Planning is important. The correct time to attach the handrails to the Barclay tanks was when I could solder the knobs from inside. Instead, I left them thinking I could use a bit more heat and work from outside.
I could, but it needed a lot more heat. In the end I tinned anything that went through the brass body then smothered the lot with solder paint and Powerflow flux. With each handrail held in place with a screwdriver and the gas torch fired up to provide some quick heat.
The results are OK, if a little messy. Before cleaning the model up, it looked a real state with burnt and blackened flux over everything. A scrub with Shiny Sinks and then a bit of burnishing brought everything up to a shine again but it takes confidence, and experience, to know that's how things will turn out.
Surely that was a classic case for the RSU?
ReplyDeleteA spot of tinning on the knob (phnarr!) or solder cream around the hole. Hold in place with the probe. On with the foot-switch, fizz, poof, and the job's done. No cleaning up required either.
It's with things like this that having an RSU as a reserve tool is a real aid, and it's the reason why I have mine sat next to my conventional iron on the workbench so that it's always available to use the best tool for the job.
Cheers
Flymo