Request for help repairing brass TIG power lug

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Hello all,The power lug for my WP26 TIG torch broke and the local welding supply says they have to order one from "back east".  I need to get it operational ASAP.  Can someone tell me the best way to repair this?  I would like to weld it back together but have never attempted to weld brass.  I have soldered and silver soldered brass.Can someone suggest the best way to put this thing together?  I am thinking about cutting the old stub off and silver soldering the remaining piece.  I am worried that it may get hot and melt the solder out of the joint.Anyone have experience with this type of repair.  Of all the different metals I've welded or repaired, I've never had to weld brass.  Anyone have some ideas for me?See pics for details of the problem.Thanks for your advice,Tony Attached Images
Reply:One stick of Juicy Fruit gum, take out of wrapper and chew for 10 minutes.  Mock broken parts up in orginal position and place chewed gum over break!  lolSorry couldnt resist. I know its frustrating to be in your shoes right now especially if your under a time constrant.NickoliIf I can't fix it, Its probably not broke.... Yeah Right!~ Damn I let out the factory installed smoke again ! ~
Reply:Not sure how that lug hooks up, so the following may be a waste of your time. Take the threaded nut and saw it in half, drill a stub of brass bar with two holes...one to fit the thread of the nut the other the same size as your original lug hole, thread on first half of sawed down nut, add the stub of brass bar and follow that with the other half of the nut to capture the stub. Order the replacement and swap it out when it comes in.Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:why not just braze it?
Reply:maybe build a compression strap around it & have it clamp the base & then bolt to the lug in the welder? this is assuming you can't weld it... it just needs electrical conduction to the lug in the welder, hell it could even be clamped to a battery cable that's connected to the lug in the welder even in a pinch... many ways to fix that without welding. I'm sure it could be tig welded too, but might be hard to use the tig to repair the tig when the tig don't work till the tig is repaired miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:it is a normally stocked item at my local air liquide. i would shop around other suppliers if you don't want to weld or solder it.Dynasty 200DXPassport plus w/ spoolmate 100victor 315c oxy/(act and prop)Miller digital elitemilwaukee power tools
Reply:I modified my power lug by brazing a dinse connector to it.  I used bronze filler,  It worked fine and I have had no problems.  Bronze is what I had,  I would think hard silver would work too.  Does the lug get over 1k degrees?
Reply:If you look carefully at the fracture you can see the line of silver solder at the lap joint.  De-solder the broken section off the nut.  Make a new strap out of copper or brass then silver solder it on.   Much easier to purchase a replacement.
Reply:Hello all and thanks for your input.  This lug is off of my field rig.  I have a setup at home and could TIG the repair.  I've never TIG'd Brass. Can someone tell me the procedure?  However that aside, the idea of silver soldering makes sense also and it was my gut feeling as well.  As far as brazing is concerned, the problem I see is that brass rod will have the same core melting temperature as the base metal of the lug, in other words it would fuse.  I have never gas welded brass, what is the procediure?I happen to have a one foot piece of silver solder left.  I will try that repair tomorrow.  I'll post some pics.Thanks,Tony
Reply:Silver SolderIf that lug got hot enough (it won't) to melt silver solder, your tig hoses would have melted a long time ago.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:braze it.  i ve had to fix 2 that wayIf you like my stuff you can find me on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/theangryanv...ngryanvilforge
Reply:Silver Solder it. If I'm not mistaken that's what they are from factory.
Reply:I agree.  My go-to welding expert has advised me to do the same.  I needed to put a 1/2 dinse in place of a 3/8 dinse from a smaller torch and he told me it could be soldered.
Reply:Silver solder or braze welding will both work. If you have experience with silver solder, you won't have any problem with braze welding. TIG should be your third choice, as the zinc in the base metal will burn off. If you can pick up a couple of bronze electrodes from your supplier to "demo", you can stick weld it as well. Your only concern should be overheating the thing and buggering up the threads. Whatever you do, order the part anyway because you are going to need the spare eventually.
Reply:Another vote for silver soldering.Lincoln SP-170 MigHypertherm powermax 45Lorch T220 AC/DC TigButters FM 215 synergic MigKemppi 180 adaptive mig RULES ARE FOR THE OBEDIENCE OF FOOLS AND THE  GUIDANCE OF WISE MEN.
