Welding Tips and Tricks

I already have Silicon Bronze but recently watched Jody welding steel with Aluminum Bronze. Leaves me with the question, why? What is the most realistic reason to buy yet another filler rod, if it is not really needed? Or the better question, what can it do that you cannot do with another filler rod? I have never welded any aluminum bronze parts so maybe that is its best and intended use?
Thanks,
electrode

added: I think I figured it out by googling and lo and behold, its Jody.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Tig-Welding-T ... id=2548512

I guess I will buy some already! But that stuff ain't cheap...

electrode wrote:I already have Silicon Bronze but recently watched Jody welding steel with Aluminum Bronze. Leaves me with the question, why? What is the most realistic reason to buy yet another filler rod, if it is not really needed? Or the better question, what can it do that you cannot do with another filler rod? I have never welded any aluminum bronze parts so maybe that is its best and intended use?
Thanks,
electrode

added: I think I figured it out by googling and lo and behold, its Jody.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Tig-Welding-T ... id=2548512

I guess I will buy some already! But that stuff ain't cheap...

Tig brazing is a shit way to fixate anything unless other options aren't available. I have a pound of silicon bronze rod that I bought 2 years ago and I have had to tig braze once..a brass nut to stainless...and that took about 4 inches of rod to accomplish. Save your money and if a brazing job ever comes your way...ask $100 an hour to do it...if they don't run then go buy some...otherwise your wasting your cash. JMHO

I use it allot in fixing Plastic injection Molds
we use is as a wear surface or a Crush surface
Not sure what else you would use it for
other than making your welds look sexy




Kevin

Silicone/Alu bronze TIGing has it's place as one of the many processes available to create metal structures. I see it applied quite a bit on tubular frames on (race-)cars and also on frames of racing motorbikes.

You do need to design the structure around the fact that the joints may be weaker in some directions (so don't just go brazing on a design meant for regular welding.. It'll end in tears..), but once you do it can allow for using thinner and lighter base materials and because you do not melt the parent material much it also does not change material properties like ductility and grain size/direction.

This effect can make such a 'brazed' setup much more vibration and bend-stress tolerant than a plain welded setup where the welded joints and HAZ in the base material can be much more susceptible to crack formation under stress or vibration.

The reduced heat input is also good for sheet metal work.

It's just a different process at the core and opens different methods of solving some construction problems. 'Right tool for the job' and that sort of thing.

Bye, Arno.

exnailpounder wrote: Tig brazing is a shit way to fixate anything unless other options aren't available. I have a pound of silicon bronze rod that I bought 2 years ago and I have had to tig braze once..a brass nut to stainless...and that took about 4 inches of rod to accomplish. Save your money and if a brazing job ever comes your way...ask $100 an hour to do it...if they don't run then go buy some...otherwise your wasting your cash. JMHO

LOL, ok, thanks. But I have some empty tubes in my filler rod holder box.

CanMoulder wrote:I use it allot in fixing Plastic injection Molds
we use is as a wear surface or a Crush surface
Not sure what else you would use it for
other than making your welds look sexy




Kevin

I like sexy welds. And I used to work in a plastics plant but didn't repair molds. It was a blow molding operation that made plastic bottles. I got to fix line equipment and set up machines. That pic reminds me...I have an older Dodge Caravan that had some metal fatigue where the right gas charged strut for the liftgate was attached to the body. I tried the old large diameter washer trick (without welding) and the little stud that holds the strut still bends the sheet metal. That rear liftgate is heavy too. Now from leaving only the left strut attached it has actually bent the hinges too. I still need to fix it but I think it is going to require that I remove some sheet metal from the outside to do a proper repair...

Arno wrote:Silicone/Alu bronze TIGing has it's place as one of the many processes available to create metal structures. I see it applied quite a bit on tubular frames on (race-)cars and also on frames of racing motorbikes.

You do need to design the structure around the fact that the joints may be weaker in some directions (so don't just go brazing on a design meant for regular welding.. It'll end in tears..), but once you do it can allow for using thinner and lighter base materials and because you do not melt the parent material much it also does not change material properties like ductility and grain size/direction.

This effect can make such a 'brazed' setup much more vibration and bend-stress tolerant than a plain welded setup where the welded joints and HAZ in the base material can be much more susceptible to crack formation under stress or vibration.

The reduced heat input is also good for sheet metal work.

It's just a different process at the core and opens different methods of solving some construction problems. 'Right tool for the job' and that sort of thing.

Bye, Arno.

That is good info. Thanks. I plan on doing some metal art (small scale) so it has a use in my future. I also ride motorcycles, but I let the manufacturer make them for me.

Use it in place of silicone bronze if you need more wear resistance than silicone bronze provides. It's much harder than silicone bronze. Aluminum bronze will also mar the surface of other metals where silicone bronze will not.

RamboBaby wrote:Use it in place of silicone bronze if you need more wear resistance than silicone bronze provides. It's much harder than silicone bronze. Aluminum bronze will also mar the surface of other metals where silicone bronze will not.

Thanks for the added info. I will be shopping for special deals as I always buy 10 pounds when I buy welding filler rods.