Soldering questions.

So I have a Jim Chambers New England Fowler kit. The barrel is supposed to arrive in a few weeks. It's an octagon to round barrel. I have some questions about the lugs and sight. So first of all Mapp gas or propane or does it matter on torches? And what would be the best solder to use for this application? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

Ross5403 said:

So I have a Jim Chambers New England Fowler kit. The barrel is supposed to arrive in a few weeks. It's an octagon to round barrel. I have some questions about the lugs and sight. So first of all Mapp gas or propane or does it matter on torches? And what would be the best solder to use for this application? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

Click to expand...

Mapp gas is hotter than propane and what I use. You will get variations of choices here on the forum for solder selection. Some like silver solder, but that requires higher heat. I use a low temp solder that is applied in conjunction with the products liquid flux. Some here will suggest solder paste. It is real easy, but I have had splatter issues with that. Not sure why, could be me. The key IMO...... whatever solder you use, it needs to be prepped and applied correctly.
Larry

I use silver solder and liquid flux heat with mapp gas, if everything is clean and layed out correctly you should have any trouble, flame adj. is the key when compared to the thickness of the metals being joined,

A very good fit and use as little solder as possible gives the strongest joint. As the others say, clean,clean, clean!

As long as you make good clean joint with common plumbers solder, it will hold under any normal use. The original guns used simple lead solder. Todays lead free plumbers solder is stronger than the original lead solders that were used.

Hi,
I am not sure when folks write they use silver solder, they mean hard silver solder that must be heated well over 1100 degrees F or lower temperature "silver bearing" solders some of which can become fluid around 470 degrees. I use low temperature silver bearing solder like Stay Bright and Hi-Force 44. Mapp gas is the most efficient but the work can be done with propane torches. As others wrote, clean surfaces are a must. Some guys tin the surface of the barrel first and then place the lug on top and heat until the solder melts again. I prefer to sweat the joint. I clean the surfaces, brush on flux, and then wire or clamp the lug to the barrel. I turn the barrel in a vise on its side such that the lug is horizontal and place a piece of solder wire on the top edge of the lug's base. Then I heat the lower edge until the solder is drawn under the lug toward the heat. When I see solder show up along the lower edge of the base where I am heating, I know I have a good solid joint. On the octagon section of your barrel you can simply dovetail the lug in place.

dave

A low temp silver solder is the easiest to use. Just a couple of tips for installing the sight. Clean thoroughly and flux, tin the bottom of the sight and cool, place the sight in the position you want and trace around it with a pencil. Put the sight in place heat and watch for the solder to go molten, the graphite in the pencil mark will keep the solder from migrating beyond the line.

I’ve allways used common plumbing solder. Either lead free or lead based. I usually flux and then tin the sight or lug with solder shake off excess wile hot. Then I’ll clean and flux the barrel, clamp the parts together and reheat from the barrel side just as the rosin boils the joint should wet. I usually add just a bit of solder from the opposite side of the heat.then allow to cool. I seldom have any trouble useing this method. Plumbing solder and rosin flux. BJH

Simple and you can't knock a lug off with a hammer after using it.

Eric's suggestion is good stuff. I've used it for barrel lug reattachment with success. And I am not handy with this type of soldering. That stuff and a propane torch made it relatively easy.

Eric Krewson said:

Simple and you can't knock a lug off with a hammer after using it.

View attachment 105671

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, I've always had trouble soldering!

In addition to the suggestions I have a few. I use regular lead tin solder. I have rosin core handy so I use it. I tin the parts with acid paste flux and rub the solder into the surface with a little ball of steel wool held in pliers. The steel wool helps a lot. Once tinned I wash the surface to remove the acid paste flux. Why? The flux is corrosive. IT may, in time, cause rust and pop the lug off. This is a problem with cheap double barrel shotguns ribs. Once the parts are clean and tinned, I flux them with liquid rosin. Rosin is a good flux that is not corrosive. The "liquid rosin" is used in electronics. You could dissolve rock rock rosin in alcohol and make the same thing. Better shotgun barrels and ribs are done this way. I have several pairs of the pliers pictured below. One had a notch in the gripping pad just for front sights. They work well for ribs and lugs too.

I couldn't find any of the solder paste around town so I bought it off eBay, it just takes drop to solder on a lug so one tube lasts me for a long time. I have used it before and bought it at Lowe's but they don't carry it anymore apparently, at least not at my local store.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/142586306947?hash=item2132ce6183:g:SEAAAOSwstxVGgY~