Soldering Hearth / Brazing Hearth

[PaulG]

Hello All,

I am looking at building a multi purpose station. One that can be used for silver soldering and oxy/acetylene brazing, with a removable bottom, exposing a water trap for cutting. I have literally tons of fire brick, splits and insulating brick for this project.
Size approximately 24” x 36” on roller base.

My question is, would it be beneficial in boiler work to install a turntable?

I have everything to make one, powered or free turning. The motor drive will give 1 … 4 rpm. What do you think? Your opinions Please.

Thanks in advance

Paul

 

[websterz]

I can't see how you WOULDN'T benefit from a turntable. Anything that eases access to all sides of a workpiece is a bonus in my book. Go for it!

Todd

 

[GWRdriver]

Paul,
I suppose I might have benefitted a couple of times from having a turntable, but then my hearth is built so I can walk around it if I need to, and I sometimes need to. But what I have found to be indispensable, especially if I need to do both ends of a boiler all at one go, is a "spit" bar, for lack of a better term, similar to one for roasting a pig. The one I made for myself is primarily for small boilers, 3" diameter or less, and amounts to a steel bar with a wooden T-handle on one end and an angle bracket and strap for mounting the boiler barrel on the other. It's actually quite crude, but very effective. This wouldn't eliminate the possible usefulness of a turntable, but I wouldn't motorize it. What I would do is make it with a toe-kick or knee-kick wheel, like a potter's wheel, so that you control the amount and speed of rotation.

 

[PaulG]

Todd, Harry, Thanks

I was thinking about a way to also turn it manually, or with the drive when things are warming up? I like the "Gripper" idea, getting old, I will need one sooner or later! Thanks!

Paul