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Thread: Copper Soldering

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    30

    Default Copper Soldering

    Hello

    I wan to solder a a copper rod that is approx 13mm to 0.9mm copper sheet

    any advise on this? Can I use silver solder with my propane gas torch?

    Thanks in advance for any suggestions, Mari

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

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    Yes Mari, you can use any silver solder and your usual flux and pickle.

    The only difference you will note is that copper becomes very soft when heated and you might have to take steps to work harden it by doing some of your intended bending afterwards, or in the case of round wire, twisting it.

    You can also use only easy and extra easy solder, to avoid heating the copper too much, because it can become difficult to manage when soft.

    The other thing is to use solder sparingly, or by sweat soldering, because it can look pretty messy. It helps to plate the solder when finished, by immersing it in old green looking pickle with the addition of an iron nail. Dennis.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    England
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    1,902

    Default

    As Dennis said you can use any silver solder when soldering copper, but I hope you have a decent propane torch as you will need quite a lot of heat to solder 13mm. diameter rod to the 0.9mm. thick sheet.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    Central London
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    Quote Originally Posted by Goldsmith View Post
    As Dennis said you can use any silver solder when soldering copper, but I hope you have a decent propane torch as you will need quite a lot of heat to solder 13mm. diameter rod to the 0.9mm. thick sheet.
    The enormity of the copper rod has only just sunk in. If it is correct, you might consider using tubing instead, because otherwise the heat required is likely to buckle the thin sheet. Also let it air cool afterwards. Dennis

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Posts
    22

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    Two small tips for soldering the big copper rod to something much ligther:

    - red hot first the big rod with the torch, while keeping the thin sheet hot (touch it with the flame from time to time)
    - place an steel screw or something like that over the sheet to help excess heat escaping, cos you can end up fusing the sheet while the solder flows from the rod to it.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    England
    Posts
    1,902

    Default

    I am curious to know what you are making Mari, any chance of a sketch?

    James

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