[TheForge] metalworking question- soldering brass

[Andy Gladish]

An architect has asked me, in the interest of the tightest, most crisp  
joint possible, to try silver solder on the butt joints of a red brass  
hand railing.
Having done a couple houses full of copper plumbing, I assumed that this  
would be easy, but butt joints seem to be a different animal altogether.
Best results so far have been with jewelry grade solder, but it has a  
tendency to run all over the surface and the pipe should probably be acid  
cleaned before soldering, and the architect is trying to preserve the  
patina on the railing as it is.
One problem is that the joints have to be cut very precisely to get a  
solderable joint, and that means expensive saws with lube that would have  
to be cleaned off somehow...adding steps and expense.

Any suggestions, or does anyone know another active metals list where I  
could get some suggestions?
Thanks!
Andy G.

-- 
Naive you are / if you believe / life favours those / who aren't naive.  
-Piet Hein, poet and scientist (1905-1996)