Re: Soldering a tractor radiator - UPDATE

Christopher Tidy wrote:
Hi folks,

Thanks for all the advice. Thanks especially to those (Ted, Eric and a few others) who've done it before and know that it can be done.

I had a look at the radiator again today. I don't think I'm going to try and solder it in-place. One of my reasons for doing this was to save the cost of new anti-freeze. I'm now thinking that on the whole this is a pretty bad reason. I had also thought it might be safer to leave the radiator partially filled to protect it from heat, but I think the poor access for cleaning and doing the actual soldering mean that it isn't a great plan. The radiator needs cleaning pretty badly.

So if I'm going to do it, the radiator is coming out. There are a couple of features of the radiator which concern me, though. The first is that the bottom of the joint I need to repair is only about 1 inch above the top of the tubes. Is this similar to the radiator you repaired, Ted, or is this one going to be extra risky?

Secondly, there is a previous repair on the top side of the joint. It's rather over-filled, so I think I'm going to need to get the solder off. Any ideas on how I might achieve this, apart from heating it carefully with the top pointing downwards?

Then there's the question of flux. I had a look in the workshop and I have three fluxes, together with lead-tin solder (which I think is 60/40). The fluxes are:

Templer's "Telux", marked as "milder" and seems waxy, so I don't think it's water-based.

Laco "Regular Soldering Flux", marked "non-toxic and non-acidic". Less waxy that the Telux, but I don't think it's water-based.

Fry's Metals "Powerflow" Flux. Apparently it offers "good penetration of surface oxide with no pre-cleaning necessary". It's the only flux I have which might be acidic, but I'm not certain. It looks like it probably is water-based.

Any hints and suggestions? I might get the radiator out this coming weekend if I have time.

Best wishes,

Chris


In reverse order, thew flux to try is the fry's powerflo.
The previous repair of oversoldering will come off with your flux brush a 1/2in paint brush will do. Use your small but hot flamed torch to localise the heat to melt this area Always flux plenty you cant over flux
.. as soon as you see the soldermelt, just brush it off onto the floor. Make sure youve proper boots on!!.
If you watch where your heating and have a wet rag on the seam by the tubes youll be ok.
Finally, take time to clean everything well. you may need to flux and heat then flux again then reheat then repeat till the flux dissolves the remaing oxides and the solder wets the metal.
Obviously you need to hold the flamme away from the brush otherwise youll be looking for another.
Push the solder about with the flux brush.
your better to use a thin length of 1/8th solder it melts easier than a thick stick.
Tin lead Solder joint construction is quite different to silver solder joint design which is different again to welding.


Well be thinking of you this weeked.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: New way to mess up soldering copper pipe!
    ... plumber under my house for a few days now, ... First we suspected the flux had become ... Harbor Freight to apply the flux and he likes to continue to brush on ... Of course you can't solder joints when they're filled with water, ...
    (rec.crafts.metalworking)
  • Re: Soldering a tractor radiator - UPDATE
    ... I had a look at the radiator again today. ... so I think I'm going to need to get the solder off. ... Then there's the question of flux. ... have three fluxes, together with lead-tin solder (which I think is ...
    (rec.crafts.metalworking)
  • Re: Soldering a tractor radiator - UPDATE
    ... A flux brush is typically, in my experience, what is known as an "acid ... These brushes are some type of animal hair. ... if used to spread hot flux or solder can burn. ...
    (rec.crafts.metalworking)
  • Re: Soldering a tractor radiator - UPDATE
    ... A flux brush is typically, in my experience, what is known as an "acid ... These brushes are some type of animal hair. ... if used to spread hot flux or solder can burn. ...
    (rec.crafts.metalworking)
  • Re: Soldering a tractor radiator - UPDATE
    ... I had a look at the radiator again today. ... there is a previous repair on the top side of the joint. ... so I think I'm going to need to get the solder off. ... Then there's the question of flux. ...
    (rec.crafts.metalworking)