Welding or soldering diecast metal

[sjordan2]

I've got a 30s-style folding hood on a 1/16 Bburago Bugatti, and I want to seal the upper center hinge permanently, the one that runs from the cowling to the radiator.

Elsewhere, Art mentioned that diecasts are usually made from a certain alloy I can't remember, I think it starts with a z (zamak?).

Is there a certain material or method that needs to be used for welding or soldering this? The hood needs to be able to withstand occasional removal from the model, and I want to put a faux piano hinge on the top (can't find a working scale hinge that's long enough – 3 inches – or thin enough, not among dollhouse supplies, RC aircraft or anywhere. Since PE suppliers notoriously don't provide instructions, I can't figure out how to put PE hinges together and they look too fragile anyway).

[highway]

Skip, I can't help on a suggestion to weld the hinge, but have you thought of making a working piano hinge for it from some plastic or aluminum tubing? That would give you a hinge that would be more sturdy than the PE but would still operate like the 1:1. I'm not sure if it was here in the tips section or in the trucks section, but I think someone showed a nice way to make a piano hinge from tubing, since big rigs use piano hinges commonly for door hinges. I'll try to see if I might be able to find a link for it.

[highway]

OK, Skip, here is the link to the thread, it is in the trucks section:

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=36918

These are really the two posts that you need from that thread, though.

Here is what you need to made these hinges.I use plastic cement and crazy glue to put it together.

For materials I use 1/16th aluminum tube, .032(.81mm) brass rod and thin sheet styrene.All cut to the same length.

Now score the aluminum tube with and x-acto knife to simulate a piano hinge, leave the brass rod in the tube when scoring.Then cut into three pieces.Use a small drill bit to clean out the tube after cutting. I leave the center section alittle larger.

Now cut plastic strip to same length as the tube pieces and crazy glue to the edge of the strip.Then insert brass rod.

[highway]

Due to the pics, I had to split it into two, just like the original poster did.

With the hinge together glue the two ends onto one side of your project with plastic glue.

And the center section to the other side.

This is what you end up with a hinge that can easily come apart for painting.

Hope this helps. Any questions just ask.

Just as Ray said in his post, I hope this helps.

[Blake Rogers]

wow great tip from that post!!!!!! thanks matt

[highway]

wow great tip from that post!!!!!! thanks matt

Not a problem, even though all I can take credit for is remembering it and finding it!

[MrObsessive]

Here's an informative article on soldering diecast.

[sjordan2]

Thanks, Matthew, I've not seen that before and it's terrific. As a matter of fact, that's something that would work for external vintage door hinges.

And bill, Thanks for the link.

Edited December 22, 2010 by sjordan2

[highway]

Thanks, Matthew, I've not seen that before and it's terrific. As a matter of fact, that's something that would work for external vintage door hinges.

You're very welcome, Skip, I'm just happy I remembered it because I filed it in the "memory bank" for truck door hinges! Ray did a wonderful job explaining it and the pictures are great reference, and just goes to show even though it was originally for truck hoods, it can be applied to just about anything.

[Art Anderson]

Zamak can be soldered, but it does take the right flux to do the job, and it matters not if the solder used is lead/tin or silver solder, or even one of the silver-bearing low temp solders.

Years ago, I built the Hubley Duesenberg Phaeton, and didn't like the idea of having a huge seam down the middle of the body shell, nor that deep pair of holes in one side of the body where the self-tap screws showed. I used what was called Sal-Met, which was a soldering flux widely available in the 60's, and a 300-watt soldering iron, solder flowed, tinned the surface perfectly, filled the seams, and the screw holes over top of the screw heads. Some filing, sanding, then priming and painting, you could never have guessed that the body was screwdriver assembled.

With zamak, though, bear in mind that torches get hot enough to melt this alloy, which melts below red heat, so be a bit careful.

As for piano hinges, Phoenix Model Development in the UK makes a number of sizes of piano hinge stock, in various lengths, all you need do is cut it to the right length, and it can be either soldered or epoxied into place. Google their website, worth a look!

Art

[sjordan2]

Thanks, Art! Looks like they have a number of things I can use.

http://www.phoenixmodeldevelopments.com/acatalog/The_Phoenix_Miniature_Hinge_Range.html

[Frankiebe]

I've got a 30s-style folding hood on a 1/16 Bburago Bugatti, and I want to seal the upper center hinge permanently, the one that runs from the cowling to the radiator.

Elsewhere, Art mentioned that diecasts are usually made from a certain alloy I can't remember, I think it starts with a z (zamak?).

Is there a certain material or method that needs to be used for welding or soldering this? The hood needs to be able to withstand occasional removal from the model, and I want to put a faux piano hinge on the top (can't find a working scale hinge that's long enough – 3 inches – or thin enough, not among dollhouse supplies, RC aircraft or anywhere. Since PE suppliers notoriously don't provide instructions, I can't figure out how to put PE hinges together and they look too fragile anyway).

For welding or soldering diecast metal or aluminum try looking at www.alumaloy.com they sell welding rods that work with a propane torch. Saw a TV ad on it, looks like it works pretty good.

Edited December 28, 2010 by Frankiebe