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Brazing joins two base metals with a molten metal filler, creating a strong joint without melting or deforming the components. It can be used on different metal forms and configurations, but requires clean surfaces and a high temperature. Brazing offers advantages over welding and soldering, including the ability to join dissimilar metals.
Brazing is a process that joins two pieces of base metal together when a molten metal filler, the braze, flows through the joint and cools to form a solid bond. Similar to welding, brazing creates an extremely strong joint, usually stronger than the base metal pieces themselves, without melting or deforming the components. Two different metals, or base metals such as silver and bronze, are perfect for brazing. This method can be used to create an invisible bond that is resilient over a wide range of temperatures and capable of withstanding jolts and twisting motions.
Form
The brazing process is the same as welding, although the metals and temperatures differ. Pipe, rod, flat metal, or any other form of metal can be brazed, as long as the pieces fit snugly together without large gaps. Brazing can handle more unusual configurations with linear joints, while most welding is done for spot welds on simpler shapes.
Prepare the metals
Before brazing can begin, the entire area to be joined must be clean, otherwise the molten brazing mix will pool instead of flow, creating a loose joint. The surface is then washed and the molten flux is applied. The flux removes oxides, prevents increased oxidation during brazing, and smoothes the surface so the braze flows smoothly through the joint.
twist
The flare for this process uses fuels such as acetylene and hydrogen to create an extremely high temperature, often between 800° and 2,000° Fahrenheit (430 and 1,100° Celsius). The temperature must be low enough not to melt the base metals, but high enough to melt the braze. The torches have sensitive controls to reach the correct temperature, depending on the associated melting points.
Brazing application
Brazing is applied to complete the joint. Brazing, like soldering, comes in stick, disk, or wire form, depending on user preference or the shape of the joint. After the base metals near the joint have been torched, the braze is applied to the hot pieces so that the braze melts and flows around the joint. This means that it penetrates the joint, working into every crevice. If the process is done correctly, the bond is very strong after it cools and solidifies.
Advantages
This process offers many advantages over spot welding or soldering. For example, a brazed joint is smooth and complete, creating an airtight, waterproof bond for piping that can easily be plated so the seam disappears. It also conducts electricity like basic alloys. Only brazing can join dissimilar metals that have different melting points, such as bronze, steel, aluminum, wrought iron, and copper.
