Soft soldering clearance.

[Adrian 2Participant @adrian2]

I am making an oil pipe fitting for a motorcycle which basically comprises a steel pipe slipped inside another steel pipe. There is no loading or pressure to resist so I think soft solder will be fine.

How much clearance should I allow for the solder to penetrate between the two parts ?

Bore of outer sleeve 9mm x 20mm long.

Thank you,

Adrian.

[Adrian 2Participant @adrian2]

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

As little as possible! Just enough to allow the smaller to slide into the larger. Get some white paste plumbing flux and make sure the joint faces are nicely fluxed. Could be useful to wind a couple of turns of solder around the smaller diameter and slide them down to the larger with the smaller facing up. Warm gently, when you get to the right temperature the solder will soften then suddenly flash into the joint and leave a silver meniscus at the join. Keep it hot for a few more seconds then allow to cool.

[Adrian 2Participant @adrian2]

Very helpful thank you John.

Adrian.

[Tom SheppardParticipant @tomsheppard60052]

Job for 638 really, Steel will soft solder with the right flux but with the diameters you are using, I really wouldn't bother.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Solder will flow and fill better and be less likely to leak. Loctite needs small clearance to seal. Araldite would be better.

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