boxbeam

My Feedback: (188)

I am getting ready to construct a set of landing gear from 5/32 steel wire and was wondering what type of solder works best. I will be wrapping the pieces with copper wire, but want an excellent bond so there is no breakage. Let me hear on what all you builders use and even some of the techniques as well. Thank you all.

Ron

fledermaus

The best result would be from silver solder, which requires a higher temperature torch (not an iron or gun). You might be able to dispense with wrapping if you can shape your steel joints tightly enough. In any event, copper wire will not add much strength since it is so soft.

I built a set of floats using 5/32 steel wire with 1/8 wire cross-braces, wrapping the joints with thin steel wire and soldering with normal plumbing solder, and the joints have remained strong.

I have also built scale undercarriage for a 1/6 Sopwith Camel using silver solder and carefully-shaped joints.

huck1199

I gave up on soldering with copper wire wrap. I got them welded by my son.  The result is stronger and better looking. If you have a tig welder or a friend that has one go for it.

KitBuilder

I have use copper wire wrap on so far up 46 size planes with no issues. After cleaning up the joint I cover the joint/wrap with heat shrink tubing and it looks great.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I sand the copper wire, clean with alcohol. Same thing for the gear wire. Flux the copper wire and use a small hand held tourch/crack tourch to heat the LG wire first then the copper wire. I use standard old 60/40 solder and just flow it on. I do the same thing for N-struts and Cabanes on Bipes. As Huck mentioned, welding is better and cleaner but if you over heat the wire it removes the temper from the steel and the wire will break.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Acid Core solder unless you want to go to the higher temperature silver solder.

jaka

Hi!
Best way to solder pianowire is to use "Stay-Brite" silversolder and a soldering iron! I use a 50W Weller station since 1975.
Welding and brass/copper high temp solder using a torch does'nt work as the piano wire looses its flexability at those temperatures.

Rodney

The main thing is to have every thing very clean, clean, clean and the clean some more. Clean both the area to be soldered and the wire you will wrap the joint with and then be sure to not get any oil from your hands/skin on it while wrapping it. I have had good luck with regular tin/lead solder but prefer the Staybrite if available. This method is easily done by even the first time modeler. Yes, a welded or true silver solder brazing is stronger but beyond the equipment/skill level of the typical new comer to the hobby. Youl need to be careful to not remove the temper from the wire gear by getting it to hot which is a common error for the newbe using silver solder or brazing. If you remove the temper, your landing gear will fail on the first hard landing.

LesUyeda

"The best result would be from silver solder, which requires a higher temperature torch (not an iron or gun). "

I would take exception on that. Been doing this sort of thing since the mid 50's, and the problem with any torch, is that it is much too easy to oxidize the surface, then nothing will stick. I have always used standard 60/40 radio solder, and a large Weller soldering gun (260/200), and PASTE flux. Thoroughly clean the surfaces with a scotchbrite pad (not steel wool, tends to leave steel particles), tin, tack together. Then wrap with copper wire, and flow solder through everything.

Les

boxbeam

My Feedback: (188)

I experimented last nite by sanding heavy scratches into the 5/32 wire, cleaning it with carb cleaner from the spray can, wiping it down with a clean paper towel and then wrapped the joint very tightly with copper wire. I used a Bernzamatic torch on low flame, and got the whole joint just to the point where the 60/40 solder began to melt after removing the flame and touching it to the copper wire. After it stopped flowing, I reheated the are just enough to flow the solder by touching it to the copper wire again. After doing this for several minutes, the copper wire filled up and smoothed out on both sides and appears to be a solid joint. There is no discoloration to the main gear wire, so I don't think I affected the strength of it by using a low heat. I think I'll stick with this method as I have used it before but not in this manner and don't want to take a chance using silver solder with a torch and heating it to the point of removing the temper from the wire. Thanks for all the great suggestions and tips on this subject, I appreciate you all taking the time to share them with me and others who have read this post. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Ron

yellerchamp

My Feedback: (42)

I have used silver solder and flux and oxy acetlene and never had a problem, just use a small tip and heat quickly and get off, also have used the electric iron method but feel silver solder is stronger just my preference that and a dime will get you a cup of ,,,,,,oh no that and a buck will get you a cup of coffee

JeffinTD

I use silver solder, steel wire, liquid flux, sandpaper, and alcohol to clean the joint before and after. I also use a micro butane torch.

After a little practice, it is easy to get the joint heated evenly at the proper temp and the solder wicks in nicely.

