Brazing Pipe Apply Alloy

Here
Heat Draws Alloy
For tube or pipe 1 inch or Upward
larger in diameter, it is dif-
ficult to bring the whole
joint up to the proper tem- Fitting
perature at the same time. A Pipe
Base of Cup
double-tip torch maintains
the proper temperature over Fitting
the larger areas. A mild pre- 1
Pipe
Overlap
heating of the whole assem- Braze Feeding Alloy at
bly, both pipe and fitting, is Chamfer
recommended for the larger
sizes. The heating then can Fig. 10-29 Concentrate heat at the base of the cup to draw the
proceed as outlined in the alloy upward.
Apply Alloy
steps given. Here
2
If difficulty is encountered
in getting the entire joint up to This may cause the alloy to
Overlap
the desired temperature at the Braze
run down the tube. If the alloy
same time, a portion of the runs, take the heat away and
joint is heated to the brazing allow the alloy to set. Then
temperature and the alloy ap- reheat the band of the fitting
Apply Alloy
plied, Fig.10-28. The joint is Here to draw up the alloy. Filler
divided into sectors, and each
3 metal is added in the manner
is given individual treatment. indicated in Fig. 10-29.
The size of the pipe and fit- Brazed joints can be made
ting determine how much of in close quarters where
the fitting cup circumference screwed piping or flanges
can be heated and brazed would be difficult or even im-
successfully. At the proper possible to handle. The torch
brazing temperature, the can be formed so that you can
alloy is fed into the joint, and reach hard-to-braze joints.
then the torch is moved to the Bend the extension on the Fig. 10-30 Bend the flex-
torch or the tip, if it is a goose- ible extension on your torch
4
next sector. The process is re- tip to put the flame where
peated, overlapping the pre- neck type, to direct the flame you want it.
Fig. 10-28 Work in
vious sector. This procedure overlapping sectors around the
where you want it, Fig. 10-30.
is continued until the joint is pipe until you have completed Find the most comfortable place to stand or sit where you
complete all around. the fillet. can keep the torch in a generally horizontal position. It
may be helpful to rig a polished metal mirror that will
enable you to observe the flux on the far side of the joint.
Horizontal and Vertical Joints The torch flame will supply illumination. It may also be
Joints in the horizontal and vertical positions can be brazed necessary to protect all the surfaces around the joint. Wet
with the same ease as those in the flat position. This is rags, sheet metal, or heat-resistant sheeting may be used
possible since the filler material is drawn into the joint by as a protective shield.
capillary attraction and not the action of gravity. The major
problem is overheating. If the surface of the bare metal is Fittings That Can Be Brazed
too hot, the brazing alloy will run out of the joint.
Pipe fittings and valves of all types are commercially
When making horizontal joints, it is preferable to start
available for joining copper tubing and pipe by brazing.
applying the filler metal at the top, then the two sides, and
The following fittings require special techniques:
finally the bottom. Make sure that the filler alloy over-
laps. On vertical joints it does not matter where the start is Couplings, Ls, Ts, and crosses. These are available in
made. If the opening of the socket of the fitting is pointed a variety of sizes and types. The cups must be cleaned
down, care should be taken to avoid overheating the tube. thoroughly and well-fluxed.

