Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by goose eye »

Heck of a job with your writin.

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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by cranky »

S-Cackalacky wrote:I found it helpful enough that I point other folks to it who want to know how to do it. It's a great tutorial.
Me too, I send people to this link all the time. This is the best tutorial I've found and agree it should be stickied.
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Mikey-moo
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

I'll be trying this in a week or so's time... I'm in the UK - can anyone recommend a good enough flux? All I have at the moment is the paste stuff and it seems I need the liquid but I can't find any for love no money...
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Hound Dog »

If you can't find Harris StayClean, which is the gold standard, Oatey liquid flux will work. If that fails muratic or hydrochloric acid will do the job, but be careful. You have to have Internet access in the UK right? I am positive they have welders there :eh: a welding shop can get this.
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Mikey-moo
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

How's about the HT5 flux powder here - http://www.cupalloys.co.uk/silver-solde ... /index.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow ? Says it's good for stainless steel...
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Swedish Pride »

i just got a harris from ebay mate, could not be arsed with the sourcing of stuff locally.
works a treat, got me a big bottle now, swing by Dublin and I'll give you some :)
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

Swedish Pride wrote:i just got a harris from ebay mate, could not be arsed with the sourcing of stuff locally.
works a treat, got me a big bottle now, swing by Dublin and I'll give you some :)
That's SP - not sure the ferry fair would justify the cost, but I appreciate the offer :-)
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

I have the flux! So, once I've soldered my 54mm end cap onto my stainless bowl, should I use holesaw a) 25mm or holesaw b) 39mm to cut the hole in them both? The larger one would allow a higher take off rate and allow more power to be used before flooding, but will the 7.5mm cap to bowl joint be strong enough to keep it all in place?
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by rager »

Mikey-moo wrote:I have the flux! So, once I've soldered my 54mm end cap onto my stainless bowl, should I use holesaw a) 25mm or holesaw b) 39mm to cut the hole in them both? The larger one would allow a higher take off rate and allow more power to be used before flooding, but will the 7.5mm cap to bowl joint be strong enough to keep it all in place?
this was the exact method i used twice. glad you found and posted so i can comment on it.

if done right the solder will be more than strong enough. i soldered a 3inch cap on a bowl with 4 plates, deflag, liebig and cooling line ect and i everything held up just fine.

key is to heat the copper with the torch and let the heat transfer to the SS. dont ever really aim the torch on the ss cuz it will heat up to fast and the solder will just run. i actually put a rock or some kinda wieght on top of the cap to push it down as the solder started to melt.

go slow and take your time . dont over heat the SS
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by rager »

Mikey-moo wrote:I have the flux! So, once I've soldered my 54mm end cap onto my stainless bowl, should I use holesaw a) 25mm or holesaw b) 39mm to cut the hole in them both? The larger one would allow a higher take off rate and allow more power to be used before flooding, but will the 7.5mm cap to bowl joint be strong enough to keep it all in place?
this was the exact method i used twice. glad you found and posted so i can comment on it.

if done right the solder will be more than strong enough. i soldered a 3inch cap on a bowl with 4 plates, deflag, liebig and cooling line ect and i everything held up just fine.

key is to heat the copper with the torch and let the heat transfer to the SS. dont ever really aim the torch on the ss cuz it will heat up to fast and the solder will just run. i actually put a rock or some kinda wieght on top of the cap to push it down as the solder started to melt.

go slow and take your time . dont over heat the SS
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Lyonsie »

Good stuff.im having awfull trouble. Anybody any tips on soldering 1mil copper plates into a 4 mill thick stainless column? I either get pooling or nearly get there and then end up with holes dropped out cos the peice gets too hot. Try fix these holes and create more.

Its doing my nut in. Im not far off sending them to a shop to be done to be honest but i can't think of what to say there for if i was asked. Which i would be.
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by rgreen2002 »

Mikey-moo wrote:...will the 7.5mm cap to bowl joint be strong enough to keep it all in place?
Hey MM - I used this method quite some time ago for my first Boka. I ran a 2" x 48" full packed Boka off of a 5-gallon stockpot and a SS salad bowl with a cap I soldered using this tut. I was more worried about the salad bowl collapsing under the weight than I was of the weld holding up. It should do just fine for you.
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by cranky »

I did it with a 1.5" cap then drilled a bunch of 1/4" holes in it so it can act as a retainer for the packing. Since I upgraded my setup I now use it as a funnel for filling my keg.
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

Lyonsie wrote:Good stuff.im having awfull trouble. Anybody any tips on soldering 1mil copper plates into a 4 mill thick stainless column? I either get pooling or nearly get there and then end up with holes dropped out cos the peice gets too hot. Try fix these holes and create more.

