Search found 278 matches

by daves1459
Tue Jan 02, 2024 7:46 pm
Forum: Live Steam Marketplace
Topic: 1" 4-4-0 Washington Castings
Replies: 3
Views: 1954

Re: 1" 4-4-0 Washington Castings

Attached are more photos.
by daves1459
Tue Jan 02, 2024 7:44 pm
Forum: Live Steam Marketplace
Topic: 1" 4-4-0 Washington Castings
Replies: 3
Views: 1954

1" 4-4-0 Washington Castings

For sale is a complete set of castings, drawings, boiler kit, and details for the Reeves Models, UK 1" scale 4 3/4" or 5" gauge Washington 4-4-0. This is a beautiful model of a 1865 locomotive built by Morris Locomotive Works in Paterson, New Jersey. It is a model of the New Jersey Ra...
by daves1459
Thu Oct 26, 2023 7:00 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Furnace Silver Soldering
Replies: 53
Views: 15740

Re: Furnace Silver Soldering

I use a 15% sulfuric acid solution. Pickling time depends on the amount of flux residue and surface oxidation. I used the solution for the construction of a copper boiler. I found that a minute amount of the copper dissolved into the solution which collects on the surface of the next parts to be pic...
by daves1459
Fri Oct 06, 2023 6:45 pm
Forum: Buy, Sell, Trade, Wanted, Free!
Topic: WTB Origional Kozo Shay Book
Replies: 3
Views: 2820

Re: WTB Origional Kozo Shay Book

Still need a copy of Kozo's book? PM me I have a copy.

Dave
by daves1459
Fri Sep 22, 2023 9:09 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Furnace Silver Soldering
Replies: 53
Views: 15740

Re: Furnace Silver Soldering

I would have liked the seam between the halves not to be so pronounced. That's where silver solder would have been superior. With care you may have been able to disguise the joint. While the colors are not identical, they're close enough to not bring attention the way soft solder does. If scaling w...
by daves1459
Thu Sep 21, 2023 7:27 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Furnace Silver Soldering
Replies: 53
Views: 15740

Re: Furnace Silver Soldering

Thank you all for your kind words. I leak tested the condenser I pictured yesterday, and it did not leak on 100psi air submerged in water. I soldered the remaining three condensers. The picture shows the results direct from the oven after cooling and hand wiping off the excess flux. I'll glass bead ...
by daves1459
Wed Sep 20, 2023 9:15 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Furnace Silver Soldering
Replies: 53
Views: 15740

Re: Furnace Silver Soldering

I've rather given up on silver solder and silver bearing soft solder pastes and decided to try wire forms only with flux. I realize that silver solder gives the strongest joint. But my furnace does not have an inert atmosphere and the parts surfaces oxidize significantly. Outside clean-up is easy. B...
by daves1459
Wed Sep 20, 2023 8:17 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Furnace Silver Soldering
Replies: 53
Views: 15740

Re: Furnace Silver Soldering

I'll add a few thoughts…. Silver soldering copper and brass I always chemically clean the parts with a pickling solution of white vinegar and table salt. Found it makes a huge difference in consistent success. I have never used a solder paste, always solder in wire form. I'm thinking you're not get...
by daves1459
Wed Sep 20, 2023 8:04 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Furnace Silver Soldering
Replies: 53
Views: 15740

Re: Furnace Silver Soldering

I'm curious why you're not adding a little extra heat to the operation. If your solder melts at a given temperature, it won't harm anything to add twenty degrees, to ensure that you achieve a temperature that permits the solder to flow adequately. To expect the temperature indicator in use to be de...
by daves1459
Tue Sep 19, 2023 10:10 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Furnace Silver Soldering
Replies: 53
Views: 15740

Re: Furnace Silver Soldering

Just thinking out loud here. Are the cross sections of your test pieces the same as the final pieces? I see one test piece with more mass than the other. There could be an issue of the heavier part not being up to heat, or there could be an issue of differences in expansion and contraction during h...
by daves1459
Tue Sep 19, 2023 8:29 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Furnace Silver Soldering
Replies: 53
Views: 15740

Re: Furnace Silver Soldering

After thinking about the previous test (#4) it occurred to me that the gap between the two pieces may have too large for sweat soldering. The bottom piece was machine to silver solder spec. of .003" to .005" gap per side. Possibly for sweat soft soldering a smaller gap is required. I check...
by daves1459
Tue Sep 19, 2023 8:00 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Furnace Silver Soldering
Replies: 53
Views: 15740

Re: Furnace Silver Soldering

I received a syringe of paste silver bearing soft solder. The solder is lead free with a melt temperature of 430F. Using my standard test pieces, I prepared a sample as shown in the pictures and put it in my furnace/oven at 450F for 10 minutes. After cooling a while I wiped the residue flux off and ...