Brazing

Brazing is a metal-joining process in which two or more metal items are joined by melting and flowing a filler metal into the joint, with the filler metal having a lower melting point than the adjoining metal.  Brazing can be used with myriad materials including cast bronze.  Since brazing does not melt the base metal of the joint, it allows much tighter control over tolerances, produces less thermal distortion,  and produces a clean joint without the need for secondary finishing/grinding.

We’ll be brazing mild steel with brass filler-rod using a Gas Welding (oxy-acetylene) rig.  This has a really great “look” for sculptures and architectural components!  Variations of brazing are used in a wide spectrum of industries such as  aerospace, architectural, hvac, electrical, and fine jewelry. This process is also a popular tube joining method for bicycle frame building, which we will focus on. Students will learn to fillet braze steel tubing and other basic brazing techniques.

What you’ll learn:

• Tool safety, proper PPE, shop safety  
•  Angle grinder (wire wheel, sanding, finishing)
•  Oxy/Acetylene welding torch setup and operation
•  Brass fillet brazing with flux
•  Finishing techniques

Please note:

Students 16 years of age and up can be unaccompanied; ages 12-15 must have a guardian also enrolled in the class.  Minors must have parental permission and a signed waiver (ask us).

About the instructor:

Bill Beall is a graduate of Santa Barbara City College in Marine Technology. He has worked as a commercial diver/welder in the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of St. Laurence. After moving to Austin, and later Santa Fe, he continued his welding and machining education and focused on bicycle frame building, then transitioned into architectural and general steel fabrication.  He’s made lots of cool custom bikes!