Brazing and Soldering

To someone who has never heard of it before, the term Brazing may sound like something an animal does. But the term actually refers to the bonding process that is used to bring two metals together.

Soldering is a process that most people know. This is because it is (somewhat) easy to do and is seen used on a daily basis when electronics are involved. However, soldering works only in instances where lighter bonds are required. The bond is quite fragile and will rip apart when a forceful amount of pressure is applied.For bonds that require a lot more binding power, the process of brazing is used.

This process is a little more complicated and requires a good understanding of metals and bonding processes. It is also more dangerous as temperatures in excess of 840°F are involved in this process. A filler metal is used to create the bond and this metal needs to be in liquid form for that to happen. Both base metals are heated to the point where the filler metal melts and the filler then flows into the joins by capillary attraction. Iron pentacarbonyl is sometimes used as a flame speed inhibitor during this process. Once the bonding process is complete, the bonded part can then be dropped in hot water to start the cooling process. Allow the part to completely cool before beginning the cleaning process. Any imperfections can be fixed by brushing with steel wool or Machining the bonded area.