I am in need of some kind a product that I can press a silver piece
into to form a perfect shallow mold. This mold will be used to
accurately place the silver parts into in preparation to be soldered.
They need to sit accurately during the soldering. I am thinking about
some kind of high heat investment, but will that shrink during drying
& stand up to the torch? Even if it would hold up for 10-12
solderings, I could make another mold? Will probably solder not more
than 25 pieces total in this project.
Pat: You might try using clay that is used in casting. Delft clay
is one brand. RIO carries it. I have used it and it packs tightly
and doesn’t seem to shrink. High temperature styrofoam may be
another possibility. Mcmaster-Carr supply Comany in Chicago also has
a large product line of high temperature products. Ph. (630) 833-0300. Tim
Hi Pat Diacca, Without knowing the exact nature of the components you
wish to solder, may I suggest that a piece of flat graphite resting on
your soldering pad might do the trick. The graphite can be scooped out
to the shape of your silver unit and holes could be drilled to hold
the pieces to be soldered in place.
Kind regards, Rex from Oz
Rio Grande sells a soldering board that comes soft. You press your
prototype into it and then apply a hardening agent. The hardened
board will hold your pieces in place for soldering. They state that
the board can be reused. Check out their catalog. Steve.
A couple companies make something designed for exactly what you
describe. The pieces are pressed into the boards and usually cured
with heat, and are intended for use as soldering fixtures. Try:
Impressionite Soldering Boards from Krohn Industries, 303 Veterans
Blvd., Carlstadt, NJ, 07072, phone (800) 526-6299 or (201) 933-9696.
Press-in boards and “H” Boards from Stan Rubinstein Associates, 56
Leonard St., Unit 2, Foxboro, MA 02035, Phone (508) 543-4111, http://www.sra-solder.com
Rio Grande has a product called “Impressionite” (page 396 of the 2000
catalog, item 502-080). It is used with a “hardener” (item 502-081).
You press your pieces into it, brush with hardener, let it cure for
12 hours, then you can use it over and over (I suspect it breaks down
eventually). Lists for $25.75, hardener is $10.75, with price breaks
at 3-5 units. David L. Huffman and no, I don’t get a commission
Check-out this impresionite block and hardener sold by Rio Grande.It
would cost you something like35 US$ plus P&P. Good luck Regards Pedro Palonso@t-online.de
