how to repair my whiskey flask

[webmost]

Anyone here good at working metal?

I scored a whiskey flask in a gifte shoppe tourist trap just outside Jellystone... only because the embossed slogan "Liquid Jackass" on the side of it appealed to me. Love the thing. has always worked well.

Until now. Had it in the garage half full of rum. Temps out there were in the twenties. Brought it in the other night to sip with a cigar in front of the fire. Ice cold flask with a fire radiating on one side of it = the one side swelled, other side icy, the thing deformed, just enough to produce this leak in the bottom:



Who's a good metal worker here? Got an idea how to fix this?

 

[Knucklehead]

It would probably take some of the paintless dent removal tools to do anything with the dents. You can solder the split. I think you'll need acid flux and silver solder like gunsmiths use. http://www.wikihow.com/Solder-Stainless-Steel

www.brownells.com sells silver solder and flux.

If that's too much for you try JB Weld, also available through Brownells.

 

[FmGrowit]

You can solder it. You'll need the expensive silver solder though.

Clean the area with steel wool, clamp the flask upright so the flux doesn't flow into the flask. Use a slow heat, hold the torch 6" or so from the piece. Apply flux compatible with the silver solder, when the flux bubbles, hit the crack with the solder. Be sure to hold the heat above the crack...not on the crack so the solder draws up into the crack.

If the solder doesn't draw, heat the crack, add solder and wipe it off. This would be a type of 'tinning". Let it cool, and repeat the process. Tinning is the easiest way to get a stubborn joint to sweat.

When you're done, sand off any unwanted solder with emery cloth being careful not to scratch the stainless.

I'm sure others have better ideas, but that's the way I'd attempt it.

 

[FmGrowit]

looks like I'm getting old now

 

[Knucklehead]

I didn't say it.

 

[bonehead]

i use harris stayclean liquid flux and silver solder to solder ss. you need at least five percent silver in the solder. the more silver in the solder the higher the melting temp. at around 5 to seven percent silver you can still use a propane torch. make sure your solder is lead free and don't put the flame on the flux because it will burn. it is eaciest to cut the solder and lay it on top of the split then heat around the workarea until the solder melts and flows into the crack. wow do i type slow already answered.

 

[FmGrowit]

Got an idea how to fix this?

Duct tape

 

[Frozenthunderbolt]

i use harris stayclean liquid flux and silver solder to solder ss. you need at least five percent silver in the solder. the more silver in the solder the higher the melting temp. at around 5 to seven percent silver you can still use a propane torch. make sure your solder is lead free and don't put the flame on the flux because it will burn. it is eaciest to cut the solder and lay it on top of the split then heat around the workarea until the solder melts and flows into the crack. wow do i type slow already answered.

Like this, or as FM growit said BUT

once done heat up some vinegar, or a solution of citric acid and pour it inside the flask and swirl it alot. If you can get a test tube cleaner that fits inside so much the better.
Repeat this a couple of times.
Next, soak with some baccadi 151 or other high proof, again scrub it if you can, then throw that alcohol away/use it as fire lighter.
Rinse well with water and you should be good to go.

Why do this you say?

Flux is persistant on the surface of the metal, and if draw inside through capillary action is NOT something that you want dissolving into your alcohol to be consumed (trust me on this)

 

[Markw]

Unless you have a tigg or a supply of silver solder . I would be looking at getting a new one.

 

[bonehead]

Like this, or as FM growit said BUT

once done heat up some vinegar, or a solution of citric acid and pour it inside the flask and swirl it alot. If you can get a test tube cleaner that fits inside so much the better.
Repeat this a couple of times.
Next, soak with some baccadi 151 or other high proof, again scrub it if you can, then throw that alcohol away/use it as fire lighter.
Rinse well with water and you should be good to go.

Why do this you say?

Flux is persistant on the surface of the metal, and if draw inside through capillary action is NOT something that you want dissolving into your alcohol to be consumed (trust me on this)

you should clean it very good in one half vinegar bath and one half water at boiling temps. then a sacrificial alcohol soak won't hurt. stayclean is a acid based flux so it is one of the easier fluxes to get off . always safety first.

 

[Matty]

Unless you have a tigg or a supply of silver solder . I would be looking at getting a new one.

Yeah, just swing on down to the shop, I got a TIG, stainless filler and can purge the flask with argon. No mess guaranteed

 

[webmost]

Yeah, if you weren't 600 miles of Winter driving away I'd take you up on that. Plus these borders are such an obnoxious anachronism.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Yeah, if you weren't 600 miles of Winter driving away I'd take you up on that. .

Sounds like a summer road trip to Canada eh?

 

[bonehead]

you can get small packs of silversolder with flux for between 10 to 20 bucks off internet sites.