[TheForge] metalworking question- soldering brass

[Bruce Freeman]

How can you heat it enough to solder and preserve the patina?

The pencil idea is a good one but smoking the areas to be kept
solder-free with an acetylene torch or a candle would also work.

If you use a non-eutectic solder, your joints don't have to be cut so perfect.

On Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 11:46 AM,  <Grover.Richardson at gtri.gatech.edu> wrote:
> I was taught to take a #2 pencil and draw down the sides of the crack that you are brazing.  The solder will run to the pencil line and stop.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Andy Gladish
> Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 12:01 PM
> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: [TheForge] metalworking question- soldering brass
>
> 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)
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-- 
Bruce
NJ