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Author Topic: Ultrasonic drill bit soldering  (Read 3040 times)

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lithicbeads

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Ultrasonic drill bit soldering
« on: February 04, 2016, 07:13:57 PM »



 I decided that a great way to get back into stonecutting after a month layoff would be to make a bunch of beads. I have lots of preforms cut and drilling comes next.Little elves using my shop left me with no bits so a round of soldering commenced.The bits which are stainless steel  tubes needed to be soldered to  a part of the machine called the horn. I have a bunch of horns so I usually solder a half dozen at a time.one horn was still on the drill and packlithic could not get it off so she had to wheel me over in the wheelchair  and I reached way up with the wrench and loosened the horn.Nice to feel useful.Next all old grit  and dirt are brushed off the end of the horns with a stainless steel brush so that they are not incorporated into the fresh solder.I line the horns up in a row and put flux on the new bits after cleaning them with the stainless brush. The torch is using just mapp gas pro which is inferior to the old mapp gas as it seems t be dirtier and has less btu per unit volume of gas.The end of the horn has a depression drilled in it called the pot .The entire pot and it's silver solder and drill bit stub contents must be thoroughly heated so that the worn drill  bit may be removed when the solder melts.The torch never leaves the horn end until the entire bit replacement process is over.Silver solder is now introduced into the pot until the pot is full.I then clean the top of the full pot with flu.The cleaned and fluxed drill bit is then inserted into the jaws of a pair of linesman pliers . The bit is then held above the pot until it has preheated a bit, about 15 seconds at an inch above the pot and flame.If the bit is inadvertently heated to the point it shows color it must be disposed of as it will be too brittle to drill with for long. The torch is lowered down the horn tip as the new bit is lowered into the molten medium grade silver solder.As the flame is lowered it also must be pointed up to encourage the solder to climb the bit so as to ensure a good joint. The pliers keep the bit in alignment until the solder cools and hardens., about 15 seconds.During this time the flame is moved to the net horn to begin the process over.Now we can have happy elves again.









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hummingbirdstones

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Re: Ultrasonic drill bit soldering
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2016, 07:43:49 PM »

That is so cool, Frank, but it looks like so much work!  Great to see you being able to do something rock-related.   :occasion14:
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Robin

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Re: Ultrasonic drill bit soldering
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2016, 07:52:20 PM »

glad you get to do something while healing up "SLOOOOWLY"
just be careful maneuvering about Frank LOL!
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Gergis

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Re: Ultrasonic drill bit soldering
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2016, 10:47:52 PM »

Better use them bits up before the not so "little elves" show up again Lol :-P

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

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GoodEarth

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Re: Ultrasonic drill bit soldering
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2016, 08:10:46 AM »

Cool!

Tell me, what do you use to remove the old solder? I've seen solder suckers, but always wondered how well they actually work.
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lithicbeads

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Re: Ultrasonic drill bit soldering
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2016, 09:36:34 AM »

If the soldeqr gets contaminated enousgh with metal fragments and silicon carbide it has to be drilled out which is a world of myesery as the silicon carbide is very haard making for very slow works.
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cobbledstones

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Re: Ultrasonic drill bit soldering
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2016, 06:12:34 PM »

I am quite interested in this drilling technique.  How much faster is it relative to traditional diamond bits?  What unita are out thrre for purchase?  Do you think it is worth the price of a new unit?
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lithicbeads

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Re: Ultrasonic drill bit soldering
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2016, 07:21:51 PM »

I have  the Chinese and Japanese units.The Chinese unit is junk.The Japanese unit is a dream but very expensive.
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