Where to get 1/16 brazing rod and other confusions

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Hey,Normally I stick stuff together with tig or stick or O/A but the other day I had to do some 1/2 sq tube things in both Aluminum (6063) and steel and for reasons of curiosity and distortion control tried to braze it all.  Think of it as furniture kind of things, with lots of 45 degree mitered joints.  I'm pretty ignorant/inexperienced on brazing but it has some amazing promise for what I'm doing.So I got a really nice tiny torch and found some great Al brazing rod at tin man tech or something like that and that made really nice work of the Al stuff - Much stronger in the coupons I made up than the usual Al "brazing" rods that I found at various shops around.  Much more expensivetoo and has flux core.  I wish that rod was thinner but it's great to have a good wayto sitck Al to Al without cranking up the tig rig.  I did the steel stuff (coupons at first) with some mystery rod called "Nickle Silver" fromAdvance Auto.  It works great for strength and perhaps because I'm way out of practice (like decades) with brazing screams grind and paint me.    My problem is that for the stuff I'm doing I really think a 1/16th rod would be the hot ticket but they aren't really all that common except as straight uncoatedbrazing rod.  Questions: (sorry to go on and on)1.  Is Nickle Silver or 5% silver or 45% silver going to give me a stronger jointon mild steel with good fitup in the 45 degree mitered joint thing compared to whatever this "straight bronze" rod stuff does?  I think they claim 65K psi for the bronze stuff.2.  What is this silicon bronze stuff I see?  Is it stronger on steel to steel?  Where can I get it?3.  Where is a good place to get 1/16 rods?  These 1/8th things seem far tooclumsy for what I'm trying to do - can't get just a bit to go on and lay down soI end up reflowing it and/or grinding off bublegum.My O/A shop has 1/16 uncoated basic stuff (which is fine) but none of the other alloys and at this point I'm too ignorant to know what to order.4.  Is there any easy to way to remove Boric acid based flux aside from an atomic bomb?  Is there a good book on all this stuff?Regards and thanks,m
Reply:This is the low fuming bronze rod and flux that I use. Flows beautifully. And the flux comes off easily with a soak in hot water much like silver brazing flux. The rod can be had in 1/16", 3/32", and 1/8". Great stuff.http://cycledesignusa.com/wp/?page_id=181The strength of the joint largely depends on how well the rod was flowed through the joint and whether there is a nice fillet on each side.
Reply:Hey - Thanks for this - ordered some the day you posted and it came in yesterday - works very well.Thanks again. Originally Posted by zankThis is the low fuming bronze rod and flux that I use. Flows beautifully. And the flux comes off easily with a soak in hot water much like silver brazing flux. The rod can be had in 1/16", 3/32", and 1/8". Great stuff.http://cycledesignusa.com/wp/?page_id=181The strength of the joint largely depends on how well the rod was flowed through the joint and whether there is a nice fillet on each side.
Reply:silicon bronze is available anywhere and everywhere I have looked. All the local welding stores carry it.  You can find it online from any decent online welding supply house.  I use www.weldingsupply.com.  It is used with TIG machines to braze/weld copper/brass/bronze/steel/dissimilar copper-ferrous joints, as well as repair/join cast steel/iron parts.  It is very versatile.Last edited by Oscar; 06-13-2014 at 03:44 PM. 1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:Hi, just a boast for the plasma welder thingy rig I'm using......I use copper wire for brazing, the stuff you get inside electrical cables, and that is without any flux either.Ian.
Reply:Originally Posted by puddytatHi, just a boast for the plasma welder thingy rig I'm using......I use copper wire for brazing, the stuff you get inside electrical cables, and that is without any flux either.Ian.
Reply:Wrong side Shovelon, it should have been in the back....LOL.Ian.