How to Braze Carbide to Steel

Brazing, soldering and welding all use heat to bond metal alloys.

Brazing is essentially the same process as soldering only the bonding alloys used for brazing typically melt at a higher temperature. Brazing is used to join surfaces together in a fashion that resembles gluing things togehter but with heat. The brazing alloy is melted between two surafaces and this creates a bond. Brazing carbide to steel can be tricky, but if both surfaces are cleaned properly and hold moisture, then you make a strong bond with brazing.

Things You'll Need

• Sander
• Industrial strength oven cleaner
• Steel wool
• Shop towels
• Dropper
• BAG-3 50% silver with cadmium brazing alloy wire
• Black flux
• Blow torch

Send to Phone

Brought to you by

Send to Phone

Please enter your 10 digit phone number only.

Send

A link to this article has been sent to the phone number provided.

Close

Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. Message and data rates may apply.

Instructions

1. Clean the steel surface with the industrial strength oven cleaner and the shop towel. Use the steel wool to buff the steel surface.

2. Drip droplets of water with an eyedropper on the surface of the steel to check if the steel is wettable. If so, the surface will bond with the brazing alloy. Watch the droplet spread out until almost flat. If the droplet just pools like a bead, clean the surface again until it passes this test.

3. Clean and buff the carbide surface with a sander. Wipe down with the shop towel.

4. Complete the water droplet test again on the surface of the carbide to ensure that it is wettable.

5. Apply the black flux to the steel surface and then lay the brazing alloy wire down on top of the steel surface. Space each wire so that when it melts it will cover the whole surface area.

6. Apply the black flux to the face of the carbide and then set it on top of the brazing alloy and the steel surface.

7. Heat the brazing alloy until it melts and allows the carbide surface to settle in place. Wipe away any of the brazing wire that spluges out of the joint and let the brazing alloy dry to complete the bond between steel and carbide.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear gloves and safety glasses to protect yourself when brazing as the heat and sparks can be dangerous. Follow the manufacturer's safety instructions when using the industrial oven cleaner.

References

• Carbide Processors Incorporated: Brazing Tungsten Carbide
• Carbide Processors Incorporated: Cleaning Steel
• ESAB.com: Brazing and Soldering

Resources

• Welding Advisors.com: Brazing Steel: How to Do It Right