Chrome over weld/braze/silver solder etc

[cardiffrob]

I'm playing around with making radiator cowls for toy vintage cars. Making them in alloy is a PITA with cracks due to the thin material getting thinner with filing down. So, if I were to make them in steel and use anything other than standard mild steel TIG rod would it cause a problem with the chrome plating later? The 4043 rod is a different colour to the ali cowls I used previously so the joint shows up and I wanted to avoid that problem altogether with the steel versions.

Any suggestions would be most welcomed.

Thanks

 

[piman]

Hello Rob,

I'm fairly certain that Rolls Royce radiator surrounds are made using soft solder?

However as good quality chrome plating uses a copper then nickel layer, won't that cover any mismatch of weld and parent metal colour, I suggest you ask the plater?

Alec

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Hi Rob, I have just finished making a radiator surround for my Austin Special. Like you I was concerned about plating over solder and in the end I decided to TIG it together. I used one piece of 0.9mm steel sheet folded up with the four corners let in.
I am really pleased with the results, I kept the joins away from the corners so I could planish out the welds. I haven't had it plated yet but I have sanded it with 400 grit in the DA and it looks ripple and distortion free.
I will do a post showing the process.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

As promised:
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=474873#post474873

 

[hotrodder]

Yeah RR shells are (or at least used to be) soldered stainless and polished not plated, i welded up a repro for a Phantom II a few years back- wedding car with updated running gear/modern aircon etc and the origional was deemed to priceless to modify

As said best to find a plater first but they shouldn't have an issue with brazing or silver soldering. I don't really get the thin ally problem personally... typically start with thicker material than if using steel so more to play with. 4043 is the wrong wire though, we went through that ages ago in the aircraft cowling thread- it's brittle as well as a poor colour match

 

[langy]

I'm playing around with making radiator cowls for toy vintage cars. Making them in alloy is a PITA with cracks due to the thin material getting thinner with filing down. So, if I were to make them in steel and use anything other than standard mild steel TIG rod would it cause a problem with the chrome plating later? The 4043 rod is a different colour to the ali cowls I used previously so the joint shows up and I wanted to avoid that problem altogether with the steel versions.

Any suggestions would be most welcomed.

Thanks

Don't use soft solder as when the mop goes over it it will pull it, You need to use a harder solder.

 

[cardiffrob]

4043 is the wrong wire though, we went through that ages ago in the aircraft cowling thread- it's brittle as well as a poor colour match

Guilty, your Honour.

Still, a good learning experience. Now I know how not to do it.

I like the way Wendel has done it. Making a larger radius bend on the edges (rolled over a tube offcut?) would soften the appearance and look more like the one that was originally fitted to my 1933 A7.
I'll have a try when I get back from my Longhaul on Saturday. 8 day lay-over in the Maldives. Bummer!

 

[brightspark]

Hello Rob,

I'm fairly certain that Rolls Royce radiator surrounds are made using soft solder?

However as good quality chrome plating uses a copper then nickel layer, won't that cover any mismatch of weld and parent metal colour, I suggest you ask the plater?

Alec

correct rolls royce radiator surounds are hand made and soft soldered