Solder joints on headlight bucket

[burninbriar]

I am planning to build a headlight bucket and retainer and there is a lot of small complicated parts involved. I have a tig but am not very profishant at it and I believe I could do a much nicer job with my 250 amp solder iron. The work I'm used to doing with it is stationary sign related stuff and body work in lew of putty. I'm a little leary of how well solder joints will take the vibration and if they do break loose it might create a mess to try tigging later. Anyone have experiance wth solder joint in the automotive industry or have any thoughts on useing solder in this aplication ?
I wish I had some pictures to show but it is still in a very infant stage.

[Paul Seaman]

Practice your tig, is the best advice I can give you, on the miller site there is a tig handbook that can be downloaded free and it will give some help with the problems we all have had during the learning process.
Peace,

[imported_frank865]

I am planning to build a headlight bucket and retainer and there is a lot of small complicated parts involved. I have a tig but am not very proficient at it and I believe I could do a much nicer job with my 250 amp solder iron. The work I'm used to doing with it is stationary sign related stuff and body work in lew of putty. I'm a little Leary of how well solder joints will take the vibration and if they do break loose it might create a mess to try tigging later. Anyone have experience Th solder joint in the automotive industry or have any thoughts on using solder in this application ?
I wish I had some pictures to show but it is still in a very infant stage.
Solder should work fine. Use what you're good at... All bodywork used to be done with lead (basically solder) before "bondo". Lots of stuff on the older cars was soldered.
:eek: a 250 amp soldering iron!!! :eek:

[burninbriar]

Practice your tig, is the best advice I can give you, on the miller site there is a tig handbook that can be downloaded free and it will give some help with the problems we all have had during the learning process.
Peace,
I have downloaded the literature and I do practice when I can and I'm not that bad. Its just that these parts are small, precice and hard to make and one slip with the tig can ruin them and solder joints can be manipulated if they end up not quite in the right spot. I have done some 20 guage work on the bike with the tig and I'm satisfyed with the results but it was not near as demanding as this.
Of course you can never practis too much.:D

[burninbriar]

:eek: a 250 amp soldering iron!!! :eek:
Its a beast, 5/8" dia. tips, I used to make custom tip shapes out of old spotwelder arms. I would love to find someone with some trashed spotwelder arms they dont want so I can make some more tips. All my old ones are back in Arizona at the sign shop.:mad:

[tallwelder]

Burningbriar, as usual Frank is right on target. Yes the solder held the bodies of earlier cars together. Bear in mind the joints were/are lap joints and I think that is critical to make it work for You as well! Post pics when You can I would like to see the headlight bucket when You finish. Oh, Ya might check with Your plater if You plan to chrome it, I have no idea how compatible lead and chrome plating processes are. Carl

[burninbriar]

I think I will tig every thing that I'm comfortable with and solder the rest. As far as chrome goes , soldered parts can be chromed but you need to let the chromer know about it so they dont over heat it when they pollish it. I have done sheet metal panchannel letters that were soldered and chromed with no problem except one time when they melted the solder during the polleishing proccess. I will more than likely just paint it any way.

[imported_frank865]

Its a beast, 5/8" dia. tips, I used to make custom tip shapes out of old spotwelder arms. I would love to find someone with some trashed spotwelder arms they dont want so I can make some more tips. All my old ones are back in Arizona at the sign shop.:mad:
Try this link...http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INSRAR2&PMAKA=505-6382&PMPXNO=2609257

[burninbriar]

Try this link...http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INSRAR2&PMAKA=505-6382&PMPXNO=2609257
Thanks, that would make a gaggle of tips. The tips I buy from Hexacon are pretty expensive but they last 20 times longr than pure copper. The problem is that they are coated and you are stuck with the few shapes they have to offer. Also a pure copper tip actually works better, they transfer the heat better but they also desintegrate fairly quick and you have to take them out periodicly to clean them otherwise they get stuck in the heating ellement.
What I really like about useing old spotwelder arms is that they are free. If its free, its for me. Thats my motto.:D

[hankj]

Pete,

PLEASE tell me it's a 250 WATT soldering iron, not a 250 AMP? I can't imagine a soldering device that will pull 250 amperes! Wouldn't want to try lifting it, myself!

I uses to use a 150-watt unit that had 1/2" tips back in the day, but 250 amps? My GOD, man!:D

Oh, yeah, silver solder even a low perecent, will do the trick really well.

Hank

[burninbriar]

Sorry, brain slip ! Its 250 watt.
Whoops :confused: :mad: :rolleyes:

[burninbriar]

The part here thats giveing me trouble is the retaining ring. I could easily make one that will work but to get it to be attractive is where I'm haveing trouble.
Another approach I'm concidering is to carve it out of wax and then make a plaster mold and pour a zinc cast. Problem is I cant seem to find any info on the internet covering this proceedure. Any one here ever dabble in this kind of thing ? Any sugjestions or comments ? :confused: