Silver soldering pans

[b_mclarty]

I have bent up my first set of pans and am trying to decide on whether to MIG (I can't TIG yet) or silver solder the seams. My pans are made of 22 ga. stainless which will be a challenge to MIG so I'm leaning towards silver soldering. I wondering whether anyone has a suggestion on the best type of silver solder to use. I've used All State 430 from ESAB for some small jobs like the stem on the float in my float tank and it is nice to work with. It's melting/working temperature is listed as 430 degrees (F). I've been told that the old lead based solder had a melting point in the 600 degree range. Can anyone tell me whether 430 degrees is a high enough temperature for pans (assuming that they never run dry)?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Unless you run your pans dry, they shouldn't get above 220 degrees. If you run them dry for more than a few seconds, I don't think any solder would hold up to that. As long as there is liquid on the upper side, they shouldn't get much above temp of the liquid.

[xulgiy]

I wouldn't dare try to mig that. I migged some 18 and had not too many problems other than too much warping without a heat sink. Since then I learned TIG. With the tig, you can get things lined up nice and tight with sheet to sheet (not corner to corner) then run the tig torch right down and fuse weld it. I'd love to learn the solder thing as well. I have seen some really nice solder jobs on stainless pans.

[mapleack]

The big things when soldering are super clean, having stainless flux, and the old brass irons that get heated in a forge. If you try heating your work area with a torch very much, you'll just keep melting out solder you've already placed, that's what makes the old brass irons ideal. I was in the old leader factory in St albans once when they had just started welding pans, most were still soldered. It was fascinating to watch those guys at work soldering, real craftsmen.

[WF MASON]

If you are going to solder it, use lap joints for the seams and 'no' flame for the heat. A butt joint would be nearly impossible to solder both sides if needed.

[KenWP]

I tried to solder with a torch on my pans and didn't do well. I finally broke out a old electric iron I bought for $2 at a estate sale and it worked to finally get rid of the leaks. I have the old brass irons to but not really a way to heat them unless I used a propane torch.