Now I have to learn soldering...

I have just received a beautiful Burmos 21 that has a pinhole leak at the base of the filler tube. It looks like someone has already had a go at soldering it without success.

So I will need a small propane torch, some solder, and a bit of luck...

From my electronic soldering days I know I will have to clean the area, get everything hot, melt the solder on the work (not with the flame!) and use as little as necessary.

Do you have any tips or techniques you could share with me beyond that?

 

I have been reading old threads here about soldering and in several places they mention the tank legs falling off if you are soldering something else nearby. Sure enough, the solder on the leg next to the filler cap is new and rather amateurish

Some water in the tank is going to be an excellent idea I think!

 

At least a wet rag on the things you want to stay.
Use heat sparingly and in short bursts.
Heat for 1-2 secs and then remove for 1 sec and repeat until the spot you want to solder gets soft/ready.
If you hold the flame on the spot until the tin/solder liquifies then the temp has shot past the max and will spread to unwanted things.
A little pre cleaning with a wire brush is a good idea, in lieu of that a little sandpaper is good to get the parts clean.

 

Wire wool

 

Robot sheep ?

 

Water in the tank will bugger you solid, just like water in a copper pipe you're trying to solder.

I would bury in in a pot of sand, with the location you're working on above surface, keeps all the other bits in place while you work on one in particular!

Murph

 

Moe, the Robot sheep...

 

This is pretty much the plan... the filler cap that I want to fix is on the top of the tank. The leg that I dont want to unsolder is on the side of the tank. If I till the tank 3/4 full or so, then the filler cap will be unaffected but leg on the side will never get hot enough to come unstuck.

 

just put a wet rag over the areas you dont want to melt. If the water in the rag starts to boil stop and have a cupa

 

How's he going to boil the kettle


Wire wool



Some call it steel wool

 

Are you suggesting I have only one stove, sir? This is a vile calumny and it shall not stand! I am a reputable gentleman of many fine stoves and not a few lanterns either. I reject your aspersions upon my character and means! Pah!

 

One butane torch and a roll of solder later:







I used a tankful of water to keep the leg on successfully. I rinsed it out afterward with meths to dry it. The solder flowed beautifully into the join but I do have a bit of an excess blob that ran around the side to the lowest point. I might remelt and get rid of it with a desoldering pump, but I might not.

I have one other question: This has no packing between the riser tube and the tank, its just a tapered thread that you tighten down. I have only used it finger-tight so far and it seeped a little paraffin. I have the spanner to use in future but is there anything I could put on the threads that would help, some kind of graphite paste maybe?

 

Thatta boy

Excess solder is easiliest removed with a rotating wirebrush.

 

Hi David, the riser to tank joint on this stove is a taper fit and should seal with fairly gentle tightening. There is no need for additional lubrication nor jointing compound. Only tighten far enough to get a sealed joint.
Best Regards,
Kerophile.

 

Kerophile, did you read my PM? Also, does the Monitor 11 have a similarly tapered thread? Should I not apply a high heat washer between the tank and the riser?

 

Hi Sparky, I have read and replied to your PM.

The Monitor 11 is a semi-collapsible stove in so much as the legs and burner assembly can be detached from the tank to save space when in transit. However, the riser tube is permanently fixed to the tank by the manufacturer, by bolting and soldering.

https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/177

As the riser does not detach from the tank of the C11 there is no taper thread nor heat-resistant washer.
Heat resistant washer are used on the burner assembly to riser joint. One above, the other below the spirit-cup.

Trust this helps.
Best Regards,
Kerophile.

 

Hi

I'm facing the opposite problem with my Svea 5. The three legs are peeling off the tank, they're only holding by the bottom of the original weld. I'd like to reattach them. I've considered cheating with some sort of heat-resistant synthetic paste, but the challenge of soldering something is tempting.

My additional problem is the mix of metals : soldering the thick steel legs with the thin brass tank. I also suppose I should make provisions for some stand under the tank, in case I overheat what's left of the current welds and get one leg completely lose.

 

Hi karto, here is an earlier post:

https://classiccampstoves.com/posts/4316

Best Regards,
Kerophile.

 

Thanks Kerophile, that's handy feedback.

I'd have one more question, about the solder and the flux. Are there any of these that are easier to work with on brass and/or steel ? Or should I just go for whatever I find ?

 

Hi Karto, if the steel legs are already solder coated, then re-soldering is easier. If they are rusted or bare steel, then fluxing is much more difficult and you will need to use a liquid flux like Bakers Fluid.

The original solder was a lead/tin alloy so you should use a similar alloy for re-soldering the joint. Personally I am now using electrician's, rather than plumbers solder, in the form of 1mm diameter wire, with a flux core. I also apply some paste flux to the joint under treatment.

I have so far avoided lead-free solders.

Best Regards,
Kerophile.