Harris Brazing Rod ???

eastexan · Mar 31, 2013

crash325 said:
Buy a big box of "Borax or Borax-O" it is all the flux you need for brazing or even forge welding. Been used almost forever.

Crash, when you dip a heated rod into Borax powder, does the powder stick to the rod the way regular flux does?

Edit: I just looked at your link and it says Borax will work as flux, but not Boraxo.

yomax4 · Mar 31, 2013

Sorry to butt in.but yes it's nearly the same thing. We used to use the old 20 Mule train borax in school.

eastexan · Mar 31, 2013

Interesting. Thanks yomax.
It may have been used at my school back in the 60's. I remember it being in an old can which the teacher could have kept filled from a box of Borax.

crash325 · Apr 1, 2013

eastexan said:
Crash, when you dip a heated rod into Borax powder, does the powder stick to the rod the way regular flux does?

Edit: I just looked at your link and it says Borax will work as flux, but not Boraxo.

It may be the basis for some commercial flux.
Heat your rod, dip it and it will be well coated. At times I also heat the joint a little first and flux it as well.
Big box of Borax-o at the grocery store, is cheap and will last for years. Mine has even been wet and it still works well.

Note: I do not recommend it for silver soldering.

Gordon Gould · Apr 1, 2013

crash325 said:
Buy a big box of "Borax or Borax-O" it is all the flux you need for brazing or even forge welding. Been used almost forever.

Do you put it on dry ?? Or make a paste somehow.
I love your little saying at the bottom :thumbsup:

crash325 · Apr 2, 2013

Gordon Gould said:
Do you put it on dry ?? Or make a paste somehow.
I love your little saying at the bottom :thumbsup:

Hi Gordon,
Never tried making a paste. May work fine. Play around with it and let us all know.
Jim

Mark @ Everlast · Apr 2, 2013

I too prefer the can flux. It works well, and you only use what you need. Flux coated brazing rods get expensive, especially if they sit most of the time and the flux falls off. Both have their advantages, and I do like just continuing to braze, but it's not worth the extra cost unless you know you will use them all up in a relatively short period of time.