Copper Soldering

[Brizbrew]

I used my NASA to melt some solder for my IC between the 3/8 copper pipe and the push on brass hoselock fittings that my hose will clip onto.
Did the job easily, just remember to wear a welders glove to hold the copper! :excl:

 

[Jazman]

if your are fololwing brizez advice u be better of holding it with vice grips and gloves then u be ok

 

[Brizbrew]

if your are fololwing brizez advice u be better of holding it with vice grips and gloves then u be ok

[post="70249"][/post]​

Yes, I guess you are right. I just held mine by with a welding glove but I was holding the very bottom of the immersion coil about 6 or 7 metres of copper away from the flame, if you are doing a manifold or something smaller it is probably a good idea to use tongs, infact a better idea is to get the correct tools for the job.

 

[spog]

jye if you go with the mapp gas for soldering it,s in a yellow bottle,i used the set up mobrien suggested/used and it is far easier and cheaper IMO. cheers spog.

 

[mobrien]

Here we go - Al in action!

Matt

 

[Jez]

re: aquasound lead free solder (is that the same stuff Justin? in an aqua coloured vial?)

as this stuff can be used to seal copper pipes I take it I can use it IN my boiler? I want to use it to seal some stainless screws & plug up the drainhole.


Jez

 

[Jye]

Well the soldering is all done and what a PITA. In the end all the joints look good and more importantly they dont leak.

Ended up going to Bunnings and getting a $20 torch and some lead free solder... another toy for the collection

Next week I will put up some pics of my handy work.

Cheers guys :beer:

 

[Borret]

re: aquasound lead free solder (is that the same stuff Justin? in an aqua coloured vial?)

as this stuff can be used to seal copper pipes I take it I can use it IN my boiler? I want to use it to seal some stainless screws & plug up the drainhole.


Jez

[post="70344"][/post]​

Jez,

If my memory serves me correctly this stuff still being a solder will not attach itself to S/steel. Generally solder, unless a specialty blend, will only join copper and it's cousins-bronze and brass, and tin (which is a component of solder). It may attach to other metals with limited success and normally using specific fluxes. I have seen aluminium solder but this again is for aluminium only.
There are a few brazing alloys that will work on s/steel but these work at a much higher temp and will normally contain cadnium which you don't want anywhere near your beer. So your options are narrowed to a mechanical seal (gasket) or s/steel welding.

Cheers

Borret

edit:spelling

 

[Jez]

Thanks Borret,

The drain holes I am trying to seal are at the bottom of my 53L "camp boiler" I recently won on ebay (item #5218742253) on either side of what looks like a small brass nub in the centre of the electric heating element.

I'm not so worried about a stable connection between solder & metal - more worried the solder would poison me slowly over time.

So lead-free solder is cool in brew?

Jez

 

[Borret]

So lead-free solder is cool in brew?

Jez

Jez

That is some thing you need to decide for yourself, the same as the brass v's s/steel fittings arguement. However to help you make an informed decision here is the MSDS for that solder. First place to look is the hazards overview in the top left corner and then digest the rest of it at your leisure.

Cheers

Borret :blink:

 

[Darren]

Jez,
Can you try a S/S nut and bolt with fibre washers to fill the hole?
Might be easier.
cheers
Darren

 

[Jez]

yeah, sounds like a much better (and safer) idea.

thanks Darren & Borret for the help.

Jez

 

[timmy]

If you use silver solder it'll be ok. use brown tip for copper to copper (no flux) of blue tip for copper to stainless. silver solder is used for drinking water pipes.

i'd steer away from lead solder.