HOW TO SILVER SOLDER - FOR BEGINNERS

http://www.mainsteam.co.uk/steam_launch.htm Short extract from my "How to Build a Model Steam Launch" 3 DVD set - over 5 hours of video instruction which is available in NTSC & PAL formats from my "Mainsteam" website.
This is a rough cut preview of a tiny section of "How to Build a Model Steam Launch" This small section covers soldering the water tank feed pipes of the steam launch that fit inside the built in boiler feed water tank. The finished set of DVD's cover every aspect of building a model steam launch in very fine detail - but using very simple & easy to understand language for beginners to the hobby.
The voiceover is temporary, just done whilst sat at the imac.

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[ImMichaelTaylor]

I realise this is off topic, but I want to join copper to copper with the highest thermal conduction possible. The project is a high performance heatsink. The only feasible metal with a higher conductivity than copper is silver.

So I'm wondering if there's any physical reason why pure silver can't be used as a brazing filler for copper. I've experimented poking copper wire into blobs of molten silver (with borax flux), and the copper seems to dissolve. Does this mean it would work?

[keithappleton]

@ImMichaelTaylor I can't really help you with this one, the highest silver solder I have seen is 55% silver - maybe some of the viewers can help.

[1Nekit1]

nipples

[keithappleton]

@1Nekit1 and nuts - !

[bbcisrubbish]

For God's sake don't forget to put on the gland nuts, the right way round, before soldering on the nipples!!

I can say this from experience (just once).

[keithappleton]

@bbcisrubbish Hahaha - I've done that myself too many times as well - so that is also on the full DVD chapter of the next instalment about Silver Soldering - !

[ImMichaelTaylor]

@Dreddip "Talk to a jeweler" Yes, that's an idea. At the moment I need to find out if there's any soldering temperature I can pick which will stop the copper dissolving in the liquid silver, because that would probably ruin the conductivity. Turns out the thermal conductivity of mixtures of metals is usually much lower than either pure metal.

[Dreddip]

@ImMichaelTaylor Talk to a jeweler, they use 99.8% Stirling silver to solder every day. Can tell you what flux to use with it for the best results as well.

[ImMichaelTaylor]

@keithappleton Thankyou for replying anyway. I noticed something about the thermal conductivity of alloys which seems to mean it wouldn't be a good idea even if it is possible.

[malachy1847]

@growler1687 No Silver soldering is called Hard Soldering.. where as lead soldering is known as soft soldering ... silver soldering is conducted at a higher temperature range.... next step up would be bronze welding known as Brazing.....