brass-colored solder?

[caliber45]

Hey, guys -- Being too cheap/poor to buy ready-made brass triggerguards, too lazy to learn to cast brass, and having a handy supply of strap brass at my local hardware, but realizing that the melting point of brass and brazing rod ain't all that far apart (don't ask me how I know that . . .), I'm wondering: Does anybody know of a source of "already-made" (as in stuff I don't have to brew up myself in my home laboratory . . .) brass-colored, high-strength solder? Tks! -- paulallen, tucson

[Acer Saccharum]

Waaaay back, Eric von Acswege mentioned a musical instrument repair company that sold solder, a hi temp solder( yellowish silver braze) for brass horns, saxophones, trumpets, you get what I mean. Let me see if I can find it in my correspondences.

[Rolf]

Jerry recommended this suppiler. He's got every type available.

http://www.silvaloy.com/home.php

Best regards

Rolfkt

[John Archer]

I use Silvaloy A-45...it's cadmium free and brass-colored.

John.

[caliber45]

Thanks, folks. I'll look into those sources. I figured if anybody would know, you guys would. -- paulallen

[Rolf]

Please post pictures of your gard when your finished. I'm always on the look out for new ideas.

Best regards

Rolfkt

[JTR]

Rolfkt, Thanks for posting the site info!
I'll have to get some and give it a try. I'm thinking the A5, brass yellow, might work. Hopefully it will tarnish okay.

John Archer, Does the A45 match the color of brass gun castings okay? Does it tarnish the same color as the casting?

John

[John Archer]

JTR

If you get a nice tight joint and sanded and/or burnished when you finish your brass you'll be the only one that knows it's there.

John.

[keweenaw]

You can buy Silvaloy from Brownell's  If you have a really tight fitting joint it's almost impossible to see the joint line.  I suspect that the brass will come to have a different patina that the solder after time and the joint will become more visible.  I think the key to joining things and have the joints not be obvious is to design your pieces so that the joint lines are at places where there are angles, etc. on the piece and to have the fit as good as possible so that the joint line is extremely thin.  If you have gaps, which the solder will fill quite nicely, they'll be obvious when the brass darkens.

Tom