[TheForge] Gas Forge Recommendation

[Jerry Frost]

It seemed counter intuitive to me when I first heard it too Pete. But forge 
welding isn't like gas or electric welding, or should I say it isn't 
necessarily the same. If you get the steel hot enough, near melting or above 
you get fusion welding, below it's liquidus and you get diffusion welding.

Diffusion welding is basically an exchange of electrons between the parent 
metals with a bond as strong as the weakest metal in the weld. This is how 
"mokume gane" is done. Diffusion welding isn't limited to even similar 
metals, James Binnion has successfully diffusion welded such odd combos as 
copper and iron with spectacular results.

Anyway, the purpose of the light oil is to exclude oxy or other contaminants 
from the weld surfaces. It has to be a "clean" oil, no detergents, friction 
proofing additives, etc. plain clean oil so it'll burn cleanly. It leaves a 
film of carbon but that's about it.

I'd like to see this low temp technique in person but I have used it at 
higher temps with pretty much 100% success though only a few times.

Frosty
------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.


From: "Peter Fels And Phoebe Palmer" <artgawk at thegrid.net>



> This brings up yet another thing that leaves me even more confused...to 
> wit...
> If one contaminates a torch or tig weld with oil or grease it gets ugly 
> usually....hard to get the weld to take......
> Why isn't that the case with forge welding?....Pete F
>