Under lug repair

[Wayne/Al]

I sent the lock off my fowler to TVM today for repair. I thought I would pull the pins , remove the barell and check every thing out while the lock is gone. I discovered that one of the under lugs had come off.When I built the gun I remember soldering the lugs on. I used propane to do the job and I didnt feel I got enough heat to properly solder the lug on the gun barrel but it felt strong enough at the time so I went with it. I'm thinking about useing oxy/ac to do the repair on the lug.
My question is. How much heat will the barrel take before it is damaged ?
Any advice on this little job would be apreciated.

Thanks,Wayne

 

[R.M.]

Use only enough heat to get the solder flowing, and no more.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Don't apply heat directly to the barrel. Instead, make sure you have " tinned" both the barrel, and the pipe. Then, apply the heat to the pipe while the pipe is clamped in place to the barrel. The Barrel has enough metal in it that it acts as its own heat sink. Don't worry about it, for soldering this kind of thing.

You will know that you have heated both the barrel and the pipe up sufficiently when the solder begins to flow at the edges.

Make sure to use graphite pencil "lead" to rub the barrel and pipe, ( Or use some other release agent) to protect the metal parts from adhering too solder. A common pencil will leave enough graphite on the barrel's metal surface to prevent solder from sticking to it. This is how you solder and not have drips, or streaks of solder over everything. Soap and water remove the graphite when you are done. You can tape the contact surfaces of the barrel and the pipe, and use either a spray wax, or even one of those spray oils for cooking, like "Pam". Once the area is sprayed, remove the tape, place the pipe on the barrel, clamp it in place, and then apploy the heat. A Propane torch should be more than enough for soft solder. And if the two pieces are soldered properly, soft solder will be all that is necessary.

 

[Wayne/Al]

Thanks Paul,Just what I needed to know.

Wayne

 

[Vaino]

To eliminate tinning, I hold the lug or front sight on the bbl, pencil the outline on the bbl and lightly apply Swif 95 paste solder w/in the pencil outline and on the lug or front sight. Clamp the lug or sight on the bbl and indirectly heat the 2 until the solder flows. Have attached numerous lugs and front sights w/ Swif 95, it melts at a fairly low temp, holds as well as any soft solder on the market and is so easy to use....Fred

 

[roger sells]

I use low heat silver solder that I got from Tip Curtis and a propane torch, and have not had any fail. I do pull the metal down to fresh clean metal where the underlug is going to be attached. I leave the surface a bit rough (draw file marks or mill marks). The solder I got from Tip flows at 425 degree F.
Roger Sells