Posted by Sherman in Idaho [72.47.153.105] on Monday, December 23, 2013 at 21:35:58 :
I had to fix a worn-out old-fashioned front door mechanism that contained little cast brass levers that had been worn down from 100 years of use. Once again I used the silver/cadmium hard solder that I've used for other such things and was even more impressed with it this time so thought I'd pass it on.
It melts at slightly below the temperature of brass and bronze, unlike regular brazing rod, so you can safely use it to build up worn-out brass and bronze parts. I use a small air-acetylene torch on it. It sticks well to clean brass without even needing any flux. It comes almost exactly the same color as yellow brass, so repairs aren't even visible (if it's on something that shows).
It has a "mushy" consistency which is perfect for building up worn surfaces. It isn't something you'd use where you need to flow it into a crack. I repaired a cracked part on an ancient drill press, but I chamfered the crack pretty deep first. I suspect an ambitious guy could even build up an MU2 winch gear with it, if he had the ability to machine it once it was done. In filing it down, it feels just a bit harder than yellow brass.
So, if you have something made of brass or bronze that is worn out and you can't easily get a new one, give silver/cadmium hard solder a try. I've also used it to rebuild the contacts in starter solenoids. Every time I use it, I'm more impressed. Yes I know cadmium is poisonous, so best not to burn it and breathe the fumes, and good to wash your hands after work.
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