[TheForge] Re: New Discoveries: Ersatz EZ Weld

[Paul]

I've been using a mixture of Boric Acid and Red Iron Oxide (equal parts 
by weight) for several months with good results.

Bob Becker mentioned it last summer in his demo at UMBRC.

My opinions on it (prior experience with straight borax and anhydrous 
borax):
    My welds came out fine
    It doesn't stick as well to the red iron as anhydrous borax.
    But it does clean up after the weld a lot better than borax.
    It doesn't leech back out later (or if it does, it's a LOT less visible)

Granted my welding experience is "modest", but I try to weld something 
every time I light up the forge.  (1-2 times/week, a little less over 
winter)

I've seen mixtures that add either regular borax to the mix, as well as 
flourospar , but I haven't tried any of these.

I have sometimes noticed some sparking "a little early". I'm wondering 
if the iron filings and oxide serve as a bit of an "alert" to tell you 
it's hot enough? I usually just dampen the airflow at that point to let 
it soak in a reducing fire while maintaining welding heat. (Oh, coal 
forge here)

**paul

Peter Hirst wrote:
> Its the iron oxide part I dont understand.  As I appreciate it, flux has 
> two purposes.  To shield the joint from oxygen so that no oxide on the 
> sufaces can interfere with metal bonding, and also to actually dissolve 
> any oxides or other impurities that are there and float them away from 
> the weld. Adding oxide to the flux would seem to defeat one or both.
> 
> ANyway, EZ Weld does contain about 15 percent boric acid, so I guess 
> I'll ad about that proportion of  COnmat to the mix and let the mineral 
> content of the 20 Mule Team stand in for the "slag" component.  so my 30 
> bucks worth costs me about 1.50.  Still not bad.
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David E. Smucker" 
> <davesmucker at hotmail.com>
> To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 8:05 AM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Re: New Discoveries: Ersatz EZ Weld
> 
> 
>> Some smiths around here use a flux that is a mixture of boric acid 
>> (roach kill) and iron oxide.  They get the iron oxide from the pottery 
>> suppliers. I don't understand the chemistry of what is happening at 
>> the melt temperatures.  This flux seems to work very well for them.
>>
>> Da
>>
> 
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