Appendix III Brazing (Silver or Hard Soldering)
Use Goggles and Gloves at all times.
Note. Do not confuse Silver Solder with the Tin Lead type soft solders. They are totally different.
Fitting a new Nipple to the Handbrake Cable
Brazing is a very good method of securing the handbrake cable end to the nipple. It only needs a bit of brazing wire (silver solder) flux (borax) and a gas blowlamp.
Make a little cable nipple out of a bit of round or hex bar using the original as a pattern, and drill thro' with as small a hole as possible for the stranded cable to be a tight fit, c'sk one end.
Cut the handbrake cable to the new length and strip off 1/2" of the nylon outer. Dip the bare wire end in the flux (borax powder mixed with a little water to a tooth paste consistency) and push into the nipple with about 3/32" poking out. (2mm) Lightly squeeze the end in a vice to retain, and knock the wire ends over into a mushroom shape. Remove excess flux from the back of the joint but leave some on the wires poking out.
Heat the Silver Solder in a piece of Stainless Sheet with a hollow banged in the middle using a small gas blowlamp on the underside.(Indirect Heat)
When the Silver Solder is really hot and molten, (glowing red) dip the fluxed mushroom end of the nipple into the puddle of molten metal for about 10/12 seconds whilst keeping the blowlamp playing on the underside, otherwise the puddle will cool rapidly.
The heat will transfer to the wire/nipple assembly and run silver solder up inside the joint. Remove and quench. Leave the puddle of metal to cool.
This gives a really strong joint with a low level of heat transferred to the wire, it does not even melt the nylon outer cover. Remove the caked on flux with hot water and dry. Lightly grease.
Correctly done this will stand the Gorilla test. !!
Copyright Text © Colin Usher 2009 Illustrations © Colin Usher 2009
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