Reply:Hello all,thanks for all your input.  Silver soldering it is.  I wasn't able to get around to it today but I plan to tomorrow.  I would like to know however, what brazing refers to in relation to the lug material.  I have only known brazing rod to be brass rod that is used for joining ferrous metals.  I have never used it for joining other brass material as the same heat that will melt and flow the brass will also melt the base metal of the lug, therefore I'm no longer brazing, I'm welding it.Have I missed something here?  Is that what NOMADMAD is suggesting I do, braze it?  Are you proposing I weld it with brazing rod (brass rod)?  Since they will be of the same base metal I will be fusing, not brazing.  Am I understanding your suggestion right?  When you say you've repaired 2 this way, could you tell me how you physically did it?Did you use flux and start a puddle and feed the puddle with brazing rod as in welding?  Or does the brass rod melt at a lower temperature than the lug and therefore will allow itself to be brazed by flowing into the joint and forming a bead?How did you do it, if you don't mind?Thanks,Tony
Reply:Originally Posted by therreraHello all,thanks for all your input.  Silver soldering it is.  I wasn't able to get around to it today but I plan to tomorrow.  I would like to know however, what brazing refers to in relation to the lug material.  I have only known brazing rod to be brass rod that is used for joining ferrous metals.  I have never used it for joining other brass material as the same heat that will melt and flow the brass will also melt the base metal of the lug, therefore I'm no longer brazing, I'm welding it.Have I missed something here?  Is that what NOMADMAD is suggesting I do, braze it?  Are you proposing I weld it with brazing rod (brass rod)?  Since they will be of the same base metal I will be fusing, not brazing.  Am I understanding your suggestion right?  When you say you've repaired 2 this way, could you tell me how you physically did it?Did you use flux and start a puddle and feed the puddle with brazing rod as in welding?  Or does the brass rod melt at a lower temperature than the lug and therefore will allow itself to be brazed by flowing into the joint and forming a bead?How did you do it, if you don't mind?Thanks,Tony
Reply:Silver solder or braze it upMiller Xmt 350Lincoln Ln-25Ahp 200xSmith Gas Mixer AR/HTig is my Kung FuThrowing down dimes and weaving aboutInstagram http://instagram.com/[email protected]
Reply:Originally Posted by therreraHello all,thanks for all your input.  Silver soldering it is.  I wasn't able to get around to it today but I plan to tomorrow.  I would like to know however, what brazing refers to in relation to the lug material.  I have only known brazing rod to be brass rod that is used for joining ferrous metals.  I have never used it for joining other brass material as the same heat that will melt and flow the brass will also melt the base metal of the lug, therefore I'm no longer brazing, I'm welding it.Have I missed something here?  Is that what NOMADMAD is suggesting I do, braze it?  Are you proposing I weld it with brazing rod (brass rod)?  Since they will be of the same base metal I will be fusing, not brazing.  Am I understanding your suggestion right?  When you say you've repaired 2 this way, could you tell me how you physically did it?Did you use flux and start a puddle and feed the puddle with brazing rod as in welding?  Or does the brass rod melt at a lower temperature than the lug and therefore will allow itself to be brazed by flowing into the joint and forming a bead?How did you do it, if you don't mind?Thanks,Tony
Reply:i have also tig welded brase base metals together useing braze rod in the past also and everything is still together todayIf you like my stuff you can find me on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/theangryanv...ngryanvilforge
Reply:Hello all,I used my last and only stick of Harris stay silv 15 brazing /  silver solder rod.  Here is a shot of it.  It has been almost 30 years since I used this stuff and this stick has been with me since then.  When I finished and was about to install it back onto my high frequency unit and put my old torch back on it, I discovered that I had brazed it on backwards and had to reheat the joint, melt the solder and re-braze it in the opposite direction.  But it worked.  Thanks for all your suggestions and advice.TonyPs: can this stuff be used for brazing on a cast iron engine block or is brass a better way to go (in general terms). Attached Images
Reply:"Ps: can this stuff be used for brazing on a cast iron engine block or is brass a better way to go (in general terms)." Harris 15% rods are commonly used in air conditioning for brazing the non-ferrous connections.  Harris 15% is specifically NOT recommended for brazing of steel or iron, as it will produce a brittle joint that is likely to fail if subject to vibration.Miller Syncrowave 350Millermatic 252/ 30A spoolgunMiller Bobcat 225g w/ 3545 spoolgunLincoln PowerArc4000Lincoln 175 Mig  Lincoln 135 Mig Everlast 250EX TigCentury ac/dc 230 amp stickVictor O/AHypertherm 1000 plasma
Reply:Thanks for the input and ideas.This case is closed.  Tony