|
Silver Brazing Rod
Silver Brazing Rod, (AKA hard silver solder, high temp silver solder, silver-bearing brazing rod,
high-strength brazing rod)
-
Flux coated, 18 inches in length, 1020F melting point.
-
120, 000psi tensile, thin flowing, rapid wetting.
-
Moderately hard. Can be sanded with 800 for supreme polish, and can be blended into both steel and brass for
perfect plating repairs and new contruction. (Perhaps 45% silver content)
-
NOT for high impact or carbide mountings.
NOTE: I have used this material since 1972 to repair brass lamps, stainless, copper, and steel and
brass parts for chrome and nickel plating. It will join steel, stainless, copper, brass, silver, gold, and
German Silver to themselves and to each other. I have, ahem, used it with the TIG to repair very
severe rust pits on a set of 5 Chrysler Imperial wire wheels for Glenn Campbell. Used 6 lbs on that job.
Boy was the boss surprised at the materials bill! BUT not one pit remained.
The Tin Man has a nice reputation for high-end brass lamp restorations, for both boats and for autos, and
this is one of the secret weapons. Will not color-match brass perfectly, but very close when highly
polished. Has a silvery luster.
TECHNIQUE: Clean and stainless wire brush or sand surfaces bright. Set a SOFT flame, i.e. quiet, low
pressure, with a "feather" of acetylene or fuel 2-3X inner cone length. Warm both parts and dab fluxed rod
against surface until the flux runs off onto the surface. Then look for the surface to brighten as the flux
cleans and "tins" the surface.
At this point it will run like water. OVERHEATING will cause the silver to fizz, ball up, go porous, not wet
to the surface. ALSO, if the surface turns dark and oxidizes, the silver will stop flowing. IF the surface
actually glows with heat you are history, and must chill and re-brush and sand back to bright. Thin
stainless multi-strand cables may be done, but use a small tip and BE CAREFUL not to over heat. I silver
the ends of the cables only to keep them from ratting, and never silver them to splice them.
One application of mine for the past thirty years has been to make "special" brass fittings for gasoline,
water, propane, compressed air, diesel, etc., out of bits and pieces lying about. A band saw and torch can
give professional, durable results with an excellent product. I have made hundreds of fittings on short
notice.
|