solder help! can't find info

[6eight]

I am trying to solder some stainless steel components to my kettle. Stay brite (for some reason) is impossible to find in stores in our area. I was in Ace hardware and came across two kits by alpha fry. Both are specialty soldering kits with solder and flux. The first (#53982) is lead free and contains 98% tin and 2% silver. I can't find any information about cadmium. Melting point is 450 with 8000 psi strength. The second is (#53500) lead free and is 56% silver with copper, zinc, and tin. Applications include cookware and silverware. Melting point is 1205 and tensile is 30000 psi.

I am using Mapp gas and can't find any information (msds sheets) to find out if it's safe for use. Does anyone have information on these products as a backup for staybrite?

[ben stiller]

The first one sounds like it will work. A couple percent less silver than
Stay Brite but some use regular solder. The flux is what really matters.
What is the flux made of? eBay is a good source for stay Brite.
Doubt it contains cadmium since the make up you listed equals 100%

The second one is true silver solder and will need an oxy acetylene
Torch to melt it.

[greenthumb]

From my experience you wont be able to bond with the 2% silver solder, as the parts will need to be cherry red to silver solder and the 2% stuff will just run off at 600oC lower than whats needed, buy the 56% silver solder, if you can buy pre fluxed rods,
I have seen folk on youtube using map gas, but I have never had success using it, not even close!

I have to use a propane roofing style torch and even thats tough.

[Rastus]

try a local welders supply perhaps. the stay bright solder is i believe 5% and worked for me on my ferrule. it was a chalenge and the liquid flux is the way to go with that.
safety silv 56 is what i used to make some of my components... i didn't use it with stainless however it is recommended for ss/copper and is also food safe. it took a bernzamatic turbo torch and a second small torch to get it hot enough to flow, but once it did it was pure heaven.

good luck

[pfshine]

With uni-1450 as soldering flux its a breeze. Its just like soldering copper. You do NOT need to get the metal cherry just get it hot enough for the solder to flow. DO NOT get the metal red hot cherry with this it burns out the flux and leaves nastiness the solder will never stick. 98-2 is close to what I use and have never had a problem with it copper to copper or copper to ss or ss to ss. Here is a link that shows son ss to ss soldering. And another with copper to ss http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 04&start=3 . http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... it=+basics

[6eight]

I played around with the 2%, but not sure how well it adhered to the stainless. The flux is liquid much like the stay brite kits. I used a stainless pot lid and 1/2 npt stainless coupling. The coupling was installed with the dimpling tool I used on my homebrew kettle and tun. The coupling was a tight fit and I had a nice area for soldering. When I built the kettles the SB was available at lowes and Home Depot. Now neither carry it. I tried 6 welding supply shops with no luck. Hoping to order a couple SB kits to have on hand, but needed a back up for a quick project I was working on. I will try it out and patch with a little Flour if needed. I tweaked the coupling with a wrench and it didn't break off so I think it will make this run.

[cranky]

I use 2% silver solder and have no problem. The flux is whats important and scuffing the stainless well and you get one shot at it or you have to clean it all off and do it again. Here are the best tutorials I have found.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=39820
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=36347
One even has a video.

[shadylane]

+1 cranky

[thisguy]

What cranky said. I did ss to ss with 2% silver. Used brazing flux and it worked great. Just took a few tries. Cleaning is important. And I did it with propane, mapp gas got too hot and burnt
The flux

[yakattack]

As others have stated, it is possible to solder ss to as and as to copper with even the 2 percent and water based flux and butane/ propane.

Here's a few tips.

One skip the sand paper. Use a dremmel or other rotery tool and give the mating area a good grinding. This will ensure that you are removing any coatings that may be on it which will hinder the solder.

If possible heat from inside out. If you can heat from the inside of the fitting you will avoid burning the flux. Takes longer but a cleaner joint.

Do not touch the area to be soldered. The oils on your skin are enough to be an issue. Keep your fingers and everything else clear and you will be good.

Pre tin the as pieces
. this takes 2x 3x longer but will make it so much easier to solder. Basicly but a small groove in the pipe and fill it with solder as if you were soldering it together. This will give the new solder a surface to mate to.

Keep your heat close. As you are flowing the solder keep the flame a few inches ahead of your work. This will keep the joint up at temp as the solder is flowing.

These are what work for me. By no means am I an expert but it worked well for me. I was able to solder on the as furrel to the 2 inch copper pipe this way as well as ss fitting to ss pipe.

Happy soldering

Yak

[casper the Irish]

You will get best results from MIG welding. There must be a fabrication shop or welder with one of these will oblige

[cna8065]

Plumbers could do it in a jiffy just ask them to treat it like copper.
But i prefer to tig weld all my stuff but i am bias as hell because i really enjoy tig welding

[rad14701]

Plumbers could do it in a jiffy just ask them to treat it like copper.
But i prefer to tig weld all my stuff but i am bias as hell because i really enjoy tig welding

Resurrecting yet another zombie topic...