Repairing galvanized metal watering can

Stan in Oly, WA · Jun 29, 2014

A neighbor asked me if I could repair a galvanized watering can that the spout broke off of. Someone had put a hose fitting and small pump in it to make it a sort of rustic fountain. None of that is my problem, though. I just have to get the spout back on.

The metal is 20 gauge at the most. It appears that the original method of attachment was solder. I don't have any heat source for soldering except for propane or oxy/acetylene. I'm only a little concerned about zinc fumes, because I could set up a fan to blow the smoke and fumes away from me. Could I solder this with plumbing solder and flux, which I have, or do I have to buy a more appropriate type? Any advice about the best way to fix this?

Thanks, Stan
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60 acre hillside · Jun 29, 2014

should be no problem but I would prefer a soldering iron and propane furnace.

Dalex · Jun 29, 2014

Should be an easy repair. I've soldered copper pipe to galv. many times.Use acid core solder.

jeffcat · Jun 29, 2014

At depot they have the soilder past in the little white and green label container for plumbing. Good paste for what you are doing. I wouldn't use acid core just use plumbing soilder. The newest stuff, past three or four years, works very nicely. Think they fainaly got the metal mix correct. The real top end soilder has like 1 or 2 percent silver in it. That stuff is GREAT. Clean surface with a little stainless wire brush. Spread a little paste and soilder with a BIG soilder iron. If you can only use your propane tourch you want VERY VERY VERY little heat!!!! Just "WAVE" the flame past it so you do not over heat the galvanize! I would "tin" the spout first and then the can. Next stick them together and apply just enough heat to let the solider "JUST" flow a little bit. All of the big letters is to tell you that the galvanize will burn off the metal. Then you will really have problems getting it to stick. Take your time and do a good job.

Bret4207 · Jun 30, 2014

Zinc (galvinizing) bonds easily with lead. So does tin. What you need is clean surfaces and a soldering iron. A torch is too much heat too fast. Look around and see if you can't find a yard sale or flea market with a soldering copper.

Stan in Oly, WA · Jun 30, 2014

I've been wondering if I could do it with two or three steel soldering irons which would be simple to make and could be kept in the forge and used one after another. Would that work? I also have scrap sheet copper but I suspect that I'd spend a lot of time trying to fab something with it, and maybe not come up with anything useful, anyway.

Stan

Bret4207 · Jul 2, 2014

Steel will work. Copper is better because the solder readily sticks to copper and provides a faster/better heat transfer. But a good big bolt head held against the metal will work.

Repairing galvanized metal watering can

Stan in Oly, WA

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60 acre hillside

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Dalex

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jeffcat

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Bret4207

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Stan in Oly, WA

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Bret4207

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