Silver Solder

[J.B. Castagnos]

I have two tubes I want to join, the columns on a boring bar. I plan to machine a 2" male taper on one, and a female taper in the other to match, leaving about a .040" ridge for it to square up. Onthe outside taper I will machine a recess of about .004", leaving a 1/4" section on each end to line it up. In the recess I wll use some silver solder ribbon .005" thick. I'll coat the shafts with flux and put them in the press to force them togehter as the solder melts. Any advice on which solder to use? McMaster list several different types and I'm not sure which to use. The material is steel.

[Pat Barrett]

I'd try to use Some Stay Silv Flux, It looks like flour mixed with water. No 45 round silver solder in the diameter you like to work with. We've use it for years at work to silver solder a sawed off odd hydraulic end to a good end to put on the end of a hydraulic hose when we didn't have that thread fitting. Provided it's done correctly, we've never had a problem.