question,tech help

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How do you tell if wire that looks like aluminum,but I beleive is'nt,{is non magnetic},possibly stainless? Or could it be hard silver braze? How do you test to see if it is hard silver braze? Thanks.Grandpa Marc
Reply:Mig wire or tig filler?Sometimes on tig filler they stamp the alloy into the ends.  On mig wire, I'd say chuck it into your nearest mig machine and try welding on some scrap steel.  If it welds ok, its stainless, if its spotty, pops badly, won't properly fuse and has a very green arc, its aluminum.
Reply:Compare the weight of a coil of the material with one of standard steel; make a crude balance if needed, using a wooden stick balanced on a knife in the vice. The aluminum will be much lighter. Silver alloys would be heavier (look up how much more, if needed).Most Aluminum alloys can be pounded flat much easier than steel, stainless or silver. Also, hydrochloric acid won't react noticeably with stainless but will with silver and usually with aluminum.Aluminum will melt easily in the flame of a propane torch; silver will too but needs much higher temperature, and most of its alloys will 'tin' a thin piece of copper or brass (probably need flux though) while stainless will turn red but will just be discolored a bit after it cools (won't even begin to melt).