Soldering or welding?

Question

Can someone help settle a disagreement. I have a beer riding on it. I understand that using solder to join brass cane is soldering but wouldnt using solder to join lead cane be considered welding since the base metal is actually melted.

David Billington · Accepted Answer

If you were melting the lead then that could be considered a fusion process so therefore welding, but without knowing what solder alloy you are using I would suggest you shouldn't be melting the lead. Lead melts at 327C and lead/tin solders below this. Pure tin melts at 232C, 60/40 tin/lead at about 188C. It may depend on how you heat the joint as you may have to get sufficient heat into the lead to cause solder penetration. I normally use Oxy-acetylene for soldering because of the concentrated heat and controllability that gives you on sheet metal work but not for stained glass.Jimmy wrote:

D& M B · Answer

I agree with David. I have been a licensed Journeyman welder for 37 years. When I stareted in the trade "Brazing", the joining of ferros or non -ferros metals using a brass filler metal and an 0xy-acetylene tourch, was still a common repair method. If the brass filler metal flowed or wetted onto the metal be brazed, it was a brazing process. If you were joining brass to brass, or to a brass alloy, using a brass filler metal it then became a fusion or welding process.

Daym>If you were melting the lead then that could be considered a fusion

jk · Answer

Side note: .... it's called lead "CAME"... do you owe me a beer too?

Soldering or welding?

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