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Joseph Gwinn Joseph Gwinn is offline
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Default Steel eyeglass frame repair?

In article
,
wrote:

On Nov 9, 8:14*am, Bob Engelhardt wrote:
I've used soft solder to repair glasses frames. *More than strong enough
& avoids the heat needed for silver. *I suppose it's possible to control
the heat needed for silver solder, without destroying the frames, but I
can't & it sounds like you wouldn't be able to either (said without
aspersions).

'Though I have repaired frames, nowadays I don't bother, as a new pair
is $12 (shipped) from Zenni (
http://www.zennioptical.com/). *I'm a very
satisfied customer, as are others here.

Bob


I had not considered regular low temp solder - I have some silver
bearing (low temp) solder that is about 2 to 3 times the strength as
regular solder. I have read all of the Zenni threads and I am
conflicted. I find my self more and more looking at the country of
manufacture when I am buying something. I'll gladly pay a 20% premium
for a North American made product (I consider Mexico as part of NA)
over a made in CHina. The price for the Zenni eyeglasses is mighty
tempting - do I help to keep the local eyeglass store in business or
do I help to outsource more of our economy?


What I usually use is an ordinary air-acetylene plumbers torch, but for
something that small, one can braze using a small MAPP torch.

Soft solder is not likely strong enough. Glasses frames are in fact
brazed together. Use a 50% silver alloy. Wrap the rest of the frame in
a wet rag to keep the heat confined.

Joe Gwinn