Body Armor

[SWCrawler]

I have an SCX10 w TF2 cab and need to find rear cage??? Has anybody used silver solder to build one? I don't weld. Don't want composite gotta be metal..

[onebullet]

i know thats the way alot of people used to do it. I dont see many people talking about it anymore. It is possible though.

[Mike Flea]

Don't have to be a welder to teach yourself how to braze, easy enough, just takes practice and patience. Find a local welding store to purchase your silver solder rods and flux, should run you around $40. Pick up some brakeline from a local auto parts store, or some small diameter steel rod from the local hardware store. Depending on the diameter of the brakeline figure $15 - 20, and for the solid rod, depending on diameter and length, around $5-15, for enough to make a cage. Oh, and don't forget the Mapp gas, more heat than propane, about $8 for a small tank, if you get a small brazing kit, that comes with a bottle, self-igniting torch, and some extra tips, maybe $20-30.

Remember, to brush the flux onto both pieces you want to join & you only want to get the pieces red enough to melt the silver solder, not melt the material.

There's plenty of how-to videos on You-Tube for brazing.

[SWCrawler]

Think i will go for it. Who knows maybe I'll do well naturally. Didn't know how to solder electronics when got into this hobby, now they look professional. Thanks any tips on brands or materials would be helpful, i only solder as well as i do because i have quality tools and the such.

[Mike Flea]

I use Bernz-o-matic, but generally, whatever I can get from Home Depot, for the torch and gas.

The solder & flux I purchase from a company called Airgas, they have stores nationwide, so you might have one near you, and they usually have it displayed behind the sales counter.

If you decide to use brakeline: It comes in two styles, coated and uncoated. The coated, you'll have to wire wheel or grind the coating off on the ends where you want to braze, and for that matter, you should give the uncoated a little grind, too. Also, you'll want to fish mouth the ends on perpendicular joints, it makes for a stronger joint.

If using steel rod: Again, give mating ends a quick grind, and a fishmouth doesn't hurt, helps to hold the pieces in place, makes for a better joint.

I use a dremel for grinding the ends and making the fishmouth. An assortment of grinding stones will do the work just fine. just make sure when you cut your lengths, you leave enough to grind. Test fit a couple times or so before you start brazing, and make sure you rig up some kind of way to hold the pieces that you're brazing together. Some guys make jigs or use magnets*

*Important advice here on using magnets: keep them far away from the flame when holding parts, magnets have a tendency to explode or shatter.

I used small "C" clamps to clamp the first few pieces to a metal plate to make the first couple of joints, after that, I cut my pieces tight enough to hold each other in place while I brazed.

I self-taught myself, by trial and error, but it was worth it, and it didn't cost me a lot either. If you want to see how my rollcage turned out, go to the Large Scale section: "New Project (for me)", I made my rollcage, rear bumper, and front stinger.

[SWCrawler]

Excellent info, thanks

[Mike Flea]

I'll be watching for your build thread, good luck, patience, and have fun building!