Fire Welding Flux

[jjh]

I know someone who tried and had more inclusions, this was for damascus, I assume from the grit

[Ice Czar]

in addition to the fluxes mentioned above, I've read that lime was historically employed as a flux

(a key flux ingredient in steel manufacturing, as lime, limestone or fluorspar)

[steve sells]

<snip>.. wonder if I could use the Iron/steel dust below my sander/grinder and mix it with my Borax...<snip>

the problem is that isn't only iron, its also bit of your sand paper/grinder wheel. So you have to decide is that other stuff going to make good steel?

[jimbob]

well I guess I could use the powder fom where they turn my brake drums it wouldn't have that grit in it....I might give that a try

[tecnovist]

Hi All i think its the iron oxide's that are used

brake drums i would not use that as it contains asbestus or is highy likey to

I think the sand paper grit MAY help as its silicon carbide and should melt

although not all grinding grit is silicon carbide

[jimbob]

I guess one could take a magnet and put it in a plastic bag and then pick up dust below the sander/grinder...that way you'ed only get the iron/steel dust and exclude the rest

[Ice Czar]

I collect black iron oxide when I do twisting, generally your getting quite a large area of bar fairly hot, twisting it just dumps off all the scale and the twisting jig we use is tack welded to a table which catches it all. Get snowdrifts worth of the stuff.

[RichHallstrom]

Originally Posted by jimbob

I wonder if I could use the Iron/steel dust below my sander/grinder and mix it with my Borax...seem like I read somewhere in one of the old books I have that that is what they used to do...any one try this?

I have heard this is not good due to the stone grit from the grinding wheel or the sandpaper. Iron filings from using a file are good for that because it is just steel.

[ThomasPowers]

Funny they melt steel in silicon carbide crucibles, I don't think SiC will melt very well in a weld!

[tecnovist]

interesting point thanks