TOPIC:

Duck wrote:

Someone else might want to chime in here, but I've found brazing to be fine for most metal work. It costs a little more for the material but on mild steel, a good braze is stronger than a crappy weld and, at least for me, seems a lot easier. (read that as Duck can't weld worth a damn, yet). I have been using a gas torch for heavier stuff and just use the little mapp cas torch for small stuff around the house like broken cabinet hinges, tiller gas tank, .... Looked at a buds FT500 frame bracing yesterday. He brazed using an electric arc welder. The welding supply store has flux coated rods in different filler materials.

IIRC the Rickman frames are brazed. Most bicycle frames are brazed.

-Duck

You are correct that a good braze is strong, but I apologetically must disagree with a few things.

For starters, wire feed welding is pretty simple. You need to have the right shield mix, and then just learn what pace to move at. Thats it. There's no magic.

Brazing, on the other hand, takes both hands, is a little more sensitive to inticacies of setup, and is more of an artistic thing.

The main problem when it comes to brazing on something like a motorcycle frame, from my opinion, is the whole not melting the base metal and actually bonding structurally.

Brazing is, for lack of a better description for those of you who don't know, like gluing. The pieces are heated to a temperature that will melt the applied braze, and the braze is put in.

Welding, onbiously in comparison, actually melts the base metal and the weld filler you apply becomes part of the base metal, joining them.

And granted, a good braaze IS stronger than a crappy weld, but given the right equiptment, a quick lesson, and some time to procatice, ANYONE can make a strong weld with a wire feed welder (despite the fact that it might not be a BEAUTIFUL weld.)

I, personally, will stick to welding any frames or anything else I need to join (aside from refridgerant lines obviously).

Both are very strong, don't get me wrong.

PS DUCK: Your avatar cracks me up man.

Post edited by: twowheeledterror, at: 2005/11/07 13:14

I weld with a flux core welder. it is adaptable to mig, so I'll probably do it later. Yhe more you practice, the better you get. If I weld indoors, I can get a good smooth bead, and just knock off the slag. Outdoors I get alot of spatter from breezes blowing the arc around and cooling the area a little. Practice makes perfect, just like anything else.

My buddy's gonna bring down his welding kit from up north sometime. Can't wait to get started. Not on my bike straight away though:blink:

indykaw77 wrote:

86 zx600... easyly moded to fit
COOL!!!! Is that the pegs, shift lever, brake pedal, or "D"....all the above????
thanks man....

use the stock shifter(might wanna find a smaller shifter, but stock will work).. if u have rear disc then its a easy swap.. just have to make the holes(on the zx600 rear sets) a little bigger to fit teh z1/kz bolts

I put stock rearsets from a 2003 zx6r on my 1978 kz1000 I just had to weld two new mounting tabs on to the frame the pic below should explain this process.

Post edited by: azjax, at: 2005/11/08 03:28

This is the finnished deal!



Post edited by: azjax, at: 2005/11/08 03:29

Looks great, but why cut off your original bottom mount? Doesn't it unscrew from the frame? I know mine do...

PS, what's the sticker on your frame say?

Post edited by: guitargeek, at: 2005/11/08 12:34

Here is a much better pic and ment say cut the mount complety off of the frame!

Excellent work, looks great!

IM a plumbing/electrical/refrigiration contractor but i also come from a long line of Railroad Blacksmiths(metal working gods,in my book!)ive been sticking things together (welding,braze,tig etc)for a long time ill use brazing to fix small nicks and stuff like that,i dont use it for major welding on frames.i like to smooth out all the welds on my bikes this takes a lot of time with a diegrinder then you weld up any low spots and grind somemore till it looks right.i was allways told anybody ca fill something full of plastic,but you cant use bondo under chrome!i do use brazing to fix cast iron parts,but this takes a lot of practice you have to preheat your parts,and keep them heated or it wil crack.i personally prefer a good DC stickwelder,but most jobs can be done with a wirewelder.just start practicing on small non sructural stuff before you do any major stuff.if you have any questions about differant kinds of rods or materials let me know.happy wrenching

Post edited by: wireguy, at: 2005/11/25 19:51

I just scored these off EBay....They're from an '05 zx6
Everything as shown for $80/USD and that was WITH shipping. Not a bad score I think...
Will most likely be parting with caliper and anything else i dont need



Post edited by: indykaw77, at: 2005/11/30 09:59

Forgot to ask....anybody used these OR had problems getting them mounted?? Thanks....