Soldering and Brazing Principles and Practice: Jobs 10-J50J51 Chapter 10271
 Fittings with both brazed
and threaded ends. Do not Silver Brazed
Joint
braze next to a screwed J OB T IP
joint. Heat d amages the
compound that seals the High Energy Beams and Computers
threads, and the fitting inWelding
may leak. Make up the Interesting areas of future research in industrial laser
brazed end first and Threaded Joint processing will include:
then the threaded end, 1. Using low-power carbon monoxide (CO) lasers to
Fig.10-31. focus and direct a pulsed electrical arc
Unions. Protect the Fig. 10-31 Always make up 2. Designing highly compact neodymium: yttrium-
ground sealing s urfaces the silver-brazed joint first, be- aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) focus heads to repair
materials without disassembly
of unions with a generous cause heat will damage pipe-
supply of flux, Fig. 10-32. thread compound. See that 3. Creating computer simulations for process refinement
necessary unions are provided 4. Micromachining and microjoining
This will keep them from for disassembly and servicing.
tarnishing and keep the
surface from being damaged when heat is applied to
make the joints. Do not play the torch flame directly on Open Valve Wide without
the ground surfaces. If the union is assembled during Jamming It
brazing, run the nut up only by hand.
Flanges. Heat should be applied to the hub of the
flange, Fig. 10-33. Heat warps a seating surface. Large
flanges may need preheating from another source in
order to make sure the flange is evenly heated all over.
The entire assembly must be cooled slowly.
Return bends. These must be free at one end while the
brazing operation is carried on in order to provide for
expansion.
Valves. Do not remove the valve bonnet. It helps to
Flux Plug or Gate Flux Valve Seat
stiffen the valve during brazing. The valve should be
opened wide and then backed off just a little so that it
Fig. 10-34 Open a valve wide and then close it part of a turn.
will not be jammed in the open position. Wrap a wet Flux the sealing surfaces to prevent damage while you are heating
cloth around the bonnet to protect it. the valve.
Each cup should be cleaned, fluxed, and brazed like
any other fitting. A light coat of flux on the valve seat
and on the plug will protect these surfaces, Fig. 10-34.
Do not direct the flame toward the body of the valve.
Don't Heat Here Keep it directed near the ends and toward the pipe.
Most of the heat should be at the base of the cup.
Heat Here

Sealing Surfaces Aids to Good Brazing

Fig. 10-32 Flux the seal-
ing surfaces of a union to
prevent them from tarnishing
in the heat required during
brazing.
Cup
Many of the points set out here have been mentioned
elsewhere in the chapter. They are of such importance,
however, that they are condensed and repeated for you to
review.
Fluxing Fluxing is a very important operation. Oxidation
forms surface deposits; flux reduces this action and soaks
Fig. 10-33 When up the few oxides that may form.
brazing a flange, heat
the base of the cup Do not expect flux to clean a dirty metal surface.
not the outer part of The surface must be cleaned by chemical or mechanical
the fitting. means. The flux will protect after the surface is cleaned.

272Chapter 10Soldering and Brazing Principles and Practice: Jobs 10-J50J51

 High pressure joints that take longer to braze than
standard connections, and metals like copper, nickel, and
steel, which have a greater tendency to oxidize than other
metals, require a thicker coating of flux. One way to apply
more flux is to keep the mixture thick.
Watch the flux closely during brazing. The clear, still,
watery look it gets at about 1,100F tells you that the metal
is almost hot enough to melt a silver brazing alloy. Over-
heating destroys the effectiveness of the flux.
Support Keep a piping assembly well-supported so that
there are no strains on it while you work. Allow for the
expansion that results from heating the joint.
Poor Capillary Action If the alloy runs down the pipe, the
joint may be too hot, the surfaces may not be clean or suf-
ficiently fluxed, or the joint clearance may be too great,
Fig. 10-35. Correction is obvious.
Timing Timingknowing when to flux, when to heat,
and when to brazeis extremely important. Brazing is a
speedy operation. In fact, one of the worst things you can
do is to take too long.
The time to put on flux is right after a surface has been
cleaned. If the flux has dried out, put on more moist flux.
When you begin the heating operation, be careful not
to heat the workpiece beyond the brazing temperature. It
is important to know when to stop heating. When the flux
shows that the metal is hot enough, start feeding the filler
alloy. Work as rapidly as the alloy can be flowed in. Take Fig. 10-36 Note all the various pipe sizes, elbows, Tees,
the torch away as soon as the fillet is formed. Nothing is and transition bushing from one pipe size to another. This will be
gained by more heating. visually, leak inspected and sized to the according print.
Location: UA Local 400 Edward R. Bohnart, Photographer

