2

Silver soldered storage box

SCHOOL OF MAKING

through, but for a thicker sheet you may want to

use an angle grinder with a slitting disk. Saw on the

waste side of your line to avoid cutting undersize.

First cut out the big sections then return, perhaps

with a smaller saw, to cut out any details. Once

you’ve cut out the pattern, debur the edges with

a file to remove any big snags. Then smooth the

sharp edges with an emery cloth. It is also worth

cleaning the metal at this point as it will be easier

than when it is folded up. Remove any dirt and

grease, paying attention to the edges that will be

silver soldered.

FOLD ALONG THE DOTTED LINE

Thin sheet metal can be folded by hand but it will

need some support. Start with the short tabs as

those will be inaccessible later. Clamp blocks of

wood along the line of the fold, these are called

formers. Don’t try to form the complete fold in one

go. Use a mallet or hammer with gentle taps and

work along the tab folding a little each pass. Once

the fold is nearly complete you may find it easier to

remove the clamps and hold the former by hand.

This allows you to fold just a little bit more than 90°

to compensate for the springiness of the metal.

Repeat this process with each of the side folds.

For the last side we had to carefully remove

the clamps before we got to 90°, as they were

obstructing the fold.

To form the top edges, first clamp and fold

them to 90°, then you should be able to remove

the formers and fold them completely back

on themselves. Ensure you fold each of these

identically so that the corners line up.

Folding the box lid follows the same process

as for the box body, first fold the tabs then fold

up each of the sides. Do a test fit once you’ve

folded two of the sides to ensure that the lid is

large enough to fit but sufficiently snug to stay on

by itself.

SILVER SOLDERING FOR STRENGTH

Once your box is folded you can silver solder the

tabs to give it more strength. Silver solder has a

higher melting point than electronics solder and is

supplied in the form of thin rods.

To form a good joint, a flux is required. The flux

comes in the form of a powder that is mixed up as

required. This is toxic so avoid skin contact and do

not eat or breath it in.

Ensure the surfaces to be joined are clean and

free of grease. Mix up the flux powder with a

small amount of water to form a paste that can be

Silver solder has a higher

melting point than electronics

solder and is supplied in the

form of thin rods.

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The tabbed approach to building this box could be

easily adapted for a spot welder or pop rivets.

ALTERNATIVE ASSEMBLY

Above

Fold against the

wooden former