Brazing is a popular way of joining metals for several purposes. You can use it for repair work and also for doing different projects out of it. Either way, it’s very helpful and easy to do. And you can do aluminum brazing as a quick solution to join them.
Now, the real question is how strong aluminum brazing is? Is it worth doing at all?
That’s what I will share today. I will go through the different aspects of aluminum brazing to know when and where you should go for it.
Without wasting any time, let’s get into it.
How Strong Is Brazing Joint Done With Aluminum Filler Rod
While many people may be skeptical about brazing joints using an aluminum filler rod, it works wonders in some cases. Now, I will be very honest with you, it’s not as strong as a weld would be, but it does an excellent job anyways.
Usually, the purpose of aluminum brazing rods is to work on repairs, fill cracks on metal constructions, and so forth. They are not typically meant for joining metals. That being said, you can still try out aluminum brazing rods for joining metals unless you plan to jump on joint every day.
If you are making a table or a support system where you won’t put too much pressure, then aluminum brazing has enough strength. But if we are talking about industrial usage, this may not be strong enough to support that.
Keep in mind that aluminum brazing joints have strength; they don’t break that easily that why we aluminum braze intercooler pipe. But they tend to bend a little. So, brazing joints with an aluminum filler rod may not move if you are making something heavy. For something light, it’s a very simple way to join the metals and works great.
What Type Of Brazing Is Best For Strong Joints?
Now, if you want to have a strong bond in your joints while brazing, you should first consider the types of brazing joints; there are typically two basic joints, one is a butt joint, and one is a lap joint.
For the strength of the joint, a lap joint is the better option. It has a larger bonding area for the joint, giving it strength and making it very strong. Here, the metals you will be joining overlap, so there is less reason for the joints to break down.
This joint, however, has a thick joint area that may cause a problem in some scenarios. That’s why the best brazing joint solution is to go for a butt-lap joint which brings the best of both worlds. Here you will have a single layer joint while having the strength that you require in your brazing.
How Strong Is Aluminum Brazing Compared To Welding?
Let’s get something straight; you can never compare the strength of welding with brazing. A welded joint will always be stronger than a brazed joint. What you can compare is which one is better in what scenario.
Even if welding produces stronger joints, there are certain cases where brazing is a better option. So, let’s make a comparison and see where brazing shines and where welding shines.
Advantages Of Brazing Over Welding
- Aluminum brazing can be a stronger joint method when you are working with dissimilar metals. When you have to join different metals and have a unique melting point, brazing provides stronger results. Because in welding, you essentially melt the base metals to do the joints, which can’t be done with dissimilar metals.
- Brazing is much more cost-effective than welding. You don’t need any specialized machine to do brazing. You can use a torch, a filler rod, and flux core to do brazing on aluminum.
- Brazing is great for DIY projects as well as some industrial applications. You don’t need too much strength in the joints, but you can still use some strong joints.
- Compared to welding, brazing is a quicker method of joining base metals.
- With brazing, you can get the best features of different metals on your construction. For example, joining steel and aluminum gives you durable and lightweight construction.
Advantages Of Welding Over Brazing
- Well, the obvious one is welding gives you much stronger joints than brazing ever will.
- Welded joints are more tolerant towards high-temperature so you can use them without worrying about the base metals melting.
- With TIG welding, you can join very thick pieces of metal without too much effort. They also provide one of the cleanest joints you can get.
- MIG welding is a great way to join thin metals with the same melting points. They are very strong in the joints and provide excellent results. Especially mig 220v welders provide a great welding experience.
- Stick welding can be your way to versatility in welding. You can weld various metals together and end up with high-strength joints. It can even work outdoors without needing any shielding gas, unlike the other two welding methods.
Well, deciding on a method is up to you and your preferences. If you are looking for a high-strength structure, then welding can be a better choice. But when it’s about getting strong joints in dissimilar metals, there is nothing better than brazing.
What Materials Can Be Brazed With Aluminum Rods
When you are using aluminum brazing rods, you can use them on a variety of materials. As long as the base metals have a higher melting point than the rods, you are good to go. Typically following are your best bet with aluminum rods–
- Steel
- Copper
- Aluminum
- Cast iron
The Aluminum Brazing Breaking Point
Usually, Aluminum has a melting point of 1200 degrees. But that’s not the case for aluminum brazing rods. It’s much lower on the rods, so that you can use it on aluminum as well.
Now, depending on the rods you are using, the melting point may differ as silver alloys are sometimes mixed in. Keeping that aside the general melting point of aluminum brazing rods is around 700 F.
Last Words
To sum up, aluminum brazing has enough strength to get you by several projects. It can almost compare to the strength of welding joints in some cases. Also, it’s quicker, easier, and beneficial to know.
So, with the strength aspect in mind, you won’t have to worry too much about aluminum brazing; you can go at it.
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