Joining Metals

2 Main Types
Temporary - when access will be needed at some time in the future Permanent - when a joint will never need to be undone

Nut and Bolt

Temporary fixing when both sides can be accessed

Machine Screw
Temporary fixing when access is from one side only

Riveting

Countersink and Round Head Rivets make a permanent fixing. Usually the head is formed on the other side which is the same as the original one. Round Head rivets use a Snap and Set to form new head, and protect original.

If loose joints are required - insert a piece of card between the pieces and remove on completion

Soldering
Soldering is the joining of pieces of metal with a different metal which is melted between the pieces. The pieces being joined do not melt. 2 types Soft Soldering Electrical Gas Hard Soldering Brazing Silver Soldering

Electric Soft Soldering

Use an electric soldering iron Solder Tin/Lead alloy Flux Resin contained within the solder Use soldering electronic components

Soft Soldering
Use a small gas oven or blow torch and copper soldering irons

Soft Soldering
Solder Tin/Lead alloy, called Tinmans Solder Flux Zinc Chloride, separate from solder Use Soldering tin plate containers copper water pipes (mostly pre-prepared and just need warming)

Brazing
Used to join Mild Steel (mainly) Work is heated in the forge with a natural gas/air flame Solder Brazing Rod (a brass alloy) Flux Borax, mixed to a paste with water, or brazing rod dipped in powder flux

Silver Soldering
Used to join silver or other non-ferrous metals Work is heated in the forge with a natural gas/air flame Solder Silver solder -a silver alloy with a lower melting point than solid silver Flux Borax, as brazing Use Used to assemble items that will be hallmarked. Silver solder must contain a high percentage of silver or it will not be hallmarked.

Welding
Welding is the joining of metals by melting the two pieces to be joined and fusing them together with the addition of welding rod which is the same as the metal being welded. e.g. when welding mild steel the welding rod is mild steel

Different Types of Welding

Gas (oxy-acetylene) Arc Spot MIG (Metal Inert Gas) TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas)

Oxy-Acetylene Welding
Flame is a mixture of oxygen and acetylene, supplied in gas bottles

Arc Welding
Uses the heat from a spark jumping between the welding rod and work, completing a circuit. The welding rod is Mild Steel coated with flux which melts as welding is done. It has to be chipped off after. Arc welding is becoming rarer as MIG welding is much easier

Spot Welding
Used to join sheet mild steel. Does not distort the metal as it is only heated in a small area. Used to assemble car bodies.

Metal Inert Gas

Used to weld Mild Steel Welding rod is fed automatically through the gun. No flux is needed as the joint is protected from the atmosphere by a shield of Inert Gas (argon) Much cleaner than arc welding

Tungsten Inert Gas

Uses the same principle as MIG but the welding rod is not fed automatically. The tip of the welding gun is made of tungsten, and the welding rod is fed by hand. Used to weld aluminium and Stainless Steel.

Now its your turn

In your exercise books Sketch the process of forming a round head rivet Sketch a copper soldering iron Describe the advantages of MIG welding over Arc Welding

Forming a Round Head Rivet

A Copper Soldering Iron

Advantages of MIG over Arc

No flux to chip off afterwards Welding rod is fed automatically Greater control with MIG. Arc very difficult with a new rod, because of its length.