Solder for new still

[Jeremy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jeremy]

Howzit everyone
Been making a new still but stuck on finding a suitable solder to use in cape town south africa. On homedistiller.org the americans reccomend solder made up of tin and silver or tin and copper (for soft solders) and silver solder for brazing. I dont have a good enough torch for brazing although it seems brazing sticks may be the only thing i can source in cape town. The solders sold here have no informatiom besides lead free or cadmium free even when i search for their online site. There are apparently many more unsafe materiels used in solders such as bismuth and other wetting agents in the alloy that i am worried about. Anyonr have any suggestions? I dont feel like importorting a reel of solder.

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

@Jeremy Welcome

Why not get in touch with someone that manufacture these things and share/get some info.

That said, the solder available here have been used by brewers in all sort of equipment ... even the piping in your house, so why the stress ?

[Toxxyc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toxxyc]

Just use regular lead-free plumber's solder. It's safe for use in your house's hot water pipes and everywhere else, so why not in a still?

As a PS, and this is my personal opinion, the guys over at homedistiller.org can sometimes be a bit too much on the "safe" side. Yes a lot of it makes sense and I agree, but a lot of the stuff they preach as law I don't agree with, so approach with an open mind.

[Jeremy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jeremy]

Hi thanks for thr help yes i was planning on phoning one of the distilling supplies companies. Solders that are fine for household use arent always ok for use in stills. Householdbis commonly just hot water ad opposed to in a still there is hot alcohol vapout which can corrode at soft materials leaching certain parts of solder into the drink. Or thats what they say on homedistiller. I like and wish that point of view was true tho.
Cheers

[Jeremy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jeremy]

So i found a place in cape town that sells something that is preffered for use in a still.
It is 97%tin and 3% copper from a place called lead and solder in cape town. I also phoned some distilling supplies companies which say just normal lead free solder is fine but id rather be safe and know exactly whats in it. In australia lead and cadmium have been banned in solders rated for food grade use so in my opinion it would make sense that in a still its even worse.
Cheers and thanks for the help

[Rocket-Boy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rocket-Boy]

Jeremy, you should start a build thread on your still.
Its always nice to see what people are building and often members on here know where to find bits and pieces that are hard to track down.

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

Jeremy, you should start a build thread on your still.
Its always nice to see what people are building and often members on here know where to find bits and pieces that are hard to track down.

+1 good idea

[Toxxyc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toxxyc]

I can post a build thread for my still as well if people want? Sure I used Satan's Solder, but it works. In fact I'm mashing a nice 50l batch of whisky wort tomorrow...

EDIT: Oh wait I did post a build thread on here. Just need to post final pics of the still running.