Continuing to think of what material to use for vise jaws. I have some electrical copper bars, looks like 3/16 thick, that would work for soft vise jaws.
To keep them on the vise, I could weld some copper to the back to look like "ears" to hold the jaws.
So, obviously, the strength requirements are minimal. Just keep the jaws from falling off when the vise is opened.
The question is, can this electrical copper be welded at all.
DC TIG
Mr. Minnick says it can. Mechanical clean, degrease, preheat with oxyacetylene and pump a mess of current in. Everything but leaded brass is rated at fair to good weldability. He recommends argon/helium mix for the heat.
From "Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Handbook" by William H Minnick, My favorite TIG refence book which is where I start with questions like this.
Good Luck, Bob
Mr. Leimkuhler is my first go-to reference:
It would certainly be easier to simply soft or hard solder the attaching ears onto the copper.... wouldn't it?
Bruce-in-Bangkok (correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom)
No disagreement from me about Ernie being an excellent reference.
Maybe because I am getting to be an aging dog, the net is not my first stop. Especially for what should be readily available info that has not changed in the last decade or three.
Iggy,
A cool alternative could be to bore a couple of flat bottomed holes into the back of each jaw liner and epoxy a thin neodymium magnet into each hole.
O'course... tig welding copper is waaaaaaaay cool!
Cheers,
Michael
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