Dick--
All these solders melt in the 400F to 600F temperature range. Lead-tin
solders melt lower than lead free solders use for house water lines.
1.Easy rosin core soldering (lead-tin)--Copper and most copper alloys(
brass, bronze, etc) tin and it's alloys (including the silver colored
plating on terminal connectors and tin plating on tin cans). Note the more
tin in the solder the easier to work with on electrical stuff.
2.Lead solders with acid flux--Any above metals plus steel. But the steel
joint isn't real strong. I seem to recall I once got a pretty decent solder
joint on galvanized (zinc) coated sheet steel.
3. There are special solders for aluminum. Usually can be found in most big
hardware stores. Never tried them myself. The key here is to get rid of the
natural oxide coating on aluminum so the special solder will stick.
1000-1200 degrees F -- Silver solders for copper alloys and carbon steels.
Silver "solders" are actually silver containing brazing alloys that melt
well below the melting point of brass (1600F). With care to minimize
oxidation and the right silver solder and flux you can even solder stainless
steel. That's how orthodontists assemble your kid's braces.
Best done with an acetylene torch reducing flame but possible with a good
propane torch if you can tolerate the extra heat to spreading out without
damaging surrounding areas. Great way to pre-assemble special water lines
so the joints won't melt and fall apart when you have to attach to something
big like a radiator tank.
Ed Weldon
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dick J" <lsr_man@yahoo.com>
Subject: Lead Soldering
Exactly what metals can be soldered using regular resin core soldering
wire. Copper to steel alloy? What about aluminum tubing? Brass for sure?
Bronze?
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