Two points, then, are most important: apply flux im-

mediately after cleaning, and do not heat the assembly any
longer than necessary.
Fitting Too Testing To make certain the joints soldered or brazed are
Cool
fit for purpose. That is, do not leak or break apart. To
verify quality a sample test configuration such as shown
Gap Too
Wide in Fig. 10-36 may be used.
Supplies Sample joints soldered or brazed will need
to be practiced to develop the skill to produce consis-
Dirt or Not
Enough tent acceptable results. These supplies can be expensive
Flux so adequate secured storage is required as shown in
Fig.10-37.
Pipe Too
Hot
Aftercare Be sure to remove the flux after you have fin-
ished brazing. This may be done while the joint is hot, or
you can wait until it cools. Scrub the joints with water.
Fig. 10-35 Some of the things that will make silver brazing alloy The inside of piping systems should be flushed with water
flow the wrong way. to take away the flux inside.

Soldering and Brazing Principles and Practice: Jobs 10-J50J51 Chapter 10273
 Disassembly It is often necessary to take brazed piping
apart. First, brush flux around the area of the fillet at the
edge of the cup. Put the pipe in a vise and heat the joint as
you would to braze it. It takes about as much time and heat
to take a joint apart as it did to braze it. When it is up to
brazing heat, pull the tubing out of the fitting. If the alloy
is melted, an easy pull does the job.
Pipe and fittings can be used again after they are
taken apart. Wipe the molten alloy off the pipe and
out of the cup before it sets. After the parts have been
cleaned, they can be used again like new material.
Fig. 10-37 Controlled storage for copper soldering and brazing
supplies. Location: UA Local 400 Edward R. Bohnart Photographer

CHAPTER 2 REVIEW

Multiple Choice c. Silver-niobium

Choose the letter of the correct answer. d. Tin-zinc
1. Copper is used in which of the following industrial 6. Which of the following is not a property of
applications? (Obj. 10-1) flux for soldering and brazing? (Objs. 10-1
a. Saltwater, oil, vacuum, chemical, and air lines and 10-2)
b. Refrigeration systems a. Liquid
c. Low pressure steam lines b. Solid
d. All of these c. Gaseous
d. Cleans oils and grease
2. What is the melting temperature variation that sepa-
rates soldering from brazing? (Objs. 10-1 and10-2) 7. What is the clearance range required for capillary
a. 440F action to take place with soldering and brazing?
b. 540F (Objs. 10-1 and 10-2)
c. 740F a. 0.0003 to 0.0005 inch
d. 840F b. 0.003 to 0.005 inch
c. 0.03 to 0.05 inch
3. What is capillary action? (Obj. 10-1)
d. 0.3 to 0.5 inch
a. Repulsion of liquids out of large gaps
b. Attraction of liquids into large gaps 8. What type of torch is used for soldering?
c. Repulsion of liquids out of small gaps between (Obj. 10-1)
faying surfaces a. Oxyacetylene welding torch
d. Attraction of liquids into small gaps between b. Air-acetylene torch
faying surfaces c. Propane torch
d. All of these
4. One criterion for soldering is that .
(Obj. 10-1) 9. Which of the following lists a defect that may be
a. Both joined surfaces should melt encountered in a soldered joint and explains the
b. The filler metal should be drawn into or held in cause of each? (Obj. 10-1)
the joint by capillary action a. Unsoldered area: improper fluxing,
c. The filler metal should flow like a liquid at room improper heating, improper cleaning,
temperature improper fit up
d. The joint is strong at high temperature b. Flux inclusions: improper feeding of flux into
joint, improper fit up
5. Which of the following is not a type of solder?
c. Burning a hole through the material
(Obj. 10-1)
d. Both a and b
a. Tin-lead
b. Cadmium-silver

