File:Brazing Equipment.jpg

I thought it was about time I took a photo of the things I've been brazing with.

Torch Harris 19-6-GB Handle, H-19-2S Mixer, D-50-C Tube. The handle is quite big compared to some of the tiny lightweight aircraft style oxy acetylene torches you see but it does the job. If I was doing fillet brazing I might find it a bit big but I haven't tried that yet. I'd be more interested in changing the hoses for some thinner ones because they seem quite cumbersome. I picked mine up from Rapid Welding.

Tips 1390-2 = 1.4mm hole, 2mm end 1390-3 = 1.7mm hole, 2.8mm end 1390-5 = 2.4mm hole, 3.4mm end 1390-6 = 2.6mm hole, 3.7mm end 1390-8 = 3.2mm hole, 3.8mm end 1390-9 = 3.2mm hole, 4.6mm end 1390-10 = 3.4mm hole, 4.8mm end 1390-H = 11 x 0.9mm, 6.7mm end, multiport or rosebud These are propane tips with a recess in the end to help keep the flame attached. I've listed the diameter of the hole and the diameter of the recess in the end. I ended up buying most of the available tips because I had no idea which ones I'd want to use. So far I've used the 2, 5, 8, 10 and the heating tip. I like to use the 2 for tiny braze on size stuff, 8 for lugs, and the heating tip for the bottom bracket and fork crown.

Brass/Bronze Flux Cycle Design Low Fuming Bronze. A flux powder which is more like crystals which form a gritty paste when mixed with water. Stick a drop or two of washing up liquid in there and it wets out easier. It tries to run off when you're heating the joint so go easy with the flame until it dries. To get even more flux on the joint you can dunk a hot rod in the tub to get a thick coating of flux on it, then wipe it on the hot joint.

Bronze rod SIFBronze 101. I haven't used any other rod so I can't compare but I'm getting the hang of using this for lugs, fork ends and drop outs. I find it flows when the metal is glowing orange. I know the colour is subjective but it definitely needs to be glowing, not the dull red that you see in silver brazing photos and videos. If you get a dribble on the outside of you lug and toast it under the full heat of your flame you'll see the copper boil out of it.

Silver Flux Cycle Design Stainless Light. This is a flux paste and I haven't even opened it yet.

Silver Solder SIF Silver 43. This is 56% silver solder which I haven't tried yet. I'm planning on using it for the braze ons. And that's going to be all at that price! £40 for those 6 little rods. I think I'm going to have to shop around. By comparrison 40 of those longer SIFBronze 101 rods cost me £32. I don't think there is even enough silver there to do one bike...

Striker Cheapy with a replaceable screw in flint. The little cup sort of fills with gas and helps light the torch. Although it often takes me a few strikes and by then there's too much gas and the striker is engulfed in a miniature fireball. All part of the fun!

Glasses Phillips 202 ACE Safety Glasses with side shields which I picked up from Tuffnell Glass. These are what glass blowers use and are also referred to as diddy or didymium glasses although the ACE have replaced them now. The ACE stands for Amethyst Contrast Enhancer because the lens contains Amethyst (most likely synthetic) which is why they look purple, and that has the effect of strongly cutting yellow light which reduces the flare from the flame and the bright glow from the metal. This allows you to see the work more clearly. I would recommend them but I should also say I haven't tried full on welding glasses. I think they cut the full spectrum of light and probably would make things too dark.

Respirator