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can you braze stainless steel exhaust

by Garrett Rutherford Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Can you braze stainless steel exhaust? The bond is only as strong as the filler metal, but some braze metals can be very strong indeed. Stainless steel is difficult for solders and braze filler metals to wet. The silver solder commonly sold for home plumbing with copper pipe will work on stainless, but a different flux is needed.

Brazing would rule out aluminised or galvanised steel, SS can be brazed just fine.Mar 2, 2008

Full Answer

Can You braze stainless steel?

One thng about stainless is it's trickier to braze because of the oxides which can form. You need to find the correct flux and alloy. I think there is a site called HandyHarmon which gives extensive info on many braze and solder types/uses.

What happens if you overheat stainless steel brazing?

Brazing SS is not like brazing mild steel. If you overheat SS you will lose it's corrosion resistance, and getting the filler to wet against the SS will require a special flux to remove the surface oxides. Silver is required as an alloying element in the brazing filler.

What is brazing mild steel used for?

I know that brazing mild steel was used for constucting race car tubular steel frames. A local guy who did a lot of this type of work invented a piece of kit called a gas-fluxer which intoduced the flux into the gas flow.

What is the maximum temperature for braze?

Brazing being anything higher than 400F, but not high enough to melt the base metals being joined. One thng about stainless is it's trickier to braze because of the oxides which can form. You need to find the correct flux and alloy.

Will brazing rod stick to stainless steel?

Most stainless steel types, with the exception of titanium or niobium stabilised grades, can be brazed.

What can I use to braze my exhaust pipe?

0:092:20Brazing Mild Steel Pipe Together at Weld Strength with SSF-6 56 ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou can use propane oxy propane map gas oxy map gas acetylene or oxy acetylene.MoreYou can use propane oxy propane map gas oxy map gas acetylene or oxy acetylene.

What brazing rod is used for stainless steel?

Super Alloy 1, SSQ-6, and SSF-6 silver solder are all designed for use with stainless steel. Allowing for easier and more effective repair and torch welding jobs, many of our products melt at high temperatures and can be used on a variety of metals, such as brass, copper, bronze, cast iron, and stainless steel.

Can you solder or braze stainless steel?

There are several processes that can be used to braze stainless steels-furnace, induction, resistance, or torch. Today, our focus is on flux brazing with a torch.

Can you braze an exhaust manifold?

0:056:11Cast Iron Exhaust Manifold Crack/Hole Brazed with Muggy ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYes there is an easy fix to repairing an exhaust manifold if you don't have an arc welderMoreYes there is an easy fix to repairing an exhaust manifold if you don't have an arc welder introducing the SSF six silver solder brazing rod. We are using a map oxy torch found at most hardware stores.

Is brazing the same as welding?

The main difference between brazing and arc welding is the heat source. Brazing is applied via torch, furnace, induction, dipped, or resistance as heat sources occurring at a temperature above 840°F (450°C) whereas arc welding uses electricity as a heat source reaching temperatures of roughly 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Can you braze steel with a propane torch?

Brazing permanently joins two metals using a torch. You can use a propane torch to braze most metals you want to join. Propane torches are widely available in your local hardware stores, plumbing supply houses as well as at metalsmith and jewelry supply companies.

What is the best solder for stainless steel?

tin-silver soldersA range of tin-silver solders is recommended for stainless steels, since they offer greater strength than the tin-lead solders, coupled with high ductility. Their corrosion resistance is also superior.

What is stronger silver solder or brazing?

Soldering, in addition to having a lower processing temperature, typically results in a lower-strength joint than a brazed joint. For many applications, this is suitable and even desirable. The shear strength of brazed joints typically exceeds that of soldered joints by a factor of five.

Can you weld stainless steel with a torch?

Can I use an Oxy/Acetylene torch to weld stainless steel? – Yes, stainless steel can be welded with an oxy/acetylene torch. A good welding flux which protects the welding zone from oxygen should be used.

Can you weld stainless steel with MAPP gas?

MAPP should not be used for welding steel because the hydrogen in the gas mixture can result in brittle welds.

Can you weld stainless steel with silver solder?

Silver Solder can be used to join most common metals, including Mild Steel, Stainless Steel, Copper, Brass, Cast Iron and Dissimilar Metals.

Brazing Copper

The melting point of copper is 1981°F (liquidus) and 1949°F (solidus). Copper brazing is usually performed at temperatures between 1100°F and 1500°F.

Brazing Brass

The melting point of red brass is between 1810-1880°F, and for yellow brass, the melting point is 1660-1710°F. Unlike when brazing copper, flux is required for all brass brazing applications. White flux is generally used for most brass brazing applications. The melting point of the flux is between 1050-1600°F.

Brazing Cast Iron

Cast iron is an alloy made from iron, silicon, and carbon, with a melting point between 2060°F and 2200°F. Cast iron can be both welded and brazed. However, brazing is typically considered the best method. The ideal filler rod for brazing cast iron is the Vulcan Systems 320, which is flux-coated, zinc-controlled, and low-fuming.

Brazing Stainless Steel

Different grades of stainless steel are available on the market, and their melting points range from 2500°F to 2750°F. The clearance required for brazing stainless steel is 0.002-0.005 inches.

Brazing Aluminum

The melting point of aluminum is 1221°F, and the clearance required for aluminum brazing is 0.001 to 0.005 inches. Copper and silicon are usually added to provide good joining strength and a lower melting range. Magnesium is also added to facilitate oxide dispersion when brazing in a vacuum.

Metals You Should Not Braze

While it is possible to braze almost all metals if you are careful about the temperatures and the filler metal to be used in the process, metals like gold and silver, which are considered heating metals, require extreme care and precision while brazing. These two metals are therefore soldered more often than brazed.

Brazing Two Metal Pieces: Things to Keep in Mind

Safety is one of the most critical factors while carrying out processes that involve high temperatures and the use of chemicals. For this reason, brazing is a process that should be performed only by skilled professionals. Here are some of the useful tips for safe brazing.

What is the biggest failure of brazing joints?

Just to add a bit more to what was said there I think one of the biggest failures of braze joints is failure to get the entire mating surfaces on both parts hot enough. often parts will be placed together and then heated until the rod appears to flow but in reality the brazing filler metal will just be mostly applied to the outside, if the interior surfaces of the mated parts are heated correctly the brazing filler will "wick" into the entire area. That works well for relatively small parts but larger parts may require "tinning" the area first by covering the entire surfaces with a light layer the brazing filler prior to assembly, this makes it MUCH easier to get a 100% joint.

What type of torch should I use for welding exhaust?

An Oxy/Acetylene torch works great for welding exhaust and although hanger wire is often used a good gas welding rod works a heck of a lot better. Brazing (using a Bronze rod, not steel) should work ok for slip fit connections but it would not work very well where the weld has to carry the load, I suppose a slip fit should just be clamped anyway. As far as the heat affecting brazing with the bronze that should not be a problem as cast iron exhaust manifolds are brazed all the time. That flux core is junk for what you are doing, not saying it can't be done just that it is more trouble than it is worth to get a sound weld and forget about it looking decent! If you are trying to get a good sound weld that looks neat you really should try to get a MIG instead of that flux core welder or try to get a torch (Oxy/Acetylene) with the right size tip and some real welding rods not hanger wire.

What is a bronze rod?

Are really sure what you have been using is brass? Seems almost everyone refers to the bronze rod as brass, the bronze rods are the commonly used brazing rods sold everywhere from welding suppliers to auto parts houses.

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