Need help with cartridge pens

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tommy2tone

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I am trying to make my own. I got the unprimed shells from Bass pro shop. 308 I belive.. Question is soldering in the tubes. I saw the video, but mine doesn't seem to work. I hold the soldering gun (the actual gun type 75watts) to the casing and about 1/4" of the tube. The solder is .062 resin core. Don't know if I am holding it on there long enough. Haven't timed it but feels like a couple minutes. My hand gets tired and alittle hot. I am heating the primer end if that matters.
 
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try using a propane (or butane) torch instead. the material you're soldering needs to be hot enough to melt the solder. also, if youre holding the brass in a vise, the vise is acting as a large heat sink.
 
To back up Brett's thought...HF has a nice little self igniting butane torch for $8'ish...that poor thing gets used for everything in our home and you can adjust the "temp" of the flame. Might be a thought.
 
You need a torch to heat the end of the cartridge as there is too much material there to be heated with an electric soldering gun. You may be able to get enough heat if you use a 240 watt gun but not a 75 watt.
 
Heat and more

Jeff,

I've not done this particular job. However over a 30 year period I did solder a good many typewriter type slugs onto typebars. Used 60/40 acid core.

Too much heat is as bad as too little. There will be a bit of a learning curve. Not too much solder. Cleaning the metal is critical. Flux is kind of like a primer for solder. It goes where flux is.

However after you get your heat problem solved, prep the surface by using an abrasive to clean, you need clean only right where you want your solder to go, use of liquid flux might be a real plus it super cleans and seems to attract solder. I would strongly suggest you change your solder. Rosin core is for electronics. Acid core I believe would be best. 0.062 should do well. Shouldn't be too hard to find. May have to order it in that fine diameter. Jewelry repair suppliers perhaps.

Wishing you a successful build,

Charlie
 
A 75 watt soldering gun does not produce enough heat to solder in the tubes. I use the HF butane micro torch as mentioned above. Heat for about 20 seconds and solder.
 
Get a soldering iron, not the gun type. I have an 80 watt that works just fine. Don't use the rosin core solder, that's for electronics. Use the solder at the hardware store that they use to solder copper plumbing, I have the lead free and it works. Also, get some paste flux...YOU HAVE TO USE FLUX...the MOST important thing with soldering is cleanliness, sand the tube and use PLENTY of flux. PM me if you need more info..
 
I agree with Rick. Solid solder for plumbing with paste flux works great for me also. Cleanliness, as noted by Rick, is very important. Keep trying rosin core solder if you wish or change to what works for many of us.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

rherrell said:
Get a soldering iron, not the gun type. I have an 80 watt that works just fine. Don't use the rosin core solder, that's for electronics. Use the solder at the hardware store that they use to solder copper plumbing, I have the lead free and it works. Also, get some paste flux...YOU HAVE TO USE FLUX...the MOST important thing with soldering is cleanliness, sand the tube and use PLENTY of flux. PM me if you need more info..
Click to expand...
 
The problem is that you are trying to solder the primer end of the cartridge. That end is about 1/4" of solid brass. It will take a lot of heat to get it up to soldering temperature. So you will need a large (+120W) soldering iron or a small butane torch.

William O Young is soldering the neck end. This is only 2 thin brass tubes to heat up, the cartridge neck and the 7mm tube. So even a 40W soldering iron will work.

Have a look at the instructable I did on making cartridge blanks. It uses the same method as William O Young.
 
I solder at the case head with a propane torch. It takes about 10 seconds. I use a lead-free solid wire solder. My experience is that using the proper flux makes a difference. Tinning flux works well - water-soluble flux (sold for plumbing) does not.

That said, soldering is mostly about technique - which simply takes practice.

I hope that helps,
Eric
 
I don't solder my tubes in on my cartridge pens... I use the 30-06 casings from Gander Mountain.... I use the shrink tubes for electrical wire to create a snug fit at the crimp end of the cartridge and then use the expanding Gorilla glue to center and hold the tube in the cartridge.... you might have to sand the shrink tube down a bit to fit, a quick spin against a belt sander works fine and quickly... a liberal dose of the GG will hold the tube securely. Although the soldering might work better, I would think you have to be absolutely centered in the casing when you solder... the expanding glue seems to center well... especially if you use the shrink tubing.
 
TellicoTurning said:
I don't solder my tubes in on my cartridge pens... I use the 30-06 casings from Gander Mountain.... I use the shrink tubes for electrical wire to create a snug fit at the crimp end of the cartridge and then use the expanding Gorilla glue to center and hold the tube in the cartridge.... you might have to sand the shrink tube down a bit to fit, a quick spin against a belt sander works fine and quickly... a liberal dose of the GG will hold the tube securely. Although the soldering might work better, I would think you have to be absolutely centered in the casing when you solder... the expanding glue seems to center well... especially if you use the shrink tubing.
Click to expand...
Thanks Chuck. I was thinking of trying this. I used some expanding GG on wood with some squeeze out and thought it might work on these pens.
 
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