Mechanics and Construction > Mechanics and Construction
Does solder provide mechanical strength?
Charlie1138:
I am making a small rectangular metal box with some scrap metal -- some sheet metal from an old computer case and some aluminum angle iron...
I want to join this scrap metal into a box and am wondering if I could use solder to to join it. because it's so small screws are kinf of problematic and get in the way.
The thing is that I am trying to do this in a samll apartment so brazing seesm kind of extreme to try in here.. I am wondering if I could just solder the edges to hold it together. It's not a structural component.. I really just need it to be held together and keep light out because there will be a camera sensor in there.
If you don't heat all the metal of the box will the solder form a structural bond? So can you spot weld with solder?
Maybe some superglue would be enough for this project? Does anyone know of a glue that will bond metal reliably?
I just read the section on bonding materials on this site and
"steel cement" is mentioned.. but when I do a google search for steel cement I can't find anything.. are they refering to "Goop"?
ed1380:
I've brazed with solder. does that count? it was a pretty strong bond. it was a steel cable to a connector
Charlie1138:
Thanks for the response, ed.
Did you have to heat all the metal involved or did you just melt the solder to join them like wlelding?
Soldering is like welding with material that melts easily right? But brazing involves heating all the material to be joined rather than the mateiral to join them right?
Maybe you could just tell me the equipment and process you used and I could try that?
dunk:
--- Quote ---Soldering is like welding with material that melts easily right? But brazing involves heating all the material to be joined rather than the material to join them right?
--- End quote ---
nope.
welding is for joining 2 pieces of the same king of metal. the filler must also be of the same metal type.
brazing uses a different metal type as the filler and works between differing metal types.
by this definition soldering is a kind of brazing. you are joining a component lead (typically soft steel) to a PCB track (typically copper) using lead solder as a filler metal.
aluminium is a difficult material to glue or paint because an oxide layer forms on the outside surface as soon as it is cut. this oxide layer does not allow paint or glues to stick very well.
i think i read somewhere brazing aluminium doesn't work for the same reason but i can't remember for sure.
dunk.
Charlie1138:
That's a bummer.. :(
Thanks for the inofo theough :)
I guess I'll have to try to use some little screws then.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version