Solder

[Madmanmadrid]

Alright my brain is totaly fried from looking around and reading countless articals about use this use that dont do this dont do that. What are people useing? I ended up buying lead free plumbing solder and flux to go with it. Then I also bought stay silv 5. Couldnt find a good brazing flux so was just gonna get it shipped. I see alot of people using stay bright 8 dont know if that's the best route or not. Hard to find a smaller roll than 1#. I dont think I'll need a whole roll of it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[corene1]

For general copper to copper connections standard lead free is fine . For copper to stainless or stainless to stainless I would recommend Stay brite 8. I have had very good luck with it. For flux it is hard to beat Harris Stay clean liquid flux for use with both types of solder.
Brazing is a different beast all together. These are low temp solders. Silver brazing is a high temp joint usually above 1100 degrees to flow the brazing material. It is very strong though.

[Madmanmadrid]

Yeah I guess I should have mentioned it was copper to stainless. Ok i guess that's what i was looking for. Thankq for the quick reply!

[acfixer69]

Stated just perfect corene1. Soldering and Brazing are different, both use silver at different % and different alloy % so make sure you are brazing or soldering.

[Swedish Pride]

your standard led free solder is fine for CU to SS too, just upgrade the flux to Harris stayclean as corene said.
I've done loads of CU to SS and SS to SS with harris stay clean and lead free solder, works a treat and I prefer it to Stay brite 8 as I find stay brite gets more watery, normal lead free is a better gap filler and believe me, when I build there are gaps aplenty to be filled.

[Madmanmadrid]

Thank you everyone for the replys. I called around to some plumbing supply places. Ferguson is one I called found a spoll of stay bright 8 for $49bucks. So I'm gonna go with that.

[acfixer69]

Good choice don't for get the Harris stay clean liquid flux any time steel is in the mix.

[StillerBoy]

Another very good flux for soldering stainless steel to copper, or copper to copper is Superior 71.. it come in a paste and is easy to work with, and much easier than the liquid Harris, and clean well with just soap and water. than my go to for all my soldering work..

Data on the paste.. http://superiorflux.com/spec/TDS_No_71.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Where to buy.. https://www.hnflux.net/superior-no-71-78-master-27.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Mars

[acfixer69]

That one does look good too. I never heard of it but if it;s newer go figure. I only testify on the stuff I know for sure. My wife googles shit I say. Find's me full of crap but I believed.

[Chauncey]

For general copper to copper connections standard lead free is fine . For copper to stainless or stainless to stainless I would recommend Stay brite 8. I have had very good luck with it. For flux it is hard to beat Harris Stay clean liquid flux for use with both types of solder.
Brazing is a different beast all together. These are low temp solders. Silver brazing is a high temp joint usually above 1100 degrees to flow the brazing material. It is very strong though.

What she said.

[StillerBoy]

That one does look good too. I never heard of it

I do lots of stainless steel to copper, and have worked with both, and in the past two years, I'm use just Superior now..

The main problem with soldering ss to ss or ss to copper, is that the two surfaces have to be roughen up well, and cleaned well with Acetone.. otherwise you run into problems.. the other thing is in heat up the parts slowly, and if it is done to quick in the heat up, your paste will burn/smoke, and if that happen, you might as well stop, clean up, and re-start, and this applies no matter which paste/flux you use..

Mars

[Oldvine Zin]

The main problem with soldering ss to ss or ss to copper, is that the two surfaces have to be roughen up well, and cleaned well with Acetone.. otherwise you run into problems.. th

Mars

I've had great success using fores as a cleaner instead of acetone, I have given my friend who makes custom bike frames gallons of the stuff and he swears that it's the best steel cleaner out there, and it smells good

OVZ