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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: ray copeland on November 25, 2007, 04:07:55 PM
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Looking for suggestions on soldering adjustable L brackets to a 2 oz. uniflo tank. Flame, electric gun, flux or not? Could possibly epoxy but would like to solder if i can figure how without breaking loose the other joints and tubes. Thanks for any tips!! Ray
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I'd find a different way to mount the tank. Soldering anything to the tank has the risk of creating a leak somewhere. Most of the time I use either J-bolts and rubber bands, or make a mounting plate out of plywood and strap the tank to the plate with zip ties.
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Hi Ray,
Actually pretty easy thing to do if you have the proper solderring iron/gun.. I use a large Weller soldering gun but a 60 watt or higher iron will work fine. Use electronic solder 60/40 available from radio Shack, you typically won't need any additional flux.. Do not use acid core solder or Stay Bright flux, not necessary and just causes corrosion problems unless you know what you are doing and how to clean it well.
Tin both the tank and the brass mount, touch the iron to and apply a thin coat of solder to the parts you will be joining. I place the tank in a small vise with the end up, set the brass mount on the tank and apply the iron to the topside of the brass mount.. Apply a bit of solder to help the iron heat up the brass, than apply a bit of solder to the edges between the mount and tank. The solder will wick in between the mount and tank.
You may move the mount out of place but just scoot it back with the iron or figure out some way to clamp/hold it in place while you solder it.
The iron won't heat up the existing tank joints enough to melt the solder unless you get carried away and hold the iron on too long. The parts you are soldering need to be hot enough to melt the solder or you won't get a good joint. If you just touch the solder to the iron to get a small bridge between the iron and item, this helps the iron transfer the heat. Than move the solder off to the side on the item you are soldering, you will know you have it hot enough when the solder melts.
Lots easier to do than explain...
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To locate the tabs so they don't move whilst soldering. Pre-tin per above, then screw them with small sheet metal screws (dare I say R/C servo mounting screws) to a backing plate, 1x2 pine works great, with the tank positioned between where you want it. You're then free to solder your heart out with no movement of the parts. I use a Weller gun, 250-350 watt, 60/40 rosin core. Smaller guns have to heat a larger area to get the job done, less possibility of leaks when using the large gun. I haven't had a problem with other joints loosening. In any case pressure test after you're finished. A cleanup with baking soda in water and an acid brush takes care of any left over flux.
I've had some problems lately with getting a reliable gun to replace the Weller I had for many years. They all seem to be made off-shore any more. Just make sure to get a genuine Weller. I had to buy mine using EBAY Express, nobody locally stocked them. 140 Watt are pretty common. A 250 gun I got at Radio Shack just fell apart the week I started using it. It overheated itself, and the "prongs" that hold the tip just fell out. They were soft soldered into the body! A minor design (mnaufacturing cost) flaw perhaps??? DUHHHH!
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:! I have been using e Ersin 5 core rosin core that I buy at electronic supply stores.
As for the gun I use a Weller 100-140 watt gun and I use a solder paste to be sure that all parts are clean.
Don't use an acid core flux as it will cause rust and other problems
I like that idea about putting the tank on a piece of pine to keep it from moving !
Good luck........... H^^
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I've had some problems lately with getting a reliable gun to replace the Weller I had for many years. They all seem to be made off-shore any more. Just make sure to get a genuine Weller. I had to buy mine using EBAY Express, nobody locally stocked them. 140 Watt are pretty common. A 250 gun I got at Radio Shack just fell apart the week I started using it. It overheated itself, and the "prongs" that hold the tip just fell out. They were soft soldered into the body! A minor design (mnaufacturing cost) flaw perhaps??? DUHHHH!
Yep the old Weller guns are hard to beat, Mine is really old and beat up but still works great.. Reciently found another one that is in great shape at a local auction and bought it for $10.00. Now I have one in reserve. They do show up on eBay from time to time (both sizes) at good prices.
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Would JB weld not work should hold ok and is fuel proof also
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I've used JB Weld for some of my pushrods where I use a nylon horn and don't want heat to damage it. Just like in soldering, clean the parts thoroughly. I will "nick" the end of the pushrod with a Dremel cutoff wheel to create a notch in the end of the wire. It gives the JB Weld a better anchor to the rod.
Mix up the JB Weld, apply it to the washer/rod then I can get a very nice fillet by using a heat gun to liquify the JB Weld.
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Would JB weld not work should hold ok and is fuel proof also
I wouldn't do it, have fixed a few tanks for other club members that tried to hold mounts on with JB weld.. It didn't hold..
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When putting the tabs on Brodak tanks I keep a small screw driver handy to hold the part in place after the solder flows. Then I remove the iron. The only iron I have is the one the wife uses in her stained glass work. Have fun, DOC Holliday
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Hello there all. I was wondering while reading this post can someone please describe the method of tinning. As was taken from an earlier post in this topic. 'Tin both the tank and the brass mount......'. Thanks all.
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Clamp the part to keep it from moving. Clean the area to be soldered thoroughly with solvent, and then with a wire brush or fine sandpaper until it shines. This is probably the most important part. Put a thin coat of flux where you want the solder to go. Heat it with the iron until the flux sizzles, then apply a small amount of solder and spread it around the area to be tinned. If you want, wipe off any excess with a quick wipe with a wet cotton rag, to get a uniform layer of solder on the metal.
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Look around and find a stainless wire brush. They don't cost very much and save trouble. The small amount of solder is an important point - I had to drill out a filler tube on a tank this afternoon. I managed to plug it at the bottom when I replaced it.
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I have found that sometimes using a spring type clothes pin for positioning works great. Doesn't act as a heat sink. Metalic items if they are large enough will act as a heat sink, example a screw driver or punch.
Thanks
Wayne Buran
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Finished soldering the tank!! What i thought was a nice Weller soldering gun in my old tool box was a R**** Shack brand and only managed to heat enough to mess up. My engineer neighbor convinced me to use his butane torch and he was right on!! Had to splice two pieces together to go across the fuselage and down the other side also. Everything worked great. With the mini torch i was able to touch and go at the tank and i pre tinned everything and used paste flux and resin core solder. Worked great, i will definitely add one to my tool box. Hopefully will try out the airplane this weekend. Thanks for all the helpful tips. Ray C.