brazing filler rod: phosphor bronze vs. silicon bronze?

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I'm trying to learn a bit more about brazing/braze welding with an O/A torch. The filler selection though is huge so please help me out!What is the practical difference between phosphor bronze filler rod and silicon bronze?When do you use either? Can both also be used with the TIG process and if that is the case is it the exact same rod or a slightly different alloy?Thanks in advance for any help!Pete
Reply:Either alloy can be used with O/A or TIG. Use flux with O/A, no flux for TIG. Which one to use depends on what metal you are welding or brazing. For brazing steel the most common alloy used is "low-fuming bronze", actually a low-zinc brass.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:The phosphorus is added to copper to braze clean copper with o/a fluxless.  I would not use it with TIG.
Reply:OK, so they are good for different things. But what are those things?If I want to braze weld copper pipe to a sheet of copper? Repair cast iron? Braze weld a piece of mild steel to cast iron? Braze a steel nut onto a piece of threaded rod also steel?Braze weld a piece of thin galvanized sheet metal to something else that is galvanized?Braze together two thin pieces of stainless tubing?Braze over something welded in mild steel for good appearences?
Reply:Originally Posted by Pete.S.OK, so they are good for different things. But what are those things?
Reply:Originally Posted by Pete.S.OK, so they are good for different things. But what are those things?If I want to braze weld copper pipe to a sheet of copper? Repair cast iron? Braze weld a piece of mild steel to cast iron? Braze a steel nut onto a piece of threaded rod also steel?Braze weld a piece of thin galvanized sheet metal to something else that is galvanized?Braze together two thin pieces of stainless tubing?Braze over something welded in mild steel for good appearences?
Reply:Thanks guys for taking the time! Much appreciated! Another question though, I found a list over the different filler materials that has copper in them.Leaving aluminum out of it, you've mentioned most of the others except Naval bronze RBCuZn-A. Is that the same as Low Fuming Bronze except for the low fuming part?Naval Bronze (RBCuZn-A)Nickel Bronze (RBCuZn-B)Low Fuming Bronze (RBCuZn-C)Nickel Silver (RBCuZn-D)Silicon Bronze (ERCuSi-A)Deoxidised Copper (ERCu)Phosphor Bronze A (ERCuSn-A)Phosphor Bronze C (ERCuSn-C)Aluminum Bronze A-1 (ERCuAl-A1)Aluminum Bronze A-2 (ERCuAl-A2)Aluminum Bronze A-3 (ERCuAl-A3)Nickel-Aluminum Bronze (ERCuNiAl)Manganese-Nickel-Aluminum (ERCuMnNiAl)Last edited by Pete.S.; 09-15-2014 at 08:40 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanThe phosphorus is added to copper to braze clean copper with o/a fluxless.  I would not use it with TIG.
Reply:Originally Posted by Pete.S.Thanks guys for taking the time! Much appreciated! Another question though, I found a list over the different filler materials that has copper in them.Leaving aluminum out of it, you've mentioned most of the others except Naval bronze RBCuZn-A. Is that the same as Low Fuming Bronze except for the low fuming part?Naval Bronze (RBCuZn-A)Nickel Bronze (RBCuZn-B)Low Fuming Bronze (RBCuZn-C)Nickel Silver (RBCuZn-D)Silicon Bronze (ERCuSi-A)Deoxidised Copper (ERCu)Phosphor Bronze A (ERCuSn-A)Phosphor Bronze C (ERCuSn-C)Aluminum Bronze A-1 (ERCuAl-A1)Aluminum Bronze A-2 (ERCuAl-A2)Aluminum Bronze A-3 (ERCuAl-A3)Nickel-Aluminum Bronze (ERCuNiAl)Manganese-Nickel-Aluminum (ERCuMnNiAl)
Reply:Originally Posted by makoman1860The -A material is used if more corrosion resistance is wanted, however its use is very seldom. It is slightly more finicky to work with to resist boiling the material. RBCuZn-B,C,and D are the most commonly used. ERCu is for welding copper.
Reply:Originally Posted by Silicon-basedThere seems to be some confusion here between phosphor bronze and "phosphor copper", both of which are made as welding / brazing rods. Phosphor bronze is a standard tin bronze with a fraction of a per cent phosphorus as a deoxidizer. It can be used with TIG or O/A and is also made as MIG wire and as stick electrodes.Phosphor copper is copper with a large amount (5 - 7%) of phosphorus. It is kind of like sil-phos without the silver and is used where sil-phos is used (brazing copper refrigeration lines, etc.) as a lower-cost alternative.Confusing the two is quite common- I recently got phosphor copper from my LWS instead of phosphor bronze and didn't notice until I started welding!John