# Brazed HSS tools?



## New_Guy (May 25, 2010)

hey everyone i need to make some small boring bars and me being the idiot i am i always buy HSS to large for really small work i was wondering if i could braze a square of 12mm or 10mm HSS about 4-6mm thick on bit of round bar to do the trick?

i also wanted to make an internal threading tool to along similar lines

will it anneal the HSS?


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## IanN (May 25, 2010)

Hi,

I've never tried brazing HSS but as brazing spelter melts at around 450C (about 850F) and HSS needs to be heated over 760C (about 1400F) to start anealling it, I would think it would work.

Of course the temperatures quoted above are approximate and will vary with the exact alloys you are using.

Ian


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## New_Guy (May 25, 2010)

nice thats one worry out of the way i think ill give this a try soon maybe the weekend


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## Lew Hartswick (May 25, 2010)

Where would you get bits of HSS to do that with? 
  ...Lew...


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## Noitoen (May 25, 2010)

Our local auto electric repair guy uses a technique to braze the starter motor's brushes without use of a flame. Just the other night I saw on Discovery channel the same technique in the manufacture of carbide tipped saw blades. 

He uses a adapted long nose pliers with a copper electrode screwed on one tip and on the other tip there's a carbon electrode mounted on a insulated holder in such way that the 2 electrodes meet when the pliers is closed. These electrodes are wired to a 12v battery with a switch and a heavy duty, current limiting resistor. 

To weld the new brush's copper strand to the metal holder or coil copper bar, he places a flattened piece of silver solder between the parts, clamps them together with the electrodes and powers it up. The carbon electrode rapidly turns red and heats the parts to melt the solder. When satisfied he disconnects the power keeping the pressure until the solder solidifies.


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## SKIPRAT (May 25, 2010)

Hi There

In answer to the question here i don't see why you cannot braze up HSS tips on tools or even silver solder them In the UK there used to be a range of butt welded HSS tools that went by the name of Stag Major made by Edgar Allen tools of Sheffield they were available in a selection of shank sizes to my knowledge the smallest was half inch and the largest about two inches i have quite a few of them some are a bit rusty hell i have had them over 20 years but they still cut and still perform well the top picture is taking about a one eighth cut in EN24 tensile steel and the lower picture shows a small selection of different shapes .












Cheers Paul


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## New_Guy (May 26, 2010)

thanks Paul yeah those are sort of what im looking at making only just a square bit of HSS in a filled slot/recess on the top like an insert then soldered/brazed.... mainly my biggest concern was if the bronze/solder would be strong enough to take the turning forces but think ill give it a try tomorrow at Tafe (tec collage) 

ill talk to my teacher about welding them but i dont think it would be as good

Edit here is what someone else has done but for wood hollow turning 

http://www.laymar-crafts.co.uk/tip27.htm


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## Niels Abildgaard (Jun 13, 2010)

In my youth I made very many tools by silversoldering HSS pieces on to ordinary steel and never had tip coming of or being to soft.We had cadmium in the solder and a very low melting point. Internal thread tools were made from a round piece of steel, drill a hole silver solder the drill in the hole and a little grinding.


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