The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Would I be in the realm of possibility to be able to get regular electronics solder to stick to a spot of nickle-plated pot metal, including roughing up the surface and applying some flux first? I have a crack that I've repaired with epoxy, but want to add more permanent strength with a small strip of soldered metal like brass or copper. I don't expect it to 'soak' into the crack itself, just want to use the soldered metal strip as a bridge over the crack, as I don't expect the epoxy to hold once I get the whole unit screwed back together tightly. And I'm not real concerned about appearance of the repair, just want it to be solid. Is there some other kind of brazing-type solder or metal that might work better for this, and still stick to this?
Thanks!

gramophoneshane wrote:http://www.muggyweld.com/potmetal.html

Shane,

Just wondering if you've ever actually used this product? It has me rather curious... as it appears pot metal will be a significant part of my foreseeable future.

Might be worth its weight in gold if it actually works well for white metal items, but I'm personally a bit reluctant to try such a spendy product without any personal recommendations.

No, I haven't Tinkerbell.
I actually found the link posted on a radio forum by a fellow who has used it & recommended it to someone else. I just added it to my favorites list because pot metal repairs come up a lot here, & as I'd never heard of it before, so I thought someone might want to give it a try.
Pot metal is a bit of a rarity here in Australia (thank goodness). We still get it on Columbias, Vocalions and the like, and very occasionally an aussie made off-brand will turn up with a US made pot metal tonearm, but for the most part, we got parts for our off-brands from Switzerland & UK, or complete machines from there, and they used steel and brass 99% of the time.
Personally, I try and avoid machines that use pot metal like the plague anyway.

gramophoneshane wrote: Personally, I try and avoid machines that use pot metal like the plague anyway.

You mean they AREN'T the plague??

Since I'm just starting out in this venture, I don't quite have that luxury of avoidance (yet). But, as they say, into each life a little rain must fall... or in this case, into each phonograph discovery a little white metal must break.