first i am not completely sure where to put this post so i hope this is right. Any way I am going to Pennsylvania college of technology right now and i am in the heavy equipment mechanic program, for one of my electives i am taking a welding class. I know welding/brazing is one of the things that you just need time behind the mask doing over and over again but i was just wondering if anyone had any tips for a novice like me. Were doing 4 weeks each of oxy-fuel welding, tig, mig, and stic. Right now were doing the oxy-fuel and we are brazing and i am having trouble getting it down. If any one has any advice thanks in advance.
http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/ A lot of good tips here.
Watch someone doing it right. Pay attention to their movements the copy and paste. You're going to need to practice, like you said. But you can shorten the learning curve a little bit if you practice doing it right first off, rather than experimenting until you stumble upon success. Good luck.
Practice practice practice,brazing and welding are all about heat and it only experience and hand control makes it right,knowing when to put in the filler rod and when not too. Back in the last century when I was taught to use a oxy-acete kit we spent at least two weeks 8 hrs a day learning torch control by joining two strips of tin 1/8" with out the use of a filler rod,eventually we were able to keep the puddle of molten liquid a regular even size without too much dipping. So it is practice and more practice but once you get the touch right it carries across all forms of welding.
For brazing, if you're using oxy-acetylene, use a slightly acetylene flame. Make sure your work pieces are clean. If you are not using flux coated rods, don't forget to keep dipping into the flux tin. The secret and most tricky part of brazing is (IMO) keeping the work pieces at the correct temperature. Too cool and the braze won't flow and will only form balls. Too hot and it'll not "stick". It will look like the metal has become "oilly" and the braze flows away from the hot spot. You may also get little explosions as the braze "boils". For steel, if it starts to approach cherry red then you're probably too hot. Good luck.
Lean on your instructor a little. Get his help. After all thatis what he is there for. He probably has a store house of knowledge. OFten time you just have to ask. (nicely)
Bottom line--It's all about heat control and manipulating the filler wire.
Beg to differ ! but I always use a slightly oxidizing flame and find that the brass flows a lot better.
Give it more oxy! just to be sure to be sure
Dats rite lad and dont step on dem podatodes.
Jaysus yer roight. If yer ruin der shpuds, dere'll be a lot of sorry faces at mother hubbards tonight.....