Welders for bronze [Archive] - Sculpture Community

mantrid

07-03-2009, 02:28 PM

Andrew Werby

07-03-2009, 03:22 PM

I'm going to need to purchase a welder for some finishing work on my bronzes (small, about 12") such as filling in holes and joining small pieces together and in future welding larger pieces together. I dont have much experience of welding, just some MIG on car body panels. What is the best type of welder, rating (amps etc) type for welding bronze. Does anyone have any recommendations. I am not too sure about oxyacetylene as the rental cost would be too expensive for only ocassional use.

[TIG welding works best on bronze. You need a pretty powerful unit for that; bronze needs quite a bit of current. If you go to industrial auctions (lots of those going on these days) you might be able to snag a TIG machine pretty cheap. You'll still need gas for it; straight argon is recommended for bronze. Also make sure you've got (or can provide) a heavy-duty electrical circuit (figure 50 amps) of the type your welder requires.

You can rig up a sort of TIG welder by adding a high-freq unit, torch handle, and gas supply to a regular "buzz-box" arc welder, but a real industrial unit works much better.

Oxy-acetylene works on bronze to some degree, but not nearly as well as TIG.]

Andrew Werby
www.unitedartworks.com

mantrid

07-03-2009, 05:30 PM

Thanks for your quick reply. Yes TIG is what I was favouring. 50A circuit seems high, is this right?
I was looking at ssomething like this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120437112812&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&salenotsupported

What do you think? Too powerful?

The Forge

07-03-2009, 10:55 PM

When buying a TIG welder, you should not think about what you need now but what you may need in the future. A machine in the 250 -300 Amp range is a good choice. The one that you mentioned is OK. Make sure that your electric service is compatible with the unit that you buy, meaning voltage and amperage draw of the unit, sometimes called input. Here in the states we use 240 V power and a 50 Amp draw unit is a middle sized unit. Although nowadays the inverter powered welders are drawing less. Many of the units have the capability of switching the voltage in the unit to meet your area. Go to a welder supply house and ask them to recommend a machine that will be capable of doing what you need. Then shop the web to find compatible unit. If you know someone that does TIG welding, get them to give you some lessons. It takes time to get good at it. :)

mantrid

07-04-2009, 04:03 AM

Thanks forge. Anyone from UK know what cables from consumer unit I would need? could I use the domestic circuit? I read somewhere that welders in UK are using 16A sockets and plugs with 6mm cables. Does anyone know if this is correct. It seems a big difference to US.

PTsideshow

07-04-2009, 06:11 AM

Well you need to go to this site. As you will only get more confused.With more input as to machines, from this side of the pond. As there are different standards and requirements for not only the mains and shop/home wiring. Most other than duty electric stuff is 110 single phase in the US/Canada. Rather then the 220volt of yours.
Check this site out it is British based welding forum with a lot of good info.
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=19

And they also have a great section on tutorials this one you may be interested in as it deals with MIG welding bronze. Since the welders on this side of the pond seem to Worship the TIG, rather than think of using Stick or MIG for other than steel.
I think its advertising and brainwashing from an early age.:D
You may want to check this out.
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/brazing.htm Since you have a MIG experience.
Good luck.