Anyone here braze.

[Uncle Buck]

I understand what you are supposed to do,  and how to do it, but for everything I have done, brazing has never been one of those things. I have a very old Trimo 36" pipe wrench that was my dad's. Dad bought it used when I was a kid. When dad got it one of the parts had been brazed in several spots. This wrench is of the Stllson style, but no wood handle.

Anyway, at some point through the years I loaned it to someone that leaned on it hard and re- broke the brazed areas. The part remains in one piece,  but clearly recracked in the same spots as before.

If the wrench was 18" or smaller, I would likely pitch it. This pipe wrench is a 36" wrench. The old Stillson style pipe wrenches under best undamaged circumstances were in fact not as heavily designed as the Ridgid pipe wrench everyone today is familiar with and considered the industry standard for  plumbers.

To the point, I replaced the damaged Trimo wrench with a USA made 36" Erie Pipemaster of the Ridgid style and likely around 1960's vintage. Knowing the Trimo is a weaker desght/ style than the Ridgid style i bought a 36" Erie Pipe Master to replace it.

While that is dandy, I still have the old 36" Trimo and would like to have the damaged part either repaired, or replaced as is convenient.

If someone here consider themselves proficient at brazing please do email me, or feel free to reach out to me in whatever fashion best suits you.

Call me if needed 785-379-1443. I will gladly pay whoever might be able to re-braze this part
 

[goodfellow]

Re-barzing a part is not easy Herb. Without a clear indication of the alloy used back in day (and there were many brazing rod alloys back then), the best you'd be able to do is "glue" it back together, but there would likely not be enough open pore base metal to give you a strong bond.

I've done it, but the results were always sub-optimal, and never as good as you'd get from first-time clean brazed joint.

Also, many guys back in day used to "braze", but in actuality what they did was use their 1950s/60s vintage wire coat hangers to make their "brazed" joints. Wire coat hangers in those days were made of brass and steel alloys to make them strong and flexible at the same time. Lots of backyard guys used them instead of brazing or welding rod. Obviously those repairs can't be re-done these days because the alloys are not available anymore.

Good luck!

[TexasT]

https://youtu.be/PCGBISlVKMM?si=FqNC_qv48IdaxxB9

https://youtu.be/jM2_LBvzg6c?si=7MztQCrXa0FbtWBp

This guy isn't only informative but quite entertaining.