Brazing Stainless
 

I just ordered some tubing to start building racks and I ordered a bit of stainless to try out. I know I need silver brazing rod, but I don't know exactly what I need. I read that it needs to have nickel in it to stop the stainless from corroding. I also read I can use nickel brazing rod without silver in it for stainless, but it has a much higher melting temperature. What would work better for small fillets, and where's the bet place to buy it from?

I buy 45% SafetySilv off ebay. Use the same company's flux which I can get locally. The 45% is fine for fillets.

you can also get fillet pro from Fred Parr. Nice stuff, and I think his "Stainless Lite" flux is the best flux I've used. I've never used 45% so I can't compare it to fillet pro.

I just got some nickel silver rod from Henry James. I just need to find some stainless tubing to try it on.

By reputation, anything from Fred ought to be tops. Is he back in the swing of things?

As far as the 45% goes, hit the right heat, and it self levels in a nice fillet inside and outside of the tube. It is even possible to get results with a propane Bernzomatic torch. Nothing I built during that stage has failed.

I'm leaning towards try some nickel silver rod from Henry James. At 1/10 the price of silver I just can't justify it. Not when I'm making stuff just for fun at least.

Nickel silver works fine on stainless. Use bronze flux rather than silver flux.

I agree!

Maybe so, but a single oz of solder from the local welding supply and some flux cost me less than the postage from most places, silver prices have gone up a lot in the last few years, though.

See this:

http://www.bernzomatic.com/PRODUCTS/...3/Default.aspx

Its available in most hardware stores alongside the Benz-O-Matic stuff for only a few dollars. I use nickel silver on stainless all of the time...

Dave

Ok, I have some of that for staking pins. Never used it for brazing. The wealth untapped in the shop!