Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / May 2004

Your text is quite correct.

Alas, you don't understand what the text states.

Soldering is indeed a liquid-solid process, and the base materials are
indeed not melted as in welding.

Be a good boy and cite the section of your text where it says "Steel
cannot be soldered".  G'head, we'll wait while you re-read the entire
text to no avail.

How many pictures of soldered steel joints do you need to see before
you understand why you got a "D" in that welding course ?
Cheers,
Fred McClellan
The House Of Balsa Dust
home.mindspring.com/~the-plumber

Did you pass that class?  I have two semesters of welding in college as well
as 15 years certification in NASA soldering.  Steel CAN easily be soldered.

--
Paul McIntosh
http://www.rc-bearings.com

David,

Why not take a look at this manufacturer's web site and count how many times
steel and soldering are used together?

http://www.jwharris.com/welref/faq/

--
Paul McIntosh
http://www.rc-bearings.com

Your table of temperatures that differentiate between soldering and
brazing does not support your conclusion.

All it says is that steel is not usable as a solder, not that it
cannot be soldered.

From a train site:

"If you are soldering steel rails, you should make some provision to
be able to clean your rails with really clean hot water after
soldering. The fluxes that work best with steel are somewhat corrosive
and will cause your rail to rust over time unless it is rinsed off.

"I have soldered Gargraves stainless steel rail using this method to
attach wiring to it. Stainless requires an extreme amount of heat for
any amount of success so unless you have all day to play and a lot of
patience, don't attempt it. I did not enjoy doing it and would not
have tried it if my tracks had been removable."

http://www.trainweb.org/csg/soldering_tips.html

From a jeweler:

"Paste flux, sold by trade names such as Handy Flux© or Grifflux #1©,
is a white, water-based compound containing borax and boric acid. Like
liquid flux, paste flux can be used on gold, silver, copper, brass,
and bronze. It can also be used on steel, although there are fluxes
manufactured specifically for use when soldering steel with silver
solder."

http://www.lapidaryjournal.com/tech/499tech.cfm

Ah--a manufacturer's site:

"Some applications for Johnson’s Soldering Fluid are for soldering
steel, copper, brass, iron, tinplate, terne metal, zinc
coated steel, pewter, cast iron, and others."

http://www.johnsonmfg.com/temp/techbuls/tbjsf2X.pdf

Rings to use when brazing or soldering steel parts:
http://www.docsblocks.com/category_maker/parts/braze_supplies.asp

Picture 210: Silver soldering steel thread to nickel silver for door
handle on a tiny, hand-made model of a 1931 Bently (awesome!):

http://homepage.mac.com/gawingrove/Bentley-Build/PhotoAlbum23.html

I'm gonna quit googling now and go read through the Bentley site.
Amazing modeler.
   
                    Marty

Here's what the text means:
"'liquid-solid phase bonding processes'.":
means solder is in its liquid phase (melted) during the bonding process, and
the base material remains in its solid phase (unmelted).

"Soldering and brazing differ only in that soldering takes place at a

means solder material melts at temperature below 840 deg F; and brazing
material melts at temperature above 840 deg F.
Thus, the text does recognize that steel can be soldered and can be brazed.
I would hope so; people do it all the time.