Harris Brazing Rod ???

[Gordon Gould]

I inherited an older Linde torch set. It came with a old 10 lb tube of 1/8" X 36" flux coated brazing rods that I am trying to identify. The rods are Harris. I can barely make out the label. I think it says

ALLOY F C WHITE HEAT 712 *K
1 FB

Does anyone know what this is ? Some of the label is a bit of a guess especially the Heat. It looks like it might be a flux coated bronze rod. But I am pretty new to this stuff,
Thanks

 

[Gary Fowler]

Looks like you are missing some of the wording. I would say that something should be in front of as in xxxxx alloy FC ( for flux coating) white (color of flux-they also had a blue color flux although I am not sure what the significance was) and the heat number is for identifying the batch number of the alloy rod. Perhaps someone with more brazing experience will help.

 

[yomax4]

Its simply Low Fuming ronze. Or..Brazing rod. ( I used to sell the stff ) The 1 is actually an L for Low fuming bronze. The flux may not be any good anymore but if need be you can knock it off there and buy a can of flux to dip into.

 

[deereman75]

My first thought was that the flux would likely be long gone. As yomax said, get a can of flux, and dip them. I think it is under $20 for the flux, and a can lasts a long time.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Hey yomax4 - Thankyou very much. Out of curiosity what happens to the flux with time? The rods are still fully coated with a thick layer of white. Does the canned flux have a shelf life also ?
Thanks again

 

[yomax4]

The flux will simply fall off after a while or reduce down to where it doesn't flux correctly. In that case you will need to buy a can of flux as posted above. I think it works better to dip in the can than to have the pre fluxed rods but use them up if you braze..

 

[Gary Fowler]

I haven't done brazing (with brass rods) in years, but they used to have a powdered flux that you dipped your slightly heated rod in for the flux to stick. Do they still use that kind. I have some paste flux that I bought to use with some low grade silver solder that my brother gave me and it works ok, but you need to brush it on before heating the part, like fluxing copper tubing.

 

[yomax4]

They still have the dip flux. Like you said, heat the rod a little and dip in flux. I always liked that better than the coated rods only because you could get a good gob of flux on the rod. I remember doing body work by brazing on the panels. Primitive but worked well. Not too many people using brazing rod these days except component manufacturers that make steel fittings. Most of them use Speed Fluxers..Your torch hose hooks to the canister full of liquid flux and it gets pre set at a low pressure. Light the torch and the flux comes out in the torch flame. These saved a lot of time but now with the newer version of the EPA, The flux can no longer be hauled on a truck. Must be nasty stuff.

 

[deereman75]

Home Depot has that flux. Lincoln electric red can brazing flux. I am going to try some, I have only used coated rods so far, but I think this could save some money.

 

[crash325]

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.