274Chapter 10Soldering and Brazing Principles and Practice: Jobs 10-J50J51

10. Brazing is one of the most recent of joining 18. Resistance brazing has which of the following
processes. (Obj. 10-2) properties? (Obj. 10-2)
a. True a. The heat is provided by resistance to the flow of
b. False electricity through the parts to be brazed.
11. What are the melting temperature ranges of brazing b. It is useful for large areas and parts resistant to
alloys? (Obj. 10-2) the flow of electricity.
a. 110 to 150F c. Flux is provided by a molten metal dip in a
b. 1,100 to 1,500F graphite crucible.
c. 1.1 to 1.5kF d. The heat is produced by a lamp with 5,000watts
d. Both b and c of radiant energy.
19. What is an important step to follow when brazing?
12. Which of the following is not an advantage of
(Obj. 10-2)
brazing copper tubing? (Obj. 10-2)
a. Apply flux to the inside of the tube.
a. Stronger than threaded joint
b. Make sure flux has the consistency of water.
b. Vibration does not loosen
c. Use massive metal supports with large areas of
c. Cannot be taken apart
contact to suck the heat out of the fitting.
d. Corrosion resistant
d. Heat the tube starting at about 1 inch from the
13. Which of the following is not a type of braze filler edge of the fitting, sweeping the flame around
metal? (Obj. 10-2) the tube in short strokes.
a. BCucopper 20. Poor fluxing can result in . (Obj. 10-3)
b. BAlSialuminum a. Oxidation and surface deposits
c. BTititanium b. Leaking high pressure joints
d. BAugold c. Nickel and copper oxidation
14. Which of the following are used as brazing filler d. All of these
metals? (Obj. 10-2)
a. Gold base Review Questions
b. Aluminum Write the answers in your own words.
c. Copper phosphorus 21. Describe the steps required to prepare a joint for
d. All of these soldering or brazing. (Objs. 10-1 and 10-2)
15. Which of the following are not fluxes for brazing? 22. Name the functions that a soldering flux performs.
(Obj. 10-2) (Obj. 10-1)
a. Acrylics 23. Describe a soldering flux. (Obj. 10-1)
b. Fluorides
24. In soldering, how may heat be applied?
c. Chlorides
(Obj. 10-1)
d. Hydroxides of sodium and potassium
25. What is the essential difference between soldering
16. Which of the following is not a fuel gas for brazing? and brazing? (Objs. 10-1 and 10-2)
(Obj. 10-2)
26. Explain the difference between solidus temperature
a. Acetylene
and liquidus temperature. What is that difference
b. Hydrogen
called? (Obj. 10-2)
c. Helium
d. Natural gas 27. What are the most important factors in the design of
a joint to be brazed? (Obj. 10-2)
17. Which of the following is an appropriate brazing
28. 28. When would you use resistance brazing?
method? (Obj. 10-2)
(Obj. 10-2)
a. FBfurnace brazing
b. IBinduction brazing 29. What kind of fittings require special techniques?
c. DBdip brazing, IRBinfrared brazing (Obj. 10-2)
d. All of these 30. Name some good aids to brazing. (Obj. 10-3)

Soldering and Brazing Principles and Practice: Jobs 10-J50J51 Chapter 10275
 INTERNET ACTIVITIES

Internet Activity A
Find out how to desolder by looking on the Internet. Then explain to another
classmate how to desolder.
Internet Activity B
Using your favorite search engine, find what artistic functions brazing can be
used for.
Internet Activity C
Use your favorite search engine to find out what babbit solder is.

Table 10-6 Job Outline: Soldering and Brazing Practice: Jobs 10-J50 and J51
Material Filler Rod/Flux
Job Operation Diam. Welding Text
No. Joint TB Type (in.) Type Size Position1 Reference
10-J50 Pipe fitting, Solder copper Copper 2 to 1
1
5050 or 955, Available 2, 5, and 6 265
socket tubing appropriate flux
10-J51 Pipe fitting, Braze copper pipe Copper 2 to 112
1
BCuP or BAg, Available 2, 5, and 6 277
socket and tubing appropriate flux

Note: It is recommended that students complete the jobs in the order shown.

2 = horizontal, 5 and 6 = multipositions.

*The AWS S.E.N.S.E. program does not cover soldering or brazing.
1

276Chapter 10Soldering and Brazing Principles and Practice: Jobs 10-J50J51