White Metal To White Metal Soldering

[BrushType4]

Guys,

I've realised that super glue is not the answer, but anytime I bring a soldering iron near any expensive/irreplaceable white metal parts, it all goes wrong.

There are some experts here who I'm sure can put me on the right road. So any tips, advice would be most welcome. Please don't be too technical!

 

[Old Buffer]

Phil,
First try this with some scrap white metal.
I use 70 degree solder, set the iron to 200 degrees, put plenty of flux on the joint, (I use carrs red) then put some solder (not too much) on the iron and touch it to the parts that need soldering.
NOTE do not linger with the iron as you will melt everthing.
Hope this puts you on the right road.
Alan

 

[Rob Pulham]

Hi Phil,

I don't class myself as an expert by any means but I don't generally have any trouble when soldering whitemetal to white metal.

I find the key is to get the castings clean. To achieve this I dry scrub the edges to be joined using a plastic kitchen scouring pad (you could use a fibreglass pen for this but I have a good supply of them). This removes any powder residue from the casting process.

I have a cheap variable temp iron that I bought on special for £9.99 from Maplins that I use on one of its lower settings and I use the water based flux from Simon Varnham /Building O Gauge On line. For me there's not much more to it.

Sorry I forgot the 70 degree solder - Oops!

 

[BrushType4]

I think I just need more practice and a variable temperature iron. It's just so frustrating that I cant do this just now.

 

[Steph Dale]

Phil,

Just to add to the above, a little. I now use 144 solder, the trick is to keep the parts clean as has been said here. I use a brass-bristle brush such as used for cleaning suede or sparkplugs (yes, such things are still available!). For an iron I use an Antex TCS, set to around 250 degrees and it's fitted with a large (6mm) bit, that's kept well tinned. The trick is the need to get a lot of heat into the parts (as they tend to be pretty large compared with brass sheet/fret parts), but not too much temperature. For reference you'll probably find that most castings we'd have in whitemetal will melt between 170-190 degrees (ish).

Using low-melt (70 degree) solder you'd have some success with an iron set to around 100-150 degrees and wouldn't upset the whitemetal castings. I used to do it this way (with a soldering iron controller), until I started work in 7mm, where the 145 solder technique results in a much more robust model. It's also, by necessity, a very quick method of construction.

I hope some of that helps,

Steph

 

[Phill Dyson]

I would agree with the above, I use one of those cheapo Maplin solder stations on it lowest setting & above all I find you really need to be in & out very quickly to avoid a puddle of whitemetal .

 

[28ten]

I use the same solder, flux, and temperature (350deg) as I would for brass......... I just work quicker

 

[adrian]

I use the same solder, flux, and temperature (350deg) as I would for brass......... I just work quicker

I did something similar, built an ABS wagon with a standard 40W Weller iron - you do learn to move quickly!!

 

[Old Buffer]

I did something similar, built an ABS wagon with a standard 40W Weller iron - you do learn to move quickly!!

I did my metal modelling apprenticeship with ABS kits, and soon realised how quick I had to be. Hot and quick is the motto.
Alan

 

[Eastsidepilot]

Phil,
I use an Antex 50 watt TCS variable temp. iron set to its lowest setting, 70 degree solder and the same flux that I would use for brass.

Col.

 

[Ressaldar]

I've also been doing exactly the same as Col. - the main problem that I have found is the inconsistancy of the quality of the whitemetal castings - one area where DJH do seem to shine is that quality of their whitemetal, just a shame about the kits themselves - but that is a whole new can of worms.

cheers

Mike