Welding silicon bronze -- am I doing something wrong?

[Bert]

I'm just beginning to play around with silicon bronze. I tried TIG
welding some sheet (.065") and noticed that the bronze does not behave
like any other metals I have welded (steel, stainless, copper). The
molten bronze seems to be much more viscous with a much higher surface
tension; it doesn't flow nearly as readily as the other metals and it
has a tendency to pull itself into blobs. Is this just the nature of
the beast, or should I be doing something different, like using a
flux, or a different shielding gas (argon), or a higher gas flow rate
(15 cfh)? Any tips or tricks? Or do I just need to practice more and
learn how to compensate for these characteristics? Thanks for any
suggestions.

Bert

[Phil]

Hello Bert
I have TIG welded a fair amount of sil. bronze and most of the time it
has worked out OK , almost sounds like you are either running it too cold or
the steel isn't clean , I usually use the bronze on something that I would
prefer not to get very hot or on thin stock to avoid warping , the SS and
plain steel filler rod is designed to be mixed or melted into the base metal
, bronze works more like silver solder and other no ferrous metal , it goes
on by surface alloy as opposed to mixing with base metal , would make sure
metal is clean and it may help to sand or scotch bright the weld wire.
Good Luck
Phil
"Bert" <no_...@thank.you> wrote in message
news:5962d2l8eqviegvus...@4ax.com...

[Phil]

10 CFH should be plenty of gas , use 100% Argon and absolutly don't use any
Flux .
Phil

"Bert" <no_...@thank.you> wrote in message
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[Ipeak]

As Phil says, you DO NOT MELT THE BASE METAL! On a fillet joint,
holding the rod in one hand, lay the rod in the joint and run the TIG
arc along over it, melting and flowing the filler, wetting the base
metal.

[Bert]

Hey Phil,

Sounds like you're talking about brazing with bronze -- i.e., using it
to join a different base metal (steel). I'm talking about welding with
it -- i.e., the base metal and filler metal are both Si bronze.

Bert

[pat...@titzer.com]

Bert wrote:
> Hey Phil,
>
> Sounds like you're talking about brazing with bronze -- i.e., using it
> to join a different base metal (steel). I'm talking about welding with
> it -- i.e., the base metal and filler metal are both Si bronze.
>
> Bert

I am working on a project with architectural bronze alloy 385. There
is a national organization of copper-www.copper.org or .com, but I
couldn't find relevant info on welding or brazing bronzes.

I've heard that brazing is the process to use for joining brasses or
bronzes, though I think they can be welded too. Anyone know for
certain?

Patrick

[Eric R Snow]

Greetings Patrick,
Generally, when people say brass they mean a copper alloy with zinc in
it, and when they say bronze they mean a copper alloy without zinc in
it. However, this is technically wrong and many copper alloys called
bronze contain zinc. Some bronze alloys can be welded with bronze
filler rod. Silicon bronze is one that welds particularly well with
silicon bronze rod. TIG welding that is. I personally have no
experience using other methods of welding silicon bronze. TIG welding
bronzes that contain zinc is tough because the zinc boils at a low
temperature and actually vaporises from the high temperature of the
electric arc. Bronze alloy 385 is another name for copper alloy
C38500. Look at this link: http://www.anchorbronze.com/c38500.htm
Don't try to TIG weld it. It is 40% zinc. However it can welded, or,
if you prefer, brazed, with a torch. Brazing rod comes in many
different alloys. Pick one that has a lower melting temperature.
Cheers,
Eric

[Rod Day]

"Eric R Snow" <et...@whidbey.com> wrote in message
news:gdt9e29ir73nobjvg...@4ax.com...

Hi Patrick,
I have exclusively welded silicon bronze with the TIG as well and it is one
of the easiest form of TIG welding I have found. The filler metals I have
used were identical to the parent metal, no fluxes, get puddle of molten
metal and off you go. Most of the work has been on sculptures with a large
thickness.
Good luck

[Shadowland]

Curious why someone welds brass rather than braze ?
Since brass isn't used in high stress applications anyhow.

[cmig...@exploratorium.edu]

and i recommend ac

[Ernie Leimkuhler]

In article <1173bf63-ce4c-41ea...@googlegroups.com>,

I prefer DCEN with a helium argon mix gas.
Helium makes copper allows very happy.