Hollow rib problems

[Longknife]

I have an original 1810 era english fowler with a hollow rib soldered to the oct/rnd barrel. There is a pin hole in it and it is worn at the muzzle end and needs resoldered there. I injected some alcohol with a syringe (figured it would dry out) and found two more small spots where the solder is not solid, the alc. leaked. I would like to "neautralize" the rust inside this hollow rib before making repairs, don't want to remove the complete rib if possible. I was thinking of injecting some baking soda mixed with alcohol and let it dry out in a warm (not hot) oven to evap the alcohol? what do you think?

[Feltwad]

Longknife
I think what you mean is the ramrod rib,for me if this is loose and leaving the barrel the best thing is to remove the rib with heat and and file away the rust and old solder from the metal,you can leave a thin film of old solder this will help to bond the rib when soldering it back.Clean away any rust or lumps of old solder from the rib making sure that the rib has not bent or twisted,if it is OK tin the edge which meets the barrel,wire the rib to the barrel and solder.I have done a great deal of this on both single and sxs originals ,in fact I have done 4 guns in the past week.
Feltwad

[Dphariss]

I doubt the baking soda is going to do much for the rust.
Might cause more problems than it would solve.
There are rust converters and such but they have no baking soda so far as I know.
Dan

[Dave B]

Feltwad,
What are you using for your heat source to do the soldering? Do you use a mask to keep solder from sticking to where you don't want it to stick? I have a few similar problems as described by Longknife on a old SXS barrel. The barrel lug has gone away. Interestingly enough the ribs are brazed on just the rod pipes and the underlug were soldered.

[Feltwad]

Dave.
All I use is a plumbers propane torch, on original barrels I do not use a mask I just clean off  the part I want to solder For soldering I use a resin flux and  wire flux solder,these are the best to use on damascus there are other fluxes and solders which are very corrosive.You mention the barrel lug which I think you mean the lug  the hole for the ramrod and the wedge,you also mentioned brazed ribs this was common on Belgium and Continental makers.
Back to the lug first clean off the rust  and old lumps of solder from both the lug and the hole in between the barrels in which the lug will fit leaving a thin film of solder which will help to bond the joint. If the top and bottom ribs had been only soldered instead of brazed  then they would have to be wired and pinned above and below the lug. Next tin the lug and place it in the hole and flux ,apply heat on the lug and when the solder runs force the the lug into the hole using a piece of wood , when the solder has froze trim away the excess that has overflowed ,that should be the finished job .I have now been shooting and restoring muzzle loaders for the past  60 years and that is my method no doubt there will be more modern ways
Feltwad

[Dave B]

Thankyou for that discripition.
What sort of tools are you using to scrape away the exess solder? I have a book on fine shot guns that shows a custom double in the early stages of fabrication and they had what looked like a very course file set into a wooden handle laying on the work bench.
 It reminded me of the floats used by the autobody industy to lead the joints on cars body pannels.

[Feltwad]

Yes I use a coarse file  it should be chalked first this makes it easy to clean when finished using a wire brush.
Feltwad

[keweenaw]

The appropriate tool to scrape away excess solder is a scraper made from a piece of brass with a tip shaped like a steep angle chisel.  It will remove the solder w/o scratching the steel.  You can remove the rib, clean the edges so you can reattach it, and resolder it solidly without harming the patina of the barrel or the rib if you do this carefully.  The trick is to not end up with much excess solder to remove.  Thinly tin the area on the barrel that the rib touches and then tin the edges of the rib that touch the barrel as well as applying a bit of solder to the inside of the rib sides.  Align the rib on the barrel with some wires wrapped around it to use as clamps.  As you heat the rib and barrel, the rib will settle onto the barrel and the solder you put along the insides of the rib will flow down to fill any voids.  Keep heating and tightening as you move along the rib and by the time you're done you won't have much solder along the joint to remove as if you haven't cleaned the surfaces you don't want the solder to stick to, it won't stick and will be easy to remove with your brass scraper.

Tom

[Dan Breitenstein]

Ribs are a pain in the hind end! I've never been able to just touch up the solder job on one because getting it to flux just doesn't work well if there is any rust present. So now you've got the ticklish question of how to clean it up without removing the precious patina. Patina means a lot more to my customers than it does to me personally, but I always respect their wishes when it comes to leaving it there. Most older guns have had some obvious rib work or rib damage repaired and the only way you'll get it to take a flux is to get rid of the rust under it by removing and cleaning to bare iron. If you're careful, take your time, you can make your repair virtually uinvisible. I use Brownells HyForce 44 solder and their matching acid flux. Work upside down with the flux to keep it off the patina on the barrel.