Does anyone know of an uptodate book on soldering
and soldering supplies for clocks. Or is anyone
an expert in this skill. Thanks for any help.
CDH

Cicero Huskins

Both Merritts and LaRose have soldering supplies. LaRose seemed, at first glance to have more. If you need addresses or web sites for these, let me know.

Any of the major supply houses would have the basic soldering supplies.

Tom Seymour
NAWCC# 41293
IHC Executive V.P.

Thanks Tom for your interest, but I am aware of
these sources. What I need is a little advise
on what flux, Irons, solder is best for clocks.
There are so many choices and I have little
experience.

Cicero

What is the job you are doing? For most of the clock repairs I use a silver solder and Sstay Clean Flux. I don't see that in the catalogue any more though. Many people use Tix and are pleased with the results. If the job requires a very strong solder, the silver is stronger than the Tix, but requires a higher temp. to use.
I have used silver solder for things like setting teeth and barrel hooks and have had good results.

Hope this helps.

Tom Seymour
NAWCC# 41293
IHC Executive V.P.

Thank you Tom,
In the past, I have promoted the use of silver solder on the "other" MB and have been almost chastised for it. All too many times, I have seen soft solder fail in clock repairs. I am sure you have seen the same. I use “Stay Brite” silver solder which is sold by Timesavers and Mile Hi Clocks. The kit includes the proper liquid flux and a small roll of solder. I think that I have only used up two of those kits in the last 10 years.
One of the criticisms of using silver solder is the high melting temperature. The argument is that high temperatures anneal brass. This is true of most metals but annealing can be used to one’s advantage. A soft metal (annealed) is easier to work. (Filing, sawing, bending). An annealed metal can be hardened again by pounding on it with a raw hide hammer. I have also found that using a heat sink to keep the heat localized is a great help. A pair of spring loaded tweezers or a vice grips lightly clamped to the work piece works well for that. The heat is drawn away from the work piece to the tweezers or vice grips. One key to a good solder joint is clean, clean, and clean. Another is to make the joint as tight as possible before soldering. Solder is not a material for filling holes or gaps.
I sometimes use a small butane torch for my heat source or with small pieces, an electric soldering iron.
I have found the best instructions on soldering come from how to books on jewelry repair and fabrication. There are lots of lessons about the properties of metals there as well. If you are doing clock repair and not jewelry repair, you just substitute the word brass for silver or gold. Most libraries have those books on the shelf.
I would rather go through a little extra effort with soldering and know the joint will not fail.
Best Regards,
Dick Feldman
Berthoud, Colorado

Dick,
Thanks for the support on that. I also have used "Stay Brite" and was quite pleased. I would also agree that clean clean clean is worth emphasizing. You other tips are well stated. Thanks for the post.

Tom Seymour
NAWCC# 41293
IHC Executive V.P.

In northern Iran, around 1996, I had an enlightening experience regarding the art of silver soldering. I was going to fix a gas line an a small water heater for which it was agreed that silver solder was the best repair. To accomplish this, my eighty year old father in law handed me tin snips, a pure silver coin, a box of borax flakes and a pump-up benzine torch. All with the assumption that I knew what to do with them! As a 20th century American, I had only used ready made flux specifically for this or that and “silver solder” pre-packaged as such. However, willing to give it a go, I cut a strip of silver from the rim of the antique coin and straitened it out into a bar. The borax acted as a great flux and the benzine torch was remarkably hot and effective. The repair was a success. I still have the rest of that coin in case of need, however, I have gone back to my old ways, given that I still have packaged fluxes and silver solder enough to last a lifetime of hobby watch and clock repair. By going back to basics, in tools and here in hard soldering, a great deal may be learned.

Best regards,
Greg

Thanks to all, the information is very helpful.

CDh

Cicero

Cicero,

Let us know how your project turns out.

Greg,
I guess that would be putting in your two cents.

Tom Seymour
NAWCC# 41293
IHC Executive V.P.

I forgot to mention a useful trick I learned somewhere.
To keep solder from running into a wheel tooth, hole or any other place, one can "contaminate" that area. An easy way to do this is to paint on liquid correction fluid that typists used to use. The correction fluid will act as a dam and contain the solder. The stuff comes in small bottles with a brush applicator.
Good soldering,
Dick

Dick,

That is a trick I have not heard of before. I may have to thank you many times before I get finished using that one!

Tom Seymour
NAWCC# 41293
IHC Executive V.P.

Great topic guys. Keep up the great information.

Aaron