Its doing my nut in. Im not far off sending them to a shop to be done to be honest but i can't think of what to say there for if i was asked. Which i would be.
Do you have to solder the plates to the stainless? Could you not get a threaded stainless rod and drill the plates dead centre and then use stainless nuts to position and hold the plates at regular intervals along the rod? They'll be a tight fit anyway, do they need to be soldered in place?
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Lyonsie »

Im building 5 seperate 4" plate units also the stainless is not seamless so a tree won't work. I could seal them in with ptfe tape but i just don't want to be looking at that in the sight glasses.
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

Ah I see. Fair enough then. Good luck :-)
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

Nailed it :-)
Should buff up lovely :-)
Should buff up lovely :-)
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by StillerBoy »

Looking at the soldering work from the picture, you have a very weak joint as there is no continuous flow of solder, to many gaps in the soldering.. either the wrong flux used or the amount of heat used or both.. that joint will leaked and will not hold properly..

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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

StillerBoy wrote:Looking at the soldering work from the picture, you have a very weak joint as there is no continuous flow of solder, to many gaps in the soldering.. either the wrong flux used or the amount of heat used or both.. that joint will leaked and will not hold properly..

Mars
Well... all sarcasm aside.... I'd agree with you!

But by some miracle it's solid as a rock and air tight... I thought it would twist off fairly easily and I'd have another go but I can't break it.
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Swedish Pride »

Not to piss on your parade but I have to agree with SB, looks like it will leak , might be strong but I'm fairly sure it's not leakfree.

I would think more flux and reapply heat to the copper only would fix it in less than a minute.

or you could of course call it done, drill it out and patch any leaks with flour paste if you are super adverse to trying again.
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

You guys are no fun at all.

In all seriousness I'm going to take it apart this weekend and grind it clean and then try again. I've got some new flux on order; the old flux, although specifically for stainless steel, turned out to be flammable and not for use with a propane torch.

As they say, 3rd time's a charm :-)
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by der wo »

Yes, they are flammable unfortunately. I am not sure, that the new flux will help.
Don't direct the flame to the flux. The best place for the flame is into the cap or to the upper edge of the cap.
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Swedish Pride »

yep only heat the copper
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by RedwoodHillBilly »

Swedish Pride wrote:yep only heat the copper
+1

Soldering101:
Heat the work and let the work melt the solder.
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

der wo wrote:Yes, they are flammable unfortunately. I am not sure, that the new flux will help.
Don't direct the flame to the flux. The best place for the flame is into the cap or to the upper edge of the cap.
That was the technique I ended up using, just catching the edge of the end cap. Next time I'll have more solder in situ.

I've got some silver solder and appropriate flux I could try, but I didn't want to have to get it that hot...
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Pikey »

Have you thought of "Bakers Fluid" Mikey - it's all over ebay at sensible prices, and although they don't state "Stainless" in the blurb, there are forums where it is recommended for that purpose. Can be used I believe with ordinary "Lead free" = although when I was a kid, the old man had it and we only used it with "Tinmans" solder and a big copper soldering iron. (That's 40 odd years ago and things move on)

It's fearsome stuff and you don't need to be as "clean conscious" as with most fluxes, although you DO have to be sure to wash the residue off thoroughly/
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

Hi Pikey. Thanks for the tip. I've ordered some Harris Stay Clean already. Should be delivered on Monday so I'll try again Monday evening. I've checked and it's not flammable so should give a cleaner joint :-)
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Swedish Pride »

Harris Stay Clean should get the job done quicksmart
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by Mikey-moo »

I hope so SP! I desoldered the joint today and as strong as it felt, which was proper solid, it was awful. Will report back once I've tried again :-)
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Re: Sharing stainless work connecting cap to boiler.

Post by skow69 »

I would get some thicker solder. Then make it shiny clean, fit or clamp the parts together, flux it on the inside, make a circle of solder that fits the inside joint, lay it in there, and heat the top of the fitting until the solder flows. Easy and foolproof (well, almost).
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