A Portable Silver Soldering Hearth

[4156df]

I don’t have room for a permanent soldering hearth, so after having to move and stack firebrick off and on the bench in order to have a place to solder I decided to make a portable hearth. I wanted one that could be easily moved and stored on a shelf and that could be used on any type of surface. It also needed to have back and side barriers to protect bench top items from the torch flame.

Here’s what I came up with.

It’s 12” x 12” and the sides are 4” high. The lining is 1/2” “Solderite” board which is a ceramic fiber board. I got my board at a swap meet, but it’s available on-line from jeweler supply stores under “soldering supplies”. It saws easily, is a great heat reflector and cools down quickly.

The hearth is made from 18 gauge steel sheet. I don’t have a welder so I riveted the back edges. The front edges were rigid enough without rivets.

Two angle brackets are fastened to the bottom to provide an insulating air space between the hearth and the bench top (I got this idea from a thread on this board, but can’t find the thread. Whoever you were, thanks!)

I’ve tried it and with the solderite board and the air gap there’s hardly any heat transfer to the bench top. I’m comfortable using the hearth on any type of surface.

Actual soldering is done on an auxiliary piece of solderite board with fire brick and solderite reflectors/enclosures built as necessary.

I’ve used the hearth a few times now, and I think it’s really going to work out well. Wish I’d have made it a long time ago.

Regards,
Dennis

 

[Artie]

Yup...like this idea... hope you dont mind if I blatantly steal it?...... (imitation and flattery et al.... ;D)

Artie...

 

[vlmarshall]

Hey, that's great! I might have to flatter ya as well. ;D :bow:

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Same here. I'm hoping to develop silver soldering skills soon.

 

[Krown Kustoms]

That is a good idea.
I have a small "thingy" I built using Hardy backer board similar to what you have and works great.
I just soldered up a tuned exhaust pipe for a rc speed boat Im working on.
-B-

 

[phlegmatic]

Very nice hearth u made, looks cool with rivets, allways liked rivets!

 

[cobra428]

4156df,
That's a nice item.
Can't tell you how many times I "almost" burnt down the house :big:

Tony

 

[arnoldb]

Dennis, that's a really nice hearth! :bow:

And with the "solderite" board it should help a lot with soldering; normal firebricks eat a lot of heat!

Regards, Arnold

 

[itowbig]

ya what they all said . its a great thing you've done there and i might steal it (the idea) for my own if you don't mind.
so many great tools being made here . i really enjoy all that the the wonderful people here do and show. its a great place thank u very much for the time to show us ur great device
very well done

 

[shred]

That looks great, you'll love it.

I converted an old camp stove that I've drug around the world for some reason since I built it as a kid in NZ by layering in some firebrick splits and it's really handy, but that's much nicer.

 

[4156df]

normal firebricks eat a lot of heat!

I thought it was just my imagination, but they do. I've even considered pre-heating them on the grill!

I have a small "thingy" I built using Hardy backer board

Krown Kustoms...can you tell me more about hardy board?

To those of you who thought you might copy the hearth...I'm flattered!! Please do. Also, please post any improvements or enhancements.

Regards,
Dennis

 

[Troutsqueezer]

I would like to hear more about the hardy backer board too. Same stuff that Home Depot sells?

 

[tornitore45]

There are 2 types of fire bricks. The High Density is what you have in your fireplace. They feel like more dense than a regular red brick.
The Low Density are porous, they remind you of Pumice. They are made with saw dust in the mix, the saw dust burns out in the kiln. They are light and easy to cut.
They are warm to the touch indicating a low thermal conductivity and do not absorb as much heat due to the low mass.
Mauro
in Austin

 

[Krown Kustoms]

The Hardy board is the same as Home Depot.
I will post pics of it but right now Im snowed in and it is across town in my shop.
I used it in a powdercoat oven I built and it works great.
I made a small hearth with it similar to 4156df's but dosent look as nice.
You cant put direct flame on it for a long period of time as it will scorch.
I stand off evrything I solder with scrap pieces of it.
I used HB board because I had some left over from the oven.
-B-

 

[Hockeypuck58]

Hi solder guys,
I need a couple of tips in the silver solder game. Should I place the fixture on a firebrick or use some of the solderite board. I have some gaps (.003-.004) where the copper meets the brass, the copper didn’t bend well. I also plan on using the pictured solder and flux, does it look like it will work ok?
Thanks
Bill

 

[Sprocket]

I would guess the gaps are ok, as long as the exhaust side doesn't reach melting temp for the solder when it's running. I tried to look that up, and Harris says 430 deg. F.
So probably it won't melt out. I like silver braze, but I know that's not always a possibility.
Doug

 

[f2cf1g]

Stay Brite is not a silver solder, it's silver-tin i.e. a soft solder, not suitable for high temperature or strength.

 

[Jasonb]

I would raise it up off the surface so you can get the heat into that steel jig. Ideally use lightweigh vermiculite or similar insulating bricks and a sheet not a solid heavy fire brick.

Did you see my reply to your other question about Silver Soldering in particular that you have the wrong solder.

 

[The Ignoble Troll]

Oak is ridiculously great to solder on, once charred it is the perfect insulator, just spritz with water after each job.


Failing that, four fire bricks, the good kind, work wonders. Have two lie flat with two vertical to form a back wall with a corner to reflect heat.

You want the dense whiteish bricks, not the slightly green vitrified brick.

 

[peterl95124]

as someone already mentioned, that's not "silver solder" that's "tin solder" that has a percent or two of silver, it will probably work for the intake side, but not the exhaust side. You really want to get real "silver solder" (56% silver, and some 45% for filling gaps) and real "brazing flux" (borate based, and the white stuff, nobody needs the black stuff) and a large fire brick and start practicing, in the long run this is all you'll ever use, leave the "tin" solder for electrical.