Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze?

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Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze?

Postby vossy » Fri Dec 01, 2017 9:28 pm

I have some 4, 3 and 2 inch stainless ferrules, copper pipe is expanded and I cannot get the solder to take.
I am using aquasafe lead free solder, have tired bakers solder flux fluid and 801 liquid flux. Using Mapp gas torch.
Have even tired this method http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=46881 but the solder is too large. Surely someone can help me out
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby Doubleuj » Fri Dec 01, 2017 9:39 pm

Stainless to copper is hard, I tried and tried and ultimately failed, but there are many here who have succeeded and will pass on their tips. Don’t be discouraged. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby bluc » Fri Dec 01, 2017 9:56 pm

I have not had an issue so far done 4-5 joins seems to flow fine.
I dont think my flux is 801 think its comweld 965.
If your flux is boiling off and when solder is touched to job it doesnt melt then your applying to much direct heat.
Heat it more indirectly and always at the heaviest duty part ie stainless ferrule..
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby bluc » Fri Dec 01, 2017 10:16 pm

I have to do some copper to stainless hard solder since i left some gaps with my sub par fitting skills...should be interesting :scared-eek:
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby scythe » Sat Dec 02, 2017 6:40 pm

Good luck bluc, solder is not a gap filler and does not build up, like welding does.
Try using gravity to your advantage if you can.
Ie have the gap at the lowest point so any pool that forms will be at your gap.
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby bluc » Sat Dec 02, 2017 6:45 pm

I found hard solder fills gaps pretty easy(on my rc) soft solder is hard to get bridge happening..
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby Magnus » Sun Dec 03, 2017 10:04 am

I found it rather easy really, I expanded the copper to a nice firm fit with ferrule then cleaned both parts well applied flux to both parts and pushed them together then wrapped solder all the way round the join then fluxed again. Only ever heat the copper, never let the flame go near the SS or the solder, heat gradually all the way round till the flux starts bubbling and apply more flux then heat till the solder melts and gets drawn in, have more solder ready to top up all the way round.
Remember to never heat the SS part or it wont work.

dirty.jpg
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby scythe » Sun Dec 03, 2017 3:29 pm

That has been my experianve as well magnus.
Keep the flame away from the stainless, copper will transfer the heat.
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby tenorbrew » Sat Feb 03, 2018 9:00 pm

Oh man, I had the worst time a few days ago trying to solder up a thumper adapter.
The copper to copper joints were ok, but the stainless ferrule to copper was a disaster.
After hours and hours I still had leaks and the ferrule was such a snug fit that I couldn’t get it out to clean up.

In the end I discovered that I can wrap heavily with thread tape and there are no leaks, so I’ll probably give up on trying to fix it and run it like this.

Next time I’ll use the above advice and my first join will be the stainless to copper, before moving on to other joins.
In fact, for my next substantial build I’ll try brazing.

Cheers,

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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby TasSpirits » Sat Feb 03, 2018 10:07 pm

bluc wrote:I have not had an issue so far done 4-5 joins seems to flow fine.
I dont think my flux is 801 think its comweld 965.
If your flux is boiling off and when solder is touched to job it doesnt melt then your applying to much direct heat.
Heat it more indirectly and always at the heaviest duty part ie stainless ferrule..

:text-+1: built mine this way.
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby Peregian » Sun Feb 04, 2018 8:40 am

Stainless ferrules to copper pipe is easy with Harris Stay Brite solder.

I make a tight ring of solder around the ferrule and let it drop to the copper pipe. With the solder ring wrapped around the ferrule and resting on the copper apply a little heat to the stainless, not too much, and then concentrate on heating the copper. When the heated copper hits the correct temperature to melt the solder it quickly flows into the joint.

Harris Stay Clean flux must be used.

Jaycar sell a small kit that includs the flux, this is the way I started using Harris solder till I purchased larger rolls from the US

http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/P ... ering.aspx
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby bluc » Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:40 am

tenorbrew wrote:Oh man, I had the worst time a few days ago trying to solder up a thumper adapter.
The copper to copper joints were ok, but the stainless ferrule to copper was a disaster.
After hours and hours I still had leaks and the ferrule was such a snug fit that I couldn’t get it out to clean up.

In the end I discovered that I can wrap heavily with thread tape and there are no leaks, so I’ll probably give up on trying to fix it and run it like this.

Next time I’ll use the above advice and my first join will be the stainless to copper, before moving on to other joins.
In fact, for my next substantial build I’ll try brazing.

Cheers,

Tenorbrew

What flux you using? Is it a steuctual joint?
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby danwbrews » Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:24 am

Magnus wrote:I found it rather easy really, I expanded the copper to a nice firm fit with ferrule then cleaned both parts well applied flux to both parts and pushed them together then wrapped solder all the way round the join then fluxed again. Only ever heat the copper, never let the flame go near the SS or the solder, heat gradually all the way round till the flux starts bubbling and apply more flux then heat till the solder melts and gets drawn in, have more solder ready to top up all the way round.
Remember to never heat the SS part or it wont work.

dirty.jpg

When you soldered, was the copper tube on the bottom, as shown, or was it laying down on the bench?
Thanks,
Dan
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby Magnus » Wed Apr 24, 2019 2:09 pm

danwbrews wrote:When you soldered, was the copper tube on the bottom, as shown, or was it laying down on the bench?
Thanks,
Dan


It was standing up as it is in the picture
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Re: Stainless Ferrules to Copper pipe using solder not braze

Postby danwbrews » Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:04 pm

Thanks Magnus. Great solder job BTW.
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