Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Bruce, do you use a silver solder, with a 1200 degree or so melting point, or do you use a solder with a lower melting point?

Mike

Hi Mike
I use STAY BRITE® #8 TIN/SILVER SOLDER, it has the highest melting point I could find in a soft solder
here are the specs
Solidus 221°C (430°F)
Liquidus 279°C (535°F)
Deposit color – silver
Shear Strength (copper lap joint) – 10,600 PSI
it has a generous cushion of melting point , brazing solder (silver solder) although would be the best ,would run the risk of unsoldering the boiler end cap & most definitely turning the boiler blue ,thus necessitating the need to get it re nickel plated (4-6 weeks turn around) if you run the boiler dry for an extended period ,you could run the risk of melting the brass sleeve out of the boiler & ruining the heater, the spec say this heater could get up to 1400 degree's temp (undamped)...so I'm guessing silver brazing wouldn't hold up either. if you don't run it completely out of water....you will have no trouble.