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My daughter-in-law brought me a large, oval copper stamping that looks like an old timey shield. It's about 3' tall by 2' wide with intricate detail in the stamping, like a Michelangelo painting with angels and scenes from heaven. It is a wall hanging of sorts. It is copper sheet metal about 16 gauge with a rolled edge. I have no idea of the value, but I guess it is an antique family keepsake from her grandmother.There are 2 problems and she thought I could weld it.1. One of the loops for hanging has come loose. It appears to be a brass letter "P" where the flat side should be attached to the back of the shield and the loop is about 3/4" diameter.2. I guess it fell when the loop came off, and there is a 3" crack from the bottom up. The two sides fit back together almost perfectly and it is along a line in the stamping. The rolled edge is broken there, too.I know I can't weld it, and I don't know how to braze or silver solder it. I'm concerned if it were silver soldered, the solder would run onto the front and ruin it where the crack is. Someone tried to fix it in the past with epoxy or JB Weld or something. And under that, it appears the loop was silver soldered at some point in the past.So my question is where, who, or how can this best be repaired? Someone suggested a HVAC guy could silver solder it, but again I don't want to have it run through the crack to the front.Any ideas or suggestions are appreciated. Burt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com
Reply:Get some scrap pieces of copper sheet, and some Sil-Phos rod and a small torch and practice. It is not hard. Use the Sil-Phos on the back side. It needs no flux when used on copper. Use it on the back side and the color change wont be seen on the face.
Reply:After 40 years in the hvac business, I believe whatever you use in a solder/brazing process is (1) going to at least fill the crack; and that's what you want, and (2) will have discoloring of the copper. If you want a more professional job, clean the backside surface with Emory cloth first and then a small amount of flux for Silfos. Silfos is nothing more than silver and other components designed to make brazing copper and other metals to have good capillary action, tensile strength, and durability. Silfos come in 0%, 5%, 15%, 25% and 45% cadmium free. I personally would use at least 15%, but would prefer 45%. 45% is very expensive though. I would clean surface thoroughly. Apply flux, elevate the piece so the crack is not touching any surface and slowly and carefully apply heat and solder. After finishing, wash thoroughly and mane need to buff the front to takeout discoloring. The same process on the hanger. I also think you may look for a copper brazing rod and use that instead of silfos.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:+1 for Sil-Phos. I use it all the time (the 15% silver version) for similar jobs. It is darker in color than regular silver solder as well, so less visible if it does bleed through from the front.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Btw, with the crack suspended, if any solder does flow through it should drop off or just solidify . Then you could take a Drimel tool to cautiously grind the area flat.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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