I was looking at these a couple of years back, was put off by the price. I did see plans to make your own but did not fancy that, too dodgy, from what I remember it was basically a tank full of water/flux mix and you bbble the acetylene through it and it picks up a trace of flux.
Anybody got any more information?
I think the modern mixes use methanol to carry the flux, the "fluxers" typically have a bottom chamber with the acetylene running though with a resealable refill tank above to "drop in" more flux mix as it's needed...
I'd avoid it unless your doing a mountain of welding using one flux type as methanol bases can be "awkward" to repeatedly clean out for swapping, very time consuming as well.
The initial cost for the fluxers can run into four figures for new ones too.
I'd avoid second hand as well, you don't know how well it's been looked after, or what flux type has been used. Some can react with certain solvents making a really tough clay/ceramic type deposit that will bung the whole thing up...
On the other hand if you can get all the info from the seller you may be able to get away with a cracking piece of kit...
Sorry to put a downer on what could well be a good idea
They are a pain, but you can produce extremely neat bronze welds using one. They give off some pretty nasty fumes too so I'd have to rig an extractor. I want to build a motorcycle frame and this is what Harris use when brone welding- I'm seeing if its possible to find a decent one.
I did check out the new prices, more then my portamig for just the fluxer.
What about using prefluxed rods? I have used these on long joints to avoid having stop/starts when using powdered flux. See image below, the jaws on a fish sculpture, there about 50cm of braze and maybe one stop/start moment. I was surprised at the smoothness of the whole process, and not to much flux.
remember although Harris might use one Thousands of performance bike frames have been made without.... instead of buying an inline fluxer why not get a couple of days training off a real pro brazer who welds without an inline one??
Yeah maybe I will, although welding and branzing with o/a were the only things I had proper training for - that was 20 years ago and I've not done it for 15!
And I was thinking of practising on something else first!
It was worth just to see if anyone had one sitting around they wanted to sell off though.
New units are also considerably cheaper then the eBay claim! That unit being sold is a 1970 item and would have cost the equivilent of £500 in today's money and that figure is from the comapny who made the unit.
To have an old one rebuilt will cost £250 +vat, so that's an ebay pipe dream.
I spoke to the boss of the company that makes them today and having found out what prices he sells secondahand units at - £250 for an unkown item is... well ...making urine.
A in-line fluxer for bronze welding is the only way to go....I have been building M/C and M/C
racing sidecar chassis for over 50 years....never had one break at the weld....brazing is all about heat control.....and pratice, practice......Bought my fluxer in Europe 47 years ago
and still works fine....just at times` have a problem finding the flush.............................