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Soldering 7mm Brass Bearings


d600

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Hi could someone tell me the best way to solder these to loco frames?i have looked at some pictures on rmweb and they all seem to be done nice and neat and hardly an solder visable,and what would be the best wattage soldering iron to use.

 

cheers 

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1. ensure the bearing sides and face where solder will go, plus the frames where the bearing will fit are nice and shiny clean. Fibreglass brush, etc.

 

2. Place bearing, dab flux round it.

 

3. Put small amount of solder on the iron, bring up to bearing and touch to bearing and frames, leave in place until solder flows.

Alernately, cut off a small (3-4mm) length of solder, place close to bearing on frames, in flux, and bring iron up to that...works well, this.

 

4. Remove iron, keep bearing/frame still until solder goes hard.

 

Job done.

 

Some folk like to remove any excess solder with a fibreglass brush, again.

 

The trick is a hot enough iron, with enough wattage to keep both frame and bearing hot, solder of the right melting point, and a decent flux.

 

My current favourite is this: http://www.7mmlocomotives.co.uk//index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=1&category_id=1&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=52, not as acidic as some, less likely to send parts green and needs less cleaning up...although always clean up after each soldering session to avoid corrosion.

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Yes,at least a 100w iron.You can get in quickly & the frames do conduct a lot of heat.I bought an Antex 100w to solder in slaters cast hornblocks.As Jeff says,clean the areas with a GF brush,curse the little fibres as the stick in your hand,a small piece of 188 solder in the corner of the frame/bearing from the back & you should be rewarded by the sight of a nice ring of solder flashing around the joint.

 

Now,a question.When fitting white metal castings to the frames,do you use low melt solder or epoxy?.My DJH Fairburn tank has some hefty W/M cyinder castings,my senses say epoxy.What do others think.

 

                         Ray.

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Now,a question.When fitting white metal castings to the frames,do you use low melt solder or epoxy?.My DJH Fairburn tank has some hefty W/M cyinder castings,my senses say epoxy.What do others think.

 

                         Ray.

I use low melt solder.  First of all I tin the area where the casting is to be attached with normal electricians solder.  Then I put some phosphoric acid flus on the solder and then a small of cut of low melt solder.

Then I put my iron on the back of the frame until the low melt solder melts.  Then as it takes a little time tom' go off' I position the casting and hold it until the solder goes off.  I even used a 120w iron as a demo at a show when someone wanted to see it done and it was the only iron that was switched on at the time.  Just a small touch from behind the frame to melt the low melt will do it.

 

Jamie

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Hi thanxs for the replies and the link jeffp think I need a bigger iron mines only 40 watt lol don't think I would attempt soldering whitemetal I tried once and it formed a puddle lol.

 

Cheers

I bought one of these after the reccomendations on here,

 

              http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/60w-professional-lcd-solder-station-with-esd-protection-a55kj

 

 

 

Hakko tips on Ebay fit these as well

 

 

 

                 Ray.

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I bought one of these after the reccomendations on here,

 

              http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/60w-professional-lcd-solder-station-with-esd-protection-a55kj

 

 

 

Hakko tips on Ebay fit these as well

 

 

 

                 Ray.

Hi Ray will take a look at that over the weekend I'm going to maplins looks very nice lol
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I'm curious about this flux as I have been using it on a kit I'm working on at the moment.

I'm used to a flux essentially drawing in the solder but this seems to be more like a coolant. Am I missing something with it?

 

Edit: sorry it should have quoted a post from above, the flux is the Water Based flux from www.7mmlocomotives.co.uk

Are you shaking it well before each session? Mine settles out between uses...which in my case can be months.

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Ray

If you go down the Maplin route, get the pack of 3 spare bits as well. I suspect you'll find the iron comes with a pointed bit which isn't much use for our purposes.

Bill 

 

Before you rush off to buy some fancy tips have a look at posts 124 onwards on this thread:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/68184-the-ongoing-birthing-pains-of-a-7mm-modeller/page-5

 

Chris Turnbull

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sagaguy, on 23 Sept 2015 - 09:10, said:

I bought one of these after the reccomendations on here,

 

              http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/60w-professional-lcd-solder-station-with-esd-protection-a55kj

 

 

 

Hakko tips on Ebay fit these as well

 

 

 

                 Ray.

 

You can also buy them from the manufacturers:

 

http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/soldering/soldering-stations/csi-deluxe-60w-digital-soldering-iron-station-csi-station3dlf/

 

They also have a good range of bits available.

 

I bought one about three or four years ago and have found it to be very satisfactory.

 

David

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They are out of stock & by the time youv`e paid P & P,the price is only pence compared with Maplin who at £49.99 is £10 cheaper than i paid last Xmas.The tips are much cheaper from Ebay as well.

 

                             Ray.

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Hi thanxs for the replies and the link jeffp think I need a bigger iron mines only 40 watt lol don't think I would attempt soldering whitemetal I tried once and it formed a puddle lol.

 

Cheers

 

Before you go rushing off to spend lots of dosh can I tell you that I built this 7mm brass kit (Connoisseur) almost entirely with an Antex 25W iron.

 

P1030129-2_zps716603e6.jpg

 

I used 145 solder, a liquid flux (phosphoric acid) and made sure the brass was bright and clean. The only parts that weren't soldered with the 25W were some smaller white metal castings that were heated with a temperature-controlled iron. I would have no qualms at all using a 40W - providing it had a sufficient heat reserve. My 50W temperature controlled iron is pretty useless on brass as it is so small - no reserve. I have a 120W iron in a cupboard somewhere which I never use (I'm not even sure where it is). Too big and clumsy for my taste.

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Hi I never thought about making my own tips what a good idea,talking of tips what's the best sort to use for brass bearings and kits?

 

Cheers

 

Copper is the material to use filed or machined to a chisel tip.  The diameter of the copper rod will be to suit your iron.  This way you can use a 125W iron with a relatively small tip, just right for those fiddly jobs that need plenty of heat.

 

Chris Turnbull

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There was a similar thread some time ago about making your own tips and it was stated (by "Bertie dog" I think) that phosphor bronze is better than copper as It's more durable and won't erode as quickly as copper.

 

 

Anyone know what happened to Bertie dog?

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To be honest,i made some bits once for a small Antex 12v iron because at the time,the internet wasn`t around & it wasn`t so easy to get items.I made them out of copper but they corroded quite quickly & had to be filed quite often.Unless you are using a Solon type iron where you can replace the bit by removing the split pin(if you`r lucky),it`s probably not worth making them as you need a lathe to bore the hole down the centre.

 

                                    Ray.

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Copper is the material to use filed or machined to a chisel tip.  The diameter of the copper rod will be to suit your iron.  This way you can use a 125W iron with a relatively small tip, just right for those fiddly jobs that need plenty of heat.

 

Chris Turnbull

The 100w Antex came with a chisel tip,ideal shape.

 

                    Ray.

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