[Harp-L] Re: Phosphor bronze and silver solder

[pne...@localnet.com]

Silver solder has a higher melting point than lead/tin solder. That extra heat could affect the springiness (bad term, but that's all that I can think of) of the reed.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

[Larry Sandy]

I found some Silver solder at Radio Shack that has a low melting point.

Lockjaw Larry
Fixin' to Breathe Music tonight


________________________________
From: "pne...@localnet.com" <pne...@localnet.com>
To: har...@harp-l.org
Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2012 12:58 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Phosphor bronze and silver solder

[Vern]

The following is from the Radio Shack spec sheet:

Silver Solder
(640-0013) Specifications Faxback Doc. # 38107

Formula: ........................................................ 62/36/2%

Melting Point: ............................................. 355 degrees C
(Metal 179-312 degrees C / Core 250 degrees C)

Size: ......................................................... 0.022 Inch

Weight (spool): .................................................. 1.5 oz.

Specifications are typical; individual units might vary. Specifications are
subject to change and improvement without notice.


(EB 2/24/97)

The formula refers to the lead/tin/silver content.

2% silver won't affect a reed. There is no reason to avoid lead but it won't do that either.

Vern

[fjm]

Tin, lead silver content in that order, 62% tin, 36% lead, 2% silver.
Personally I wouldn't use a rosin core solder because you'll have less
control over what fluxes. I'm not sure why you're bothering with the
solver at all if you still get 36% lead. The silver makes it stronger.
You don't care how mechanically strong the solder is for your
application. It would lower the melting temperature if you didn't have
all that lead. You can get a low temp non lead bearing solder but it
will be expensive. Praxair used to carry a product called Mig 30 or Mig
20 but I haven't seen it there lately. It's very strong, very low temp
and doesn't have any lead in it. I don't like lead solders but not for
health reasons. I don't like how they flow and it's what you get used
to. If you're worried about annealing the brass reed use a thin piece
of paper under the reed. It's enough of a heat sink to give you a wider
margin of error. You'd have to get the reed to colour to anneal it,
that's more heat than you would think it is. ymmv, fjm

[fjm]

Phosphor bronze is pretty good below 750F your solder fluidous
temperature is 593 at the high end. fjm

[Robert Hale]

On Sun, Dec 16, 2012 at 1:58 PM, Larry Sandy <sly...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I found some Silver solder at Radio Shack that has a low melting point.

Thanks All,
I have been using silver solder from Radio Shack and found it
to handle just like lead solder, so it may be a low silver, high lead
content. And it heats easily with a wired iron, or battery iron.

Robert Hale
Spiral Advocate
Learn Harmonica by Webcam
Low Rates, High Success
http://www.youtube.com/DUKEofWAIL
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[Eric Nielsen]

I have used this solder for jewellry making--maybe it will work well for
tuning reeds:

http://www.micromark.com/tix-solder-pkg-of-20-three-inch-sticks,6707.html

It melts at a low temperature (275 F) and contains no lead:


"Tix solder is an indium-based solder, so it contains no lead. Indium is
a soft and malleable metallic element. The “hardest soft solder” will melt
at temperatures 150 degrees lower than lead-tin solders. Furthermore, Tix
solder does not contain bismuth or silver and you can safely use it on
gold, stainless steel, silver, platinum, pewter, alnico and various other
alloys."

http://www.ehow.com/info_12174584_tix-solder-contain-lead.html

Eric

[Eric Nielsen]

Oops. Looks like Indium is toxic. Scratch that.


*"Health effects of indium*

Indium has no biological role. In small doses it is said to stimulate the
metabolism.

Indium compounds are encountered rarely by most people. All indium
compounds should be regarded as highly toxic. Indium compounds damage the
heart, kidney, and liver, and may be teratogenic.

Insufficient data are available on the effect of this substance on human
health, therefore utmost care must be taken."
http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/in.htm

Eric

Read more: http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/in.htm#ixzz2FI4JFGqk

[Vern]

Indium with a density of 7.31 g/cc would be less effective in lowering reed pitch than the same volume of lead at 11.3 g/cc

As Mack the Knife says "The cement's there for the weight, Babe"

Vern