[TheForge] Re: Rust,pickling

[Chuck Robinson]

I just reviewed my video notes of the demo by Bob Patrick.

In his talk about fluxes he said he prefers Ezyweld flux because it lowers
the temperature the metal can be welded at and doesn't leave a lot of
residue behind for cleanup.
The lower welding temperature allows you to work longer per heat but more
importantly avoids hi temperature damage of the steel.

The old Ezyweld formula was better than the new formula because one of the
ingredients was a slag by product of a steel making process that is no
longer available.
 He said that the new formula took several years to find an acceptable
substitute for the slag.
He said that : The reason that 20MT borax is inferior to commercial borax
isn't so much the water content as the Caking inhibitor ingredient.
It is an alumina compound that doesn't liquefy in the weld area but remains
a solid and interferes with the welding process.
Chuck