Thread: Arc brazing

Hello, I'm trying to source ZENA 1/8" NO-Gas Arc Brazing Rods in Australia. I've never used them but supposeldly it lets you braze with your stick welder. I need to braze some brass fittings together but have no access to gasses.

Is the ZENA brand the only ones to offer this? Any availability of this product or simular in Aus? Anyone used them?

Specialist Welding Rods: ZENA Special Purpose Rods

Other products

http://www.utpsales.com.au/products/copperalloy.htm

http://www.astroalloys.com.au/copper...-products.html

google
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=e...tryAU&aq=f&oq=

Hmm.. still a lot of screwing around for a one off job. Hoping for a webshop that I can order from as nothings available locally. Failing that I'll just order from USA.

Seems funny as at the face of it these seem like very useful products.

The arc brazing system I am aware of quietly disappeared years ago.

If I remember,the carbon arc brazing unit generates an arc
between a fixed, and movable set of carbon electrodes .

The user manipulates the filler brazing rod in the arc and it allegedly deposits brazing.

I would place that product in the class that offers a free set of steak knivesif you order by credit card in the next 45 minutes.

The other type listed by RC are conventional electrodes that deposit a bead of brazing.Be sitting down for the costing ,I understand they are a few dollars.

Grahame

$20US for 14 zena rods, bit steep but OK. Now just factor in the shipping from US and conversion rates..... $61AUS, yeh $4.35 a rod.

ZENA 1/8" NO-Gas Arc Brazing Rods -- Braze WITHOUT Gas! - eBay Mig Welding, Welding, Manufacturing Metalworking, Business Industrial. (end time 19-Mar-10 05:48:35 AEDST)

I asked if they could ship via first-class mail for cheaper but they couldn't or wouldn't.

"Sorry, but the package size and weight exceeds that which can
be shipped first class. Further, tracking first class is quite
difficult and insurance for the full value of the package is not
possible.
The least expensive USPS shipping means for this unit would be
priority mail international (which is about $10 less expensive
than Express Main International). Priority mail international will
not allow insurance for the full value either -- express mail
international will and it offers superior tracking."

blah blah.. I'm SURE they COULD ship via cheap 1st class but oh well. According to US post it should be ~$14 for shipping.

Anyway talking about carbon arc welding, I dont think it should be discounted so readily. It may not be the best thing to use but seems like a convenient one. I'm wanting to braze 1" brass round fittings which should provide decent access for a clumsy carbon arc. Do they just use carbon gouging rods? Though I only have a DC inverter welder I think these need AC is that correct?

If it is just a one off go and hire an oxy set, a carbon arc set up is just not worth the bother

I think we are caught up in old terms being applied to a newer process here folks.Its the verbage.

It was the old term.

The (new) arc brazing is just another yank way of saying welding with a brass electrode. ,but for true welding one needs to fuse a similiar filler to aparent metal to be called welding.

The original arc brazing used twin focused carbon electrodes to form an electric arc which was the heat source for the filler rod to braze the steel or whatever.
It was about as useful as a hip pocket in a singlet.

Wasn't that ezee now we have worked thru that?
is this one of those times where we save $50 by spending a $100 or can you cut your losses by taking the said object to the engineering shop and say "braze this " for less than the electrodes will eventually cost?

Grahame

I have used carbon arc brazing,with 2 carbons to repair the cast iron leg of a hacksaw machine with great success.You have to be completely protected from the uv emission and use a welding glass for unshielded arc,I use a No.11 glass.