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01-18-2017, 04:03 PM | #1 |
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Location: Madison, NJ
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Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
I have an original cut-out cover that is perfect, except for a few small pits in places. I used some plumbing solder that I had available, flux, and a butane torch (heating from inside the cover) to melt some solder into place. This worked until I went to sand it smooth after cooling. The solder would tear away in pieces. Is this a function of the type of solder, or am I missing something else? This would seem to be a no-brainer (it says here).
I also want to fill some pits in an instrument panel that I plan to plate. I'm not sure that the copper plating stage of the process will be sufficient to hide the pits though. Gordon |
01-18-2017, 05:39 PM | #2 |
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Re: Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
Proper tinning on a properly prepared surface should keep the lead from flaking away on the cutout . For your dash panel, lead sold will not take a plating like the parent metal. Instead use silver solder on a properly prepared surface and it will plate over beautifully matching the rest.
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01-18-2017, 05:50 PM | #3 |
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Madison, NJ
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Filing cut-out cover pits with solder
Thanks for the response. Minor questions for the purist:
Are all silver solders alike, or is a Home Depot brand adequate? Any trick to the preparation; flux just before heating? Any other preparations to the metal that you recommend? Do you use a high heat to melt the solder (e.g., propane), or would a butane torch suffice? Is it necessary to spread the melted solder with any kind of paddle, or would a wooden popsicle stick suffice? Lastly, sand smooth with a fine file, or 400-grit sandpaper? Thanks. Gordon |
01-18-2017, 06:51 PM | #4 |
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Re: Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
For filling the cutout cover I would use a good heavy duty soldering gun, like a WEN 250, or a heavy duty soldering iron. Sandblast the cover with Black Beauty grit to get all the rust out of the pit. Use a good rosin flux and 60/40 electrical solder.
Instrument panels with pits can be very labor intensive, as I've done one. I won't do another, but instead buy a better panel, or a restored original panel. |
01-18-2017, 07:44 PM | #5 |
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Location: Anchorage, Alaska
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Re: Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
Get one of Don Turley's restored original panels. They are probably the best around. Mine looked like "Brand New" when I got it.
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01-18-2017, 09:22 PM | #6 |
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Re: Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
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01-18-2017, 09:23 PM | #7 | |
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Re: Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
Quote:
coal slag glass abrasive iron / copper slag and which grade ? |
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01-18-2017, 09:37 PM | #8 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
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Re: Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
I always buy the coal slag from Menards. Don't know the grade, but think they only sell the one grade.
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01-18-2017, 10:20 PM | #9 |
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Location: Madison, NJ
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Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
Thanks for the posts. I plan on having the cover plated, otherwise I would use JB Weld and a razor blade to eliminate the pits.
My instrument panel is in excellent shape, except for the few pits. Hence, I like the challenge of preparing it for plating myself. I guess that I will experiment with some silver solder. |
01-19-2017, 07:56 AM | #10 | |
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Re: Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
Quote:
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01-19-2017, 08:16 AM | #11 |
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Location: Central NY
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Re: Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
Black Beauty comes in three grades fine-med. etc. I have have excellent results using tinning butter from Eastwoods when using lead on my projects. The paste is grey in color but when heated turns to a chrome like finish when using a damp rag wipe the area, it will show you where the adhesion is and body solder will stick to it very well. It has it's own flux mixed in.
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01-19-2017, 03:20 PM | #12 |
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Re: Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
Any rust left in the pits will cause adhesion problems with the solder.... it won't "flow-over" the void, but instead will flow around it, leaving a little pin-hole.
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01-19-2017, 05:32 PM | #13 |
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Re: Filling cut-out cover pits with solder
Hey, Brent! It's been a while. Convey my best to your dad, by all means.
For cad plating I've used Delta Specialty Coatings on Heiser here in Houston. They acquired Electro Specialty Coatings, whom I had been using, back in 2005. They have a minimum charge for plating ($100?), which means some pooling in most cases. I will have Bright Metals of the Heights do the instrument panel. They apply a brushed nickel finish, which is an excellent replica of the original Butler finish. (Bryan Perkins has two of my oval instrument panels in such a finish.) As to the plating posts, thanks for the suggestions. I will try some flux and electrical solder and see how it flows. I should get a tentative reading from the plating shop tomorrow as to how successful the copper layer might be in hiding the small pits. |
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