Rad shell repair...really

[ross macpherson]

Gentlefolk, At the risk of feeling the lash of the Badger's rapier like wit I dare ask the following.... I bought a TD radiator shell at GoF West a couple years ago to replace the correct but butchered one on my TC. A DPO has attempted to fill some minor damage on this shell with what looks like solder. I should mention that this shell has had the chrome professionally removed. Is the solder-like fill going to be safe to plate? What is the best method of filling brass to be plated? TIA Ross

[Bill Harkins]

What is the best method of filling brass to be plated? I would suggest silver soldering depending on how much filling you need. Bill Harkins Fallbrook CA

[Chip Old]

On Thu, 15 Feb 2001, ross macpherson wrote to MG TABC List:

> I bought a TD radiator shell at GoF West a couple years ago to replace > the correct but butchered one on my TC. A DPO has attempted to fill > some minor damage on this shell with what looks like solder. I should > mention that this shell has had the chrome professionally removed. > Is the solder-like fill going to be safe to plate? What is the best > method of filling brass to be plated?

It depends on what type of solder it is. Silver solder works well, but I doubt that common 50/50 tin/lead solder will. -- Chip Old 1948 M.G. TC TC6710 XPAG7430 NEMGTR #2271 Cub Hill, Maryland 1962 Triumph TR4 CT3154LO CT3479E fold@bcpl.net

[Pete Thelander]

Ross et al, My NE shell required considerable repair work. It was all done in LEAD - block sanded by hand. It then got a heavy coat of copper - again hand sanded and polished - and finally the chrome. Came out fine. Just don't let anyone try to use any form of power buffer - the lead can be melted. Pete Thelander ross macpherson wrote:

> Gentlefolk, > > At the risk of feeling the lash of the Badger's rapier like wit I dare ask > the following.... > > I bought a TD radiator shell at GoF West a couple years ago to replace the > correct but butchered one on my TC. A DPO has attempted to fill some minor > damage on this shell with what looks like solder. I should mention that > this shell has had the chrome professionally removed. Is the solder-like > fill going to be safe to plate? What is the best method of filling brass to > be plated? > > TIA > > Ross > > > > > > >

[Emgeeguy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/15/01 8:53:36 PM Central Standard Time, arm@telus.net writes:

Is the solder-like fill going to be safe to plate? What is the best method of filling brass to be plated?

I used soft solder on three radiator shells prior to plating, per the suggestion of the plater. The solder was used to fill small nicks, scratches, etc., not large areas or deep holes. It worked out fine. One shell has been on my TC for about 6 years and shows no sign of anything funny. Larry

[Bill Harkins]

Is the solder-like fill going to be safe to plate? What is the best method of filling brass to be plated?

I used soft solder on three radiator shells prior to plating, per the suggestion of the plater. The solder was used to fill small nicks, scratches, etc., not large areas or deep holes. It worked out fine. One shell has been on my TC for about 6 years and shows no sign of anything funny.

One aspect of the soldering is to be very careful not to apply too much heat to avoid distorting the shell. If at all possible find a plater that can also do metal repair not easy to find and let him be responsible.

Bill Harkins

Fallbrook, CA

[Emgeeguy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/16/01 3:06:07 PM Central Standard Time, bharkins@tfb.com writes:

If at all possible find a plater that can also do metal repair not easy to find and let him be responsible

Right. This is the best way. I found a guy in San Diego, but he was terribly expensive. That's why I elected to do it myself. Chris Nowlan (C. Nowlan@aol.com) used the San Diego guy; contact him if you want his name. Larry

[Stan Kurzet]

> Is the solder fill going to be safe to plate? What is the best method of

filling brass to

> be plated?

The solder will plate. However, it would produce a superior result if it was copper plated first. The best way to do this is with a tin-smith's soldering iron rather than a torch. One must be quite expert to use a torch without warping the shell. A soldering iron allows room for lack of expertise and still get an acceptable result with a much lower risk of warping the part. Get a piece of brass sheet stock about the same thickness as the shell, put some dings and scratches in it like the ones you want to fill, and experiment. If you can walk and chew gum at the same time, the necessary technique will come to you in good time. The most important thing is to clean the surface properly before attempting to fill. Use a very fine bronze bristle brush to brush the places to be filled. Follow the scratch marks to be filled, in line with the scratch rather than across. Brushing across fills the scratch with debris. Apply a thin coat of rosin based soldering flux paste to the area. After the work cools, the excess will clean off with alcohol, dry cleaning fluid, and with more elbow grease, plain water. The key here is that it is a lot easier to dress out the solder with files and abrasive paper than it is to try to get close to the finished product with the soldering iron. Use jeweler's rouge and a buffing wheel on a drill motor to finish the job. Cheers, Stan TC 2569