure what it is meant to work with. Hard/Soft solder, copper only or stainless too?

by **dogbreath vodka** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:25 am

Jim
Bakers soldering fluid is as good as any and a bottle goes a long way.
The aquasafe is the go.
You're on the right track :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

DBV

by **Dominator** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 10:06 am

dogbreathe vodka wrote:Jim
Bakers soldering fluid is as good as any and a bottle goes a long way.
The aquasafe is the go.
You're on the right track :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

DBV

X 2

by **Smbjk** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 2:58 pm

Great Advice guys. Thanks heaps :handgestures-thumbupleft: :dance:

by **jim** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:02 am

Tried the Baker's soldering paste this weekend. Not a fan. I am not sure if I am screwing anything up, but it simply does not seem to work. Ive tried thick smears, thin smears and in between smears of paste. I cleaned the copper till it gleamed. I did not touch the flux with flame. Regardless, as it heats up the flux melts, then disappears, and the solder will not stick to the copper or flow into the joint.

The Bernzo paste will visably clean the copper as it melts, then, at the right temperature, the solder easily flows into anything that has been touched by the flux.

Maybe the Bakers liquid works different to the Bakers paste.

by **dogbreath vodka** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:32 pm

Never heard of bakers paste.
Only ever used bakers soldering fluid and it cleans the copper as it is heated.
Not that you would rely on that alone, always clean the copper just before applying the fluid and soldering.

It works for me... and I've used it on 6" copper pipe.

DBV

by **Aussiedownunder01** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:35 pm

With silver solder theres a fine line between right temp and to hot

by **dogbreath vodka** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:42 pm

I'm on another planet.... sorry guys.
I was referring to soft soldering. :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead:

2% to 15% silver solder I don't use flux at all
45% I use easy flo flux.

And yes the solder will flow toward the hottest part of the copper.
Heating the whole thing up before attempting to solder is also a good idea.

Again - my head was firmly planted up my own bum.
All the excuses :teasing-blah: :teasing-blah: :teasing-blah: :violence-smack: :violence-smack:
:oops: :oops: :oops:

DBV

by **jim** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:48 pm

Maybe I dragged the post offtopic, because I was talking soft solder too. Will give the liquid flux a try. The paste sucks.

by **jim** » Thu Aug 08, 2013 12:16 pm

Just to finish up the topic of Baker's flux. I bought some Baker's liquid flux and it works great. ~$30 for a 500ml bottle. I find I use a lot less flux with the liquid rather than the Bernzo paste which I tend to slop on. Baker's liquid also seems to scorch a bit more quickly than Bernzo paste, but for any standard soft solder job I am happy to use Baker's liquid flux.

Avoid Bakers flux paste.

by **bt1** » Thu Aug 08, 2013 12:52 pm

+1 jim

liquid is a truly good flux.

the paste? well it's been re cycled thanks to local waste collection.
bt1