Joining Stainless Steel

Hello there, again I need your help

I have returned this time with a few facts about which I would like your help Please.

First I have to make Stainless Steel Letters from 0.9mm, Grade 304 The method of jointing is soldering and it's here I would like your help Please Solder is (Castoline 157 T.) Flux is (FL 4948.) Heat is from a small torch from a 1 Ltr / 1 Quart Cylinder via a 1.02Mtr / 3' long tube.I am told at full blast it can make up tp 400*C / 752*F. Will this Solder & Flux stay stuck to this kind of steel is there any better suited materials to make these joints, I have been practicing on some of the letters and there's some scorch marks what's the best way to remove these apart from not putting them there. any help tips will be very well received thanking you for your time and patience. Oliver...

This request is also posted in Sci.engrjoining.welding.

Even for 1mm thick stainless, I would not use a torch. A large iron or a weller gun will do just fine. You may be overheating the flux and boiling it off the surface before it has a chance to work.

If the castoline 157T is anything like the Eutectic 157 then it is a 95 tin, 5 silver material and is the best possible solder to use, for soft soldering stainless.

The stainless has very very low thermal conductivity so you will need to heat the item and flow the solder locally with the iron tip, the part will not come up to temperature overall the way brass or copper will. Also once the solder flows you can slack the heat off a bit, as it will not dissipate.

Jim temperature all at once

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