TIG Welding Brass (7 Tips for Improvement)

Do you need some assistance with your brass welding project? Brass welding can be tricky, so it’s ideal to educate yourself on how to do the best job possible.

7 TIG Welding Brass Tips

1. Check the Zinc Content
2. Form a Protective Shield Around the Brass
3. Mix a Flux With Water Until It Creates a Paste
4. Check Welding Tip Size
5. Do Not Allow Too Much Oxygen to Build Up
6. Weld in DC for best results
7. Always, wear a respirator

Below, I will touch on these tips in depth. I will explain the purpose of these tips and steps to make sure that you do not make a procedural mistake. 

Check the Zinc Content

One of the first parts of the brass welding process is figuring out what the zinc content of your type of brass is. This is because that will determine how strong of a flame is necessary.  The stronger the Zinc content the harder it is to weld.

Form a Protective Shield Around the Brass

You will need to obtain some oxyacetylene gas which is used to create a protective shield around your brass during the brass welding procedure. The acetylene and oxygen gases are separately stored. However, they are combined during the welding process.

Mix a Flux With Water Until It Creates a Paste

To create a paste, you will need to mix a flux with water. Paint this mixture onto brass surfaces that you want to weld. You should select either a braze-welding flux or a flux that is specifically designed for the welding of oxyacetylene.

Check Welding Tip Size

You will need to make sure that the welding tip that you select is at the very least one size larger than the one that you would select for steel of comparable thickness. This is because brass has a relatively high heat conductivity, and this will make welding the brass together an easier process.

Do Not Allow Too Much Oxygen to Build Up

Adjust the acetylene gas to a low level until you have reached a relatively strong and stable oxidizing flame that is able to develop a coating on brass. The welding process will become much more difficult if there is excessive oxygen.

Also, having sufficient oxygen makes sure that zinc fumes are not released from the brass metal.

Weld Brass In AC

Always weld Brass in AC in 2.5Mhz and adjust balance around for different thicknesses. When welding in DC it is hard to control the “sizzling” effect, especially on thinner material.

The choice of filler wire or rod will depend on the composition of the alloy being joined. As a general comment, SIFMIG 8 or Sifphosphor Bronze No8 is recommended as the first consideration. 

Always Wear a Respirator

Ok, so this really is not a tip for making better welds but some people including myself at one point did not realize how bad the fumes and gasses were when TIG welding brass alloy. If you are not welding it very often at least have a fume extractor or some sort of decent ventilation.

What Kind of Rod is Used for Brass Welding?

The kind of filler rod that you will need to use for TIG welding brass will depend on the alloy composition and thickness. ERCuSi-A Silicon Bronze TIG Welding Rod is a good option for starting out.

Final Words

Brass, an alloy of zinc and copper, is a very useful metal that has numerous applications in both the personal and commercial industries. However, it is a tough alloy to weld since zinc and copper have very different melting points.

Zincs have a much lower melting point. The low melting point may be off-putting to many welders. However, if you remember the tips above, then you will discover that welding brass will come a little easier with practice.