Using silicone bronze with TIG

[Buter]

I assume that the sil-bronze is done over a proper weld for decoration (on the above frame)?

When I was hovering up info for all the copper work on that sculpture of the wife's I either read or heard in a video that some custom frame builders would weld the frames up then grind down the weld and do a decorative cap with the sil-bronze. Have to admit it looks pretty damn cool!

Buter

edit: found the video -

 

[robocog]

That's lush!
Based on that I have just ordered a small roll to play with
1mm Brazing wire Silicon Manganese Bronze welding tig
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221358263594

No mention of Zinc and it does state for tig - so hopefully it will work

I turned a cable stop on the ancient and clapped out Myford and used silver solder with a propane burner to attach it
Took a while to get things hot enough but it took/flowed and its still in place after a few uses :-)

Regards
Rob

 

[Burf86]

That's lush!
Based on that I have just ordered a small roll to play with
1mm Brazing wire Silicon Manganese Bronze welding tig
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221358263594

No mention of Zinc and it does state for tig - so hopefully it will work

I turned a cable stop on the ancient and clapped out Myford and used silver solder with a propane burner to attach it
Took a while to get things hot enough but it took/flowed and its still in place after a few uses :-)


Regards
Rob

Hey Rob, I used a rod that wasn't intended for Tig use and nearly choked to death on the smoke given off. Just be careful ay

 

[Buter]

Congrats on the shout in DIRT, Burf.

 

[hotrodder]

I assume that the sil-bronze is done over a proper weld for decoration (on the above frame)?

That motorbike frame was 'bronze welded', from the look of it my guess would be oxy fuel with a gas fluxer and probably either nickelbronze (C5, sifbronze #2) or sifbronze #101 which is basically C2 / sifbronze #1 with a little tin and manganese and apparently developed for use with gas fluxing.
Ariel atoms are bronze welded, apparently with #101. Vid of the process and if you check out the uploaders channel there's a couple more...

Maybe not so common these days outside of the bicycle world where it's often known as fillet brazing which uses slightly different/less exaggerated torch movements as the goal is a smooth, seamless look but used to be a common method on motorbike frames and other things too, especially when they're made from T45 or Reynolds 531 (same or at least very similar carbon manganese steel). The Jag E-type uses a 531 front subframe that was bronze welded

ETA i reaaally want a gas fluxer but they're 'kin spendy things/hard to justify unless doing lots of brazing

 

[mcostello]

My eyes, My eyes they have seen something wonderful! Wish I could spend 1 hour there soaking up knowledge.

 

[Stueeee]

I often use the sif 968 silicone bronze rods,
Always do it with the tig on dc for mostly welding sheet steel floor and firewall sections on chrome moly tube car chassis's, nice to use as its low heat and keeps distortion low.

These bronze welds are without any wire brushing after,
on dc tig and 1.6mm red tungsten.

That looks good, what diameter was your filler rod?

 

[chevy2]

That looks good, what diameter was your filler rod?

Filler rods are 1.6mm.

 

[chevy2]

I did the whole floorpan of this car from underneath while laying on my back,
Combination of 18guage steel sheet in the drivers area and 20guage elsewhere all onto 4130 tube with 1.6mm no 968 silicone bronze rod,
You sort of get the hang of it after doing this amount

 

[robocog]

My filler wire has arrived already!
Recovering at home from a bug...so not able to go out to try it yet (too far from the bog)

Regards
Rob

 

[Shox Dr]

Those XR69 frames Bronze gas Brazed built by Harris. And very nice they are too.

 

[Parm]

Truly beautiful work !!

 

[Burf86]

Congrats on the shout in DIRT, Burf.

Thanks Buter

 

[Parm]

I'm looking at this photo again and again, it's realy thing of beauty

Looks the same as the suzuki xr69 frames

 

[bc30se]

Will this method be Ok if I wanted to weld an iron crankcase on my tractor?? The crack is quite big and I would like to use a steel patch over it. It doesn't have to be beautiful, it must solder well and make it tight again.

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

The casting will probably be absolutely saturated with oil. It's gotta be pretty dam clean to even attempt welding or brazing. Another problem is letting the temperature down slowly enough without cracking elsewhere.

 

[PSweeney]

I tried this with the SIF968 rods and couldn't get it going. I turned the TIG down to the lowest setting and just used it as a torch moving the arc about to add heat. I couldn't get the base metal hot enough without creating a pool and if I used the edge of the arc to melt the rod it would ball up and drop 3-4mm from where I want to lay my bead. I went back and tried again, dulled the point of the tungsten so the arc was less focused but this created a wider arc and rod again balled up. I've given up for the minute but will try again soon.

 

[Burf86]

I found the rod didn't want to start wetting onto the steel unless it was hot enough to form a puddle. So what I did was add the rod as soon as I saw the puddle starting, hoping that the addition of rod would cool it off enough to stop the steel melting. Not really ideal... I think thinner rods would help but smallest I can find are 1.6mm

 

[Shox Dr]

1.0mm is available

 

[whm_fab]

My filler wire has arrived already!
Recovering at home from a bug...so not able to go out to try it yet (too far from the bog)

Regards
Rob

any update Rob?

@chevy2 , where do you get the sif 968 rods?

cheers!