Did anyone ever try the silver solder trick? Where the guy told us that you could get pure silver solder and fill the imperfections in your metal? I have never really searched for the solder but would like to try my hand at it.
Root, I had to attach some mild steel pieces to a chunk of cast iron before it was plated and I used pure silver solder based on the advice from my welding supply guy (30years) and my plater (45years). My plater recommended no flux, and my welder recommended a weak-ass jewelry style flux. I used the flux. Don't remember the type, but it was a pure white very thin paste. I had to make sure both the surfaces were super-dooper clean. Both surfaces had been buffed, then the immediate area that was to be soldered was roughed with a new 3M black twist-lok disc. Then I washed with solvent untill the cotton sheet material I was using didn't pick up ANY dirt. Then I threw all the pieces in the oven at 300 degrees for an hour to bake off any residual oil (I was scared!). After partially cooling, I started brazing the pieces together. I've finished soldering one piece and showed it to my plater. He said it should hold up and not foul the plating. I've got to finish the other one, then I'll have the plating done. Oh, and before plating, it will be cleaned and cleaned again.
If you've got deep pits in your steel, you can fill them with solder, make sure you expose copper or naked steel,though if it's in rusty chrome as solder won't adhere to rust. Even big holes can be filled, put a piece of aluminum on the inside face of your piece. If it's a bumper it works best by putting it around outside and just filling it with solder. I've filled massive holes like this, then blended them into the profile with a D/A. Use lead free solder, lead doesn't go over well in plating tanks.Solder doesn't stick to the aluminum, so once piece is hot enough, solder becomes like bondo but puts a platable finish on both sides of the work piece. Nake it plenty thick for strength. I know a restorer who reckons he has soldered potmetal and prepped it for plating, but I've never seen it done with out copper first.If your prepping for chrome and it's triple plate sand out to a nice 320 or 400 grit finish. If your having a tandem plate (only nickel and chrome, sand to at least 1200 grit, 2000 is best.Don't use greasy abrasives onaluminum as they can mess up the plater.
The piece I am referring to is a 53 Plymouth grill which I had to narrow to fit my Chevy. I welded it back together and ground it down, then polished it the best I could with a scotchbrite wheel. Now I need to fill the imperfections and blend it out so it won't cost me a fortune. Oh yeah the back of this grill is rusty. Should I have it stripped before applying the solder or does it matter? I'll post a pic of it soon.
Root, I know these guys will give you the right advice. But let me tell you my experience with the 62 bumpers. I sand blasted the back side and got rid of all the rust. The plating stuck to the back side. I did not spend the money to have the backs polished. The theory I operate under is that if the plating is stuck on all sides, it is less likely for rust to penetrate and work around to the polished side. Jim
cadlights, that Cecil Muggy ad looks ancient, I have dealt with Mike Muggy who is now in Florida. Here is the URL: http://www.muggyweld.com/index2.html He has a product to "braze" pot metal that has saved me big bucks at the plating shop.
Best is to bead blast the back so it's all clean metal. Use a light spray of wd40 or similar thin oil to stop rust re-appearing before it gets to plating tanks. The plater will get off the oil in his cleaning tank. Better to have it plated both sides for a complete seal. If you sand everything out on faces to 320 grit and it's even all over plating bill should be minimal
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