welding zinc

admin

Can zinc sheet be welded?  A friend does marble and granite counter tops and he wants to start doing metal ones too.  One of the materials that is becoming popular is zinc and he asked me if it could be welded.  I said soldering would be better but would do some research.
Reply:Um, In a word....NO!!! Special prep and atmosphere requirements make it beyond the average welder if it is even possible.  Better to leave that one alone.BobI'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:Yep, TIG weld it with strips of the base metal at low heat, or solder. Color match with solder is a little off, but is perfect with TIG. Welds about like aluminum but colder. If you get it too hot it smokes and becomes unworkable. Use proper ventilation.
Reply:Hmmm...we got 1 YES and 1 NO.  Who's gonna be the tie breaker.  Who's RIGHT is the question.....I really like the diversity on the forum.
Reply:Yes, you can weld it but pay close attention to this.ChrisAuction Addict
Reply:Yes, yes, yes! Use Alladin 3 in 1 filler rod. Tig it like you would aluminum. Wear a respirator, it welds dirty! It is also called white metal, pot metal, kirksite, and some names that can't be printed on a family forum!http://www.facebook.com/LockhartMetalArthttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Grumpy...44306259043484
Reply:yes dont worry the zinc will not kill you your body uses zinc anyhow but to much will make you feel sick i would use low heat and flux core mig  ... nr211 love galvanized metalLincoln Power Arc 4000 Thermal Arc Fabricator 252 iThermal arc 186Thermal Arc 26 tigTweeko 200 amp spool gunHobart AirForce 400WP-17V-12R
Reply:txcarbuilderFine galvanized table tops are TIG brazed, and affixed to a solid sub-base.Typically, 14 to 18 gauge, sheared, corner nipped, and broken.  When dialed in - gauge, amps, and filler - the bead can be laid with virtually no zinc vaporization.The HAZ and the bronze bead is polished with the gantlet of a heavy welding glove, and you are done.The craft-exercise is to preserve the zinc-crystals to the edge of the bronze boundary.No grinding, or sanding  -  just subdued crystals and bead waves.Opus
Reply:Originally Posted by OPUS FERROtxcarbuilderFine galvanized table tops are TIG brazed, and affixed to a solid sub-base.Typically, 14 to 18 gauge, sheared, corner nipped, and broken.  When dialed in - gauge, amps, and filler - the bead can be laid with virtually no zinc vaporization.The HAZ and the bronze bead is polished with the gantlet of a heavy welding glove, and you are done.The craft-exercise is to preserve the zinc-crystals to the edge of the bronze boundary.No grinding, or sanding  -  just subdued crystals and bead waves.Opus
Reply:Are we talking 99+ % pure zinc sheet?  http://www.rotometals.com/ZINC-SHEETS-s/29.htm"USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:Oldendum  -  Good call.My procedure is for galvanized steel sheet.There is a standard for doing virtually everything that can be done,and reasons why thing aren't done.From what I have read about the problems of zinc welding, and the problems with the people that believe 'they need zinc', I'm going to invest my learning-curve with metals and procedures that have applications with legs.Without going to a metallurgical encyclopedia I wasn't able to find a good trade/craft procedure, or any coherent 'old boy' trade secrets.If anyone is familiar with zinc welding  -  please Post-Up.OpusLast edited by OPUS FERRO; 11-12-2012 at 08:47 PM.
Reply:The technical differences between welding, brazing or soldering is specific temperature ranges. Having said that, zinc is at the ragged edge. Just barely below the official temp for brazing so it really should be called soldering. But when the base metal and the filler are the same plus you melt both during the application, call it what you want. Then there are the unknowns if the zinc counter top materials is zinc only or some alloy. Personally while I like zinc for all it's good properties it really is a dirty metal for an in the house application as far as I'm concerned. But that has nuttin to do with your question.Here's an article. http://www.neymetals.com/ZincAlloys/zinc2.htm"The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:For welding zinc sheet, we consider it is toxic, and cadmium, should it also be plated with that, is extremely toxic. It should be weld in a well ventillated area, situating the weldment downwind according to you, and is there any filter masks for zinc fumes. I don't know about cadmium, except that some welders got poisened by the stuff. But be aware in welding doors otherwise you have a fume hood.metal asset tags
Reply:Thanks for the replies.  I am assuming this would be pure zinc sheet.  My online research has shown that the most common way to join this is by soldering.  The slight mismatch of color is just considered part of the "character" of this material for counter tops.
Reply:My 50 year old O/A welding handbook has a little info aboul welding zink. Pure zink is supposed to be relatively easy to weld, cast zink can also be welded but due to impurities it is harder. A neutral and soft flame should be used. A tip using around 50 litres of acetylene a minute for every millimetre zink thickness is suggested. (I'm not gonna convert that, since you probably won't O/A weld anyway, and even if you do, it's faster to just try than to do the calculations!)Welding method is described as "Similar to welding lead, but larger flame required. Unlike lead vertical welding is not very difficult, due to zink not flowing so easy."There are a couple of pages about lead, but not a whole lot worth quoting. Clean before welding ofcourse. Requires very small tip, about 1/10 of the amount of gas used for welding the same thickness steel, and lap joints are preferred. Butt joints may require wooden/asbestos backing to prevent blowing through very easy.
Reply:We weld zinc for counter tops and hoods all the time.We get our sheets from roto metals. We shear off strips from the sheet, it welds really cold, and can be challenging.  Sometimes it welds no problem, sometimes its a nightmare.  We always weld both sides, or it will crack.Wear a respirator when welding, grinding and polishing.  Its like working with copper, it will make you feel like you have the the flu, some milk at the end of the day will clear it right up if you're not feeling so good.
Reply:Originally Posted by OPUS FERROOldendum  -  Good call.My procedure is for galvanized steel sheet.There is a standard for doing virtually everything that can be done,and reasons why thing aren't done.From what I have read about the problems of zinc welding, and the problems with the people that believe 'they need zinc', I'm going to invest my learning-curve with metals and procedures that have applications with legs.Without going to a metallurgical encyclopedia I wasn't able to find a good trade/craft procedure, or any coherent 'old boy' trade secrets.If anyone is familiar with zinc welding  -  please Post-Up.Opus