Repairing badges

[Loski]

I recently bought a Southern Rhodesia Artillery brass cap badge missing a lug I thought about paying to have it repaired but after some practice attempts with some bits of brass wire and sheet brass I made my first attempt, The lug was copied from one of the originals from 1mm brass wire and attached with solder. I’m quite pleased with the results comments please.







http://i986.photobucket.com/albums/a...psq319pdvc.jpg

[Tanker Mike]

Looks not bad, have you looked into brazing? I think that brazing needs higher temperatures though and may discolour the brass.

Some solder repairs are god awful, with big gobs of solder and even solder leaching over to the front. I had a jeweller repair a lug, it was not bad, but expensive at $30.00.

There is a company here in Edmonton that does laser welding repair to eye glasses, I wonder how it would work on cap badges.

[Loski]

Lazer welding might work for reattaching crowns ect on brass and bronze badges but I'm guessing it would not be cheap for me brazing was a nonstarter as there is a chance of melting the badge plus the equipment would probably be expensive, IMO soldering is the way to go when reattaching lugs, I found the best way was to use smallest amount of solder possible and use the minimum heat that it takes to melt the solder.

[Marcus H]

A bloody good effort, Loski!

I think your trial has paid off and the new lug compliments the badge.


Best,

Marcus

[Loski]

Originally Posted by Marcus H

A bloody good effort, Loski!

I think your trial has paid off and the new lug compliments the badge.


Best,

Marcus

Hi Marcus
thanks I thought having a couple of test runs might be advisable as I didnt want to wreck the badge. I was going to use a preformed lug but it didnt look right so making a copy was not too hard and looks better.