Making pretty joints

May 02, 2007 4 Replies

I have pretty good luck with brazing using Sil-Flo. The joints are strong, don't leak, don't have much if any "drip".



But usually I have to clean them afterwards because Sil-Flo doesn't start to flux and sweat well until almost to the boiling point, and that gets the whole joint hot enough that there's lots of oxidation around afterwards. Ken's joints look neater than mine, but still need cleaning.



I've always admired the joints I see in a new unit. I assume they're either heated super-fast with a ring burner, or they are induction heated. You can hardly see any discoloration, much less oxidization.



What rods do you guys use to make pretty brazed joints? Is Sil-Flo a bad choice, or is my technique the problem? What about tuning the flame? Reducing, oxidizing, neutral?



LLoyd


Factory joints use a torch that has flux in the flame.

Picture of a factory rig. I forget the name of the maker.

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Really? Factory joints... I've only seen hand rolled.

I used to make very pretty joints, but I quit smoking...had to start working

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