need help with stainless

[ihuntbear]

Hey people..I bought a used maple syrup evaporator...Problem is i only noticed when I got it home its soldered together with 50/50 lead solder...What can I do to get this solder out and either resolder with lead free solder or tig weld it...Cant make or sell maple syrup with lead in pans and 1000.00 to 1500.00 for new ones

 

[k0ua]

Hey people..I bought a used maple syrup evaporator...Problem is i only noticed when I got it home its soldered together with 50/50 lead solder...What can I do to get this solder out and either resolder with lead free solder or tig weld it...Cant make or sell maple syrup with lead in pans and 1000.00 to 1500.00 for new ones

Please temper my advice with knowing I am just a home/hobby welder, but this is what I would do:

take a rosebud or maybe even a good big propane torch and heat the seams of the solder joints until you can seperate the pieces. Then melt and wipe off as much of the solder as you can with a damp rag. Lightly grind with a fine grit flap disk in an angle grinder to remove all traces of the solder. Inspect carefully, then TIG it up or MIG it. Check for leaks:thumbsup:

Or another idea, cut it apart, and discard the seams and reassemble with TIG or MIG, you wind up with a smaller pan.. just and idea.

James K0UA

 

[cowski]

could it be silver soldered? heat it with a torch ,that should melt it out.then tig it .

 

[Gary Fowler]

Did you do some kind of test that said it was lead solder because I dont think lead solder of any variety will stick to stainless steel. It is most likely silver solder which should not be a problem.

 

[Baby Grand]

You can get a lead test "crayon" at the hardware store - maybe even in your grocery store. You just wipe it over the surface to be tested and if it turns pink, then there's lead in it. If not, you can enjoy your new gear and get busy cutting wood for next year's sugaring.

 

[ihuntbear]

i called the manufacture in quebec.They told me it was lead and needs to come out or buy another pan..The unit was made in 1989 and they switched over to silver or tig in 1991.A new pan is 1000.00 to 1500.00 plus shipping so i think im going to try to fix this one

 

[Shield Arc]

A new pan is 1000.00 to 1500.00 plus shipping so i think im going to try to fix this one

Well there is a perfect excuse to buy a new Tig machine, or at least a Tig rig for your SMAW machine. :thumbsup:

 

[Brad_Blazer]

If you can remove the solder, it might be a good idea to test for lead before you weld on it - you don't want to generate lead fumes.

SS will stick weld pretty good too.

 

[varmint]

In the 60's, I silver brazed a kid's bike carrier from some small diameter (1/2" OD?) SS tubing I got, and believe me, I was a rank amateur, but it went together very well, was quite strong, and never, no matter how much abuse, did a joint crack or give me trouble. I'd just disassemble and wipe the leaded solder joints, clean things up, and using an appropriate flux and brazing sticks, redo it. A simple acetylene torch should do the job.

 

[deereman75]

I have never worked with ss, but for getting off the lead, heat it up with a torch, pull it apart, then reheat the edges, and wipe it off. Just try not to burn/boil off the lead, that is not healthy. (a lead filter cartrage for a respirator might be worth it)