How to Connect a Brass Tube to a Brass Sheet
Brass is a relatively hard, corrosion-resistant metal alloy composed of copper and zinc. Often used to make pipes, weather stripping, musical instruments, cartridge casings and architectural trim, brass has played a role in a variety of applications since its popularization in A.D. 300. For a solid, long-lasting bond, use a simple welding method to join different brass elements.
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Things You'll Need
- Preheating furnace
- Braze-welding boric acid flux
- Wooden paddle
- Small acetylene tank
- Small oxygen tank
- Wooden paddle or flux brush
- Small container to mix flux
- Welding equipment
- Silicon bronze filler rod
- Welding safety gear
Instructions
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1
Preheat any thick sections of the metal at the point of the intended join with a preheating furnace. This step will reduce warping and blowholes in the weld, which may occur because the zinc in brass has a far lower melting point than that of the other components of brass. If the project is too small to warrant a preheating furnace, the torch itself can be used to gently heat the base metal.
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2
Combine braze-welding boric acid flux with water to make a thick paste, and spread it with a wooden paddle on both pieces of brass at the place of the intended join.
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3
Mix acetylene and oxygen to form the incendiary gas in a welder. This mixture will create an oxidizing gas that will reduce the tendency of zinc to vaporize and weaken the brass.
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4
Start the flame of your welder, and carefully apply heat to the surfaces you plan to weld until a thin, white-hot layer of zinc begins building on the molten metal. Take care to prevent the brass from becoming white hot, which impedes the flow of the flux.
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Allow the flux to work for a moment or two, then begin melting a silicon bronze filler rod to make the beading to join both pieces of brass. Press the pieces firmly together using a forehand technique.
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Let the brass cool in a safe, well-ventilated space; slower cooling times will reduce the probability of a brittle join.
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Tips & Warnings
Welding involves many dangerous elements: open flames, extremely high heats and molten metal. Exercise extreme caution, and only attempt these steps with the appropriate safety equipment and procedures.
