[TowerTalk] What Welder Makes Good Exothermic Bonds?

[R. Kevin Stover]

All welders produce exothermic quality welds, in the hands of someone 
who knows what they are doing.

The welding process produces an alloy of the base metal and the weld metal.
There are three main types of welders. ARC, MIG and TIG. Arc is what we 
call "stick welding" and probably the most recognizable by regular folks 
and the hardest to learn to do right. MIG is Metal-Inert-Gas and uses an 
inert gas to shield the weld from oxygen till the process is finished. 
The inert gas could be Argon or CO2. This process is commonly called 
"wire welding" because the weld metal is a wire fed from a spool 
automatically rather than a stick, and is the easiest for the common 
individual to learn. The last is TIG and is specialized. I doubt 
seriously whether a lot of people have TIG rigs in their garages or 
workshops.

With all of that said The only base metals I've ever welded were steel, 
stainless steel, and aluminum.
I suppose someone makes some wire to use in a MIG welder to weld copper 
but I'd be surprised if there was. Copper and brass are usually brazed 
or soldered. Not welded.

-- 
R.Kevin Stover

Systems/Network Admin
Iowa Quality Beef L.L.C
3337 L. Ave.
Tama, IA 52339

E-mail:kstover at iowaqualitybeef.com, rkstover at mchsi.com
Phone: 641-484-2290 ext. 330
Fax: 641-484-2450