Any tinsmiths?

[wayne1967]

I bought an old coffee pot that I've got cleaned up pretty good but the bottom inside has some pitting in it. If I degreased it and fluxed it how hard is it to spread the tin solder on the bottom?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Talk to your local jeweler to find a tinsmith, or other metal worker who can help you. Or try finding one near you by using your search engine. This is not something I would want to attempt to do myself. Unless this is a family keepsake, or heirloom, I would not think it worth the cost to fill in those pits.

 

[wayne1967]

No, I picked it up for a couple of dollars to see if I could work with it. I figured it would be kinda hard to control the heat while doing the bottom without melting the other seams in the process.

 

[JohnFH]

I have never done a tin pot, but for copper, local heat (we use a big "soldering iron" and heat sinks (wet paper towel) over the areas you don't want to unsolder.

 

[chipper]

I tried it in a tin cup. I thought it was going to be easy. I was wrong. The metal has to be really-really clean. A tiny pit of rust and it won't take. I tried several applications of tin with the same result. It was quite a learning process. I think, if I do it again it will be with new material and start from scratch kind of thing. I found a book online about tinsmithing back in the early 1800's it talked about acid dipping and all kinds of stuff to get the surface ready. They used to charge by the inch of material they had to tin.
I hope that wasn't discouraging. This whole idea of making things and repairing old stuff is about discovery.

Regards
Loyd Shindebower
Loveland Colorado.

 

[chipper]

Here's and article about tinsmithing and using tin to seal the pot.
http://www.northwestjournal.ca/XVI1645.htm

 

[wayne1967]

Thanks for the link. I was thinking any lead free solder would do the job.