Un-doing Metal Brazing?

[Chris Haynes]

I've learned something new today.

Chris, You are aware that not all descriptions of a Curmudgeon are very flattering. LOL

Main Entry: cur·mud·geon
Function: noun
Pronunciation: (")k&r-'m&-j&n
Etymology: origin unknown
1 archaic : MISER
2 : a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man

[Lyle Manheimer]

A rich flame is called an oxidizing flame.
Capillary action joins the two metals.
Getting the bars out of the forging would more than likely leave some brazing material in the forging and require machining to get a proper fit.
Heating until red hot may change the molecular structure of the forging, not good.

[T. Cotten]

Lyle!
It 's the other way around:
A rich flame is a reducing flame, and a lean flame is an oxidizing flame.

Oxygen and a hot lean burn is what we want to avoid.

....Cotten
PS: I am not a pro welder, but I portray one on computer monitors.

[Lyle Manheimer]

I just logged on to correct myself. Non oxidizing is acetelyne rich. Oxidizing is oxygen rich.
I can't remember which way you set the flame for brazing, non oxidizing I think, to put less heat on the braze joint.
I learned this over thirty years ago and have some difficulty pulling info out of the hard drive. I will consult a book before my next brazing job.
Thanks, Lyle

[Ohio-Rider]

Sorry to report but even with all the help from here, I managed to ruin the casting of the donor handlebars last night. I’d don’t think I ever had a chance. At no point did the tubes even try to release from the casting for me.

Here’s what I tried. I welded a length of chain about 12” away from the casting to one side of the bars and attached that to my truck. I then welded another length of chain to the other side of the bars and attached that end to the concrete floor with a come-along in-between. I applied a small amount of pressure with the come-along and began heating the casting, keeping the tip of the flame concentrated on the casting and avoiding the pipe entirely. I continued heating the casting until I could see the metal begin to dance. That’s what I call it just before metal goes from red to cherry red. I then cranked the come-along a bit more. I kept at it for a while.

Then I started thinking this shouldn’t be taking so long, so I got out my biggest pipe wrench, and while still maintaining the come-along pressure and heat I gave the pipe wrench a try. I could continue but I think you all have an idea of what happened. I’m sticking to my day job.

[Chris Haynes]

Obviously way too much heat.

[c.o.]

Wow great visual Steve! Sorry to hear about the fudged casting........... but I just gotta know........ did the cuss words fly????? I know when I pull crazy stunts best left to professionals and it fails.......... the colorful language flows pretty good! I've invented word combos that'd make sailors blush!!!!!! Well if nothing else you got a great story for around the campfire!

[Ohio-Rider]

I did cuss who ever it may have been that put them together 60+ years ago. Where ever he is today I bet he’s got a big grin on his face. Gee… I hope something I do to this bike pisses someone off in 60 years from now.

Kurt over at Flatland Motorcycles has new castings just like the one I destroyed setting on the shelf so I’m still forging ahead with my plan to make myself a set of springer in-line speedster handlebars. But this time it’s going to be out of pocket so I’ll need to move more slowly.

[Chris Haynes]

Tom Faber has any handlebar piece you need. He makes everything for Springer bars.

[Paps]

Tom makes the best handlebars available.