# Brazing Hearth



## steamyjim (Jul 28, 2010)

I have come to the conclusion after my difficulties with silver soldering my small boilers that I need a decent brazing hearth as, aulthough I am sure we have enough heat going in, a lot of it is being radiated out to the atmosphere.

Does anyone on here have photos of their hearths that I could use as ideas, also can anyone suggest the best materials to use and any advice about vital bits that you would say are needed in a good brazing hearth.

Many thanks in advance!

Jim


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## Marinesteam (Jul 28, 2010)

My hearth is just fire bricks laid out in a 3x3 (I think) pattern and placed into an angle iron frame.

I bought angle iron (steel) from the local DYI store, mitered the corners to a length to frame the fire brick. Cut strap to support under the fire brick seams (Strap is same thickness as a leg of the angle iron). Then weld the whole thing up.

I could add legs and make a table but I store the hearth under my workbench when not in use. In use, the hearth is placed on my handy B&D shopmate folding workstand.

Get some extra firebricks to be placed at will to hold, shield heat.

Ken


Sorry no photos, but I'll try to post some after I get home.


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## SBWHART (Jul 28, 2010)

Ken

This is how I knocked together my hearth:- large ally oven tray from the scrappy:- some bits of scrap ally pop rivetted as a wind sheild, areated concreate insulating blocks, all mounted on a work mate.







Hop this gives you some ideas.

Stew


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## johnthomp (Jul 28, 2010)

i must agree those thermalite blocks dont half take some heat they also do well at makeing a basic blast furnace does just the trick with aluminium


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## Julian (Jul 28, 2010)

Definitely go for thermilites as they are dead cheap. About 75pence each from Wicks. Cut them with a wood saw and stack them how you need for the item you are soldering. Store them in a pile when not in use. Find an old steel or cast bbq for a stand. I've got a large steel plate on my bench for welding so just stack them on that to form a cavity.


Julian.


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## bentprop (Jul 28, 2010)

I have the "deluxe"version :big:
Bought the wife a new ironing board.I immediately saw the potential in the old steel one as an ideal welding/silver soldering base.A small pile of fire bricks from a friendly builder,and I'm set up for life.And when I'm done,it folds up and hangs on the wall!.


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## steamyjim (Jul 29, 2010)

Thanks for the advice everyone! I shall probably make something similar to Stews! I presume only one end is closed off to enable longer peices to be placed in?

I have found some large peices of steel sheet in the workshop that would make be perfect for use for my hearth. Must buy some thermalite blocks!

Shall ring up Wicks and see if they have any thermalite blocks!

Jim


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## lordedmond (Jul 29, 2010)

cheaper at a builders merchant or look out for a builder doing an extension and scrounge some broken bits, but they are cheap compared to the silver solder 


Stuart


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## SBWHART (Jul 29, 2010)

Jim

I got mine from B & Q they were damaged so they were 1/2 price 50p each.

Stew


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## steamyjim (Jul 29, 2010)

Shall phone around and see then!

B&Q is nearest to us, so that may be tomorrows task...I keep getting distracted from the actual models to make jigs and things...got a simple indexing thing to make for the Super 7 at some stage too!


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## SBWHART (Jul 30, 2010)

Jim

Making tools and fixtures is all part of the game, we all do it, building up your armory of kit gradually improves the quality of your works and productivity. 

There's nothing worse than struggling to do something with the wrong bit of kit.

Keep up the good work

Stew


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