welding rod chassis

[rjdadrf@yahoo.com]

some where i read about using 1/16 inch welding rods for building a chassis
bought some ,stripped off the material on them, took steel wool to them,
the solder would not stick. what else can i do to the rods to make them work?
any help would be grateful ! thanks in advance.

[DixonJohn]

Did you use acid type solder? That shouls work, Or lots of heat. The acid flux helps with the heat. Thats the only thing i use. You should be able to order it online. Do a Google search for LUCKY BOB'S acid flux

[rjdadrf@yahoo.com]

i did not use acid solder,will find some and give it a shot.

thanks for the help.

[bill from nh]

If you use a good acid flux, such as Lucky Bob's or Stay Clean, regular 60/40 solder will work just fine. What were you using for a soldering iron & how many watts is it? For chassis building, I like at least 45-50 watts, more is even better.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Yes. DixonJohn just watched me use this same rod for my bumpers. Acid Flux (Lucky Bobs) works.

And Bill is right, I used 60/40 solder.

[munter]

Did you get brazing rod? The brass stuff?

I have used it for many chassis' but now include a line of piano wire in the main rails which gives some tension to the contraption.

Regards

[HomeRacingWorld]

To make sure I am not making a mistake, here is what I was referring to. It is busy here working on projects and getting the old Skunkworks cleaned up for slot car royalty to visit.



This is the 1/16th rod we are using. Just standard RG45 copper coated material we get in the long tubes at the local welding shop.



It says you need no flux for brazing, but for soldering it needs it, or at least it sure helps the flow.



We use it all the time. I have never made a complete chassis from it, but my buddy Tom has. I use it mostly for nerf bar supports.

Using the flux with 60/40 makes it a very easy metal to use.

Apologies if I was talking about the wrong material.

[Florida_Slotter]

Perhaps it's because I'm rather lazy, but I've used K&S Engineering brass tubing, rod and wire products for many years now. I know that their "1/16" rod is indeed 1/16. I have seen materials that do not fit as you would expect them to when you attempt to put someone's "1/16" rod inside a piece of "3/32" K&S Engineering round brass tube.

I just find that not having any surprises jump up when I'm building a chassis is more than worth any additional, if any, cost by using their products.

Whenever you solder any metals - not an electrical connection - together, I always use a liquid acid flux. Radio Shack has some very good 60/40 solder that I've used for years. It works good, will 'flow' nicely and makes a very nice looking finished product.

Just my opinion, but I'm sticking to it.

[HomeRacingWorld]

I agree Marty. Totally.

But Tom brought this down here a few years ago and we use it up. About 4 years ago.

With what we are doing, precision is not that critical. Making nerf bar supports and bumpers? Yes, it does the trick.

For important items like axle bushings and such? K&S all the way.

And you know slot racers...nothing is safe. Did I ever mention Tom built a dirt mod chassis from a coat hanger? Ahhh...that was a chassis only the owner could love. :)

[Florida_Slotter]

[munter]

So soldering carbon steel rods coated in copper.....if you sand off the copper then you should use a strong acid flux and probably more heat than when trying to make a joint with brass pieces.

Does that stuff bend easily? or is it quite brittle?

The stuff I use is brass looking all the way through.

[buspor63]

[HomeRacingWorld]

Munter. I do use the flux. It is strong, but not that stiff. I bend it with a small needle nose easily enough.

Like I said, I mostly use K&S. But this stuff sits in the corner of the shop and I use it when I run out of the brass and only for nerf bar supports.

[munter]

[bill from nh]

Both welding rod & brazing rods are available in differeent alloys. Some of it is more brittle than K&S & breaks if you bend it twice. The time I bought brazing rod, I bought 1/16" solid brass unfluxed rod. That was a few years back, so I don't recall which brass alloy it is.

I agree with Marty that the Radio Shack solders are easy to work with. My favorite is their 63:37. It seems to flow at a lower temperature than 60:40 & is a bit stronger.