ARUP

I use StayBrite silver solder and its flux with propane torch to get very pretty shiney flowing fillets on my parts. The torch allows you to put heat where it is needed without heating everything else too much. It's an acquired art that just about anyone can learn to do. I even assembled a complete tailwheel assembly from music wire and brass sheet without melting a plastic wheel with foam tire using this method. It can be seen on RCScalebuilder. The forum is 'other kits' and thread is '1/6 SIG Cub to PA-12'.

cstevenpeterson

My Feedback: (21)

Same here - I use StayBrite with an old heavy (hot) soldering iron. StayBright is great stuff for this.

Steve

Rodney

I agree that StayBrite is a good choice, just not the only choice. StayBrite is NOT silver solder, it is tin/lead with some silver content and as such works at a much lower temperature than silver solder does but is slightly stronger than pure tin/lead. One caution with StayBrite, the flux is acidic and must be thoroughly cleaned off after soldering or there will be lots of corrosion around the joint later.

LesUyeda

I get the impression that what most are referring to as "silver solder" is in reality "silver bearing solder"; i.e., solder containing some silver.

Les

fledermaus

Perhaps. I was referring to silver brazing in fact - the solder or brazing wire I used for my Sopwith undercarriage was 35% silver and I used a MAP-gas torch to heat the joint. No problem, you just have to be careful, shape your parts for a very close fit, clean everything well and use a generous amount of the right flux.
[link=http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/Products/Alloys/Brazing/High-Silver/Safety-Silv-35.aspx]http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/Products/Alloys/Brazing/High-Silver/Safety-Silv-35.aspx[/link]
[link=http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/Products/Alloys/Brazing/Fluxes/Stay-Silv-White-Flux.aspx]http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/Products/Alloys/Brazing/Fluxes/Stay-Silv-White-Flux.aspx[/link]

landeck

My Feedback: (1)

What is best is mix a paste of baking soda and water and use that to completely coat the joint. You will see the mixture bubble as it is applied. When it is done bubbling, rinse with water and there will be no corrosion. I do this with all joints made with acid flux.

Bruce

ARUP

Harris' Stay Brite solder I use has silver content. I call it silver solder and maybe that's a misnomer, especially here, when folks are trying to learn something. Guess it's like asking for a Coke in a restaurant and the waitress asks 'what kind?' and the customer replies '7Up'. Be that as it may, I prefer a torch and could never get results as shown in photos with an iron. The torch lights up and gives heat- NOW! I use metal clamps and wet tissue as heats sinks to allow parts to be added to an assembly. This tail wheel even has a foam tire on a plastic rim with a metal axle. The metal axle is soldered to the brass on both sides so it will never fall off. (never say never but you know what I mean). The foam didn't get burnt (wet tissue) and the axle didn't melt the plastic rim (localized heat from flame NOW then squirt water on it).

tcrowson

The best solder I have found is from Brownells and is sold for the gunsmith trade. It is called Force 44 and is a silver/tin alloy melting point 450 deg f. It has a shear strength of 28000 psi and comes either as wire with separate flux or wire with a flux core. Sta-Brite is a silver/tin alloy with about the same melting point and a shear strength of 14000 psi. Regular lead/tin solder is a poor choice as it is not resistant to vibration and only has a shear strength of 5680 psi.

Tas

jaka

Hi!
Stay-Brite does not need any lenghty cleaning!
Just pour on some of the acid on the joint and then hit it with the soldering iron (50W or more). Soo easy! But remeber to clean that acid off!

The above mentioned Silver solder Hi-Force 44 is ment for a propane torch, not a soldering iron! So ofcourse it's much stronger, like all high temp silver solder are.

dbacque

My Feedback: (3)

Stay-Brite is good stuff. It's not as strong as a high percentage silver solder but it's much stronger than electronics solder and plenty strong enough for our needs. Used correctly you'll break something else before you break a Stay-Brite joint. And as mentioned a high wattage iron is good for soldering music wire with Stay-Brite. A torch can easily overheat the wire to the point where it loses it's temper and is too hot for the solder to stick well.

An additional note on wire wrapping though. It's not always as pretty as you might like. But you're a modeler, fix it! Here's what I did on my Skybolt. After neatly wrapping with safety wire and making a nicely flowed joint using a 45w soldering iron, I then filled the wraps with Bondo glazing putty and sanded smooth. Ahhhh, much better!

Dave

boxbeam

My Feedback: (188)

Nice finish on those struts Dbacque!

tcrowson

I beg to differ with jaka. Force 44 does not require a propane torch. I use a regular soldering iron for small parts and a weller soldering gun for parts like landing gear. Of course one could use a propane torch for very large parts.

Tas