Jootz SCX tubework

[JOOTZ]

bit the bullet by trying my hands at brass brazing, supplies are cheap and plentifull at lowes so pretzel tubing dont hurt as much plus its easier to bend brass rods(solid 3/16), i think,,,
cut, bent and brazed my first stinger- its not done yet but i stopped after need of a better tubing bender. i thought my ghetto fabbed bender was titays but not.
heres a couple pics, any help and or info on this bending and brazing will be appreciated, specially how to calculate bending length as that still has me zoomed.

the stinger will be attached by M3 nut and bolt, holes are done just didnt have the hardware.






WIP

[danielk]

don't poke yourself in the eye with that stinger...

it looks pretty good so far.

[tutit]

thats a nice nice work......i think ineed to try that one also....what do u need to connect those tubes?

[ecoli]

Looking good for your first time Ernie. Stinger could use a little more bracing, it'll get tweaked in a fall the way it's set up currently, but otherwise good job.

[constantmotion]

Looks like flux is needed to get the braze to flow in the joint and not build up.

[mkinnett1]

Great start. Keep it up. I'm gonna have to try my hand at tube work before to long.

[rckjeep]

I think the stinger is longer than the hood. The stinger really only needs to be longer enough to keep the hood untouched in a roll-over. Or to keep the rig from flipping forward when descending off a ledge.

[JOOTZ]

Originally Posted by tutit

thats a nice nice work......i think ineed to try that one also....what do u need to connect those tubes?

got a brazing kit by worthington that included flux and solder and the brazing kit.

Originally Posted by ecoli

Looking good for your first time Ernie. Stinger could use a little more bracing, it'll get tweaked in a fall the way it's set up currently, but otherwise good job.

thanks chris, i didnt go into much on this first try since i wasnt sure what i was doing/LOL
gonna go get proper supplies tomorrow and have this figured out. i have to since there`s still lot of bending,bracing and brazing before im finished with this rig build

Originally Posted by constantmotion

Looks like flux is needed to get the braze to flow in the joint and not build up.

thank you for the info. i noticed in my last braze i slapped on a little more flux and it flowed better.

Originally Posted by rckjeep

I think the stinger is longer than the hood. The stinger really only needs to be longer enough to keep the hood untouched in a roll-over. Or to keep the rig from flipping forward when descending off a ledge.

i hear you on that, didnt go all the way on it since i really wasnt happy with it, gonna do it again.

thank you guys. keep the input coming, im looking at a full roll cage with the top chopped on this rig and i just barely touched the surface.

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by constantmotion

Looks like flux is needed to get the braze to flow in the joint and not build up.

Yep, when it looks crystally like that, dull silver instead of shiny, and you can tell it's just laying on top of the material and not adhered to it, brush a little more flux on and heat it up again. It'll flow like butter off of a hot biscuit when you hit the right temp. and the flux cleans the joint properly.

The problem with brass and plumbers solder is you can easily overheat your joint. Not so much of an issue if your work is securely jigged, but if you're doing the hold it with one hand and heat it with the other routine you'll have to wait a while (w/o moving your piece) for the solder to cool enough to solidify. How long depends on how far above it's melting point you heat it.

I've realized steel has one distinct advantage over brass - it's a ferrous metal, which allows you to use magnets for jigging purposes. Quick and easy. Brass has to be clamped or wired in place. The advantage of brass and plumbers solder is it's easy to find and inexpensive to work with.

You can sometimes tin both brass pieces (like you would doing electrical work) and then do a quick hold-and-heat w/o any jigging. I've tried this w/ Harris Safety-Silv also, it seems to work the same. You just have to watch the heat, so it cools as rapidly as possible once its done.

Looks like a good start! A little on the tall side maybe, but thats up to you. Now that you have this much together, it gives you a much better visual reference and you can start adding more tubing/rod to flesh it out some and brace it up

[JOOTZ]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

Yep, when it looks crystally like that, dull silver instead of shiny, and you can tell it's just laying on top of the material and not adhered to it, brush a little more flux on and heat it up again. It'll flow like butter off of a hot biscuit when you hit the right temp. and the flux cleans the joint properly.

The problem with brass and plumbers solder is you can easily overheat your joint. Not so much of an issue if your work is securely jigged, but if you're doing the hold it with one hand and heat it with the other routine you'll have to wait a while (w/o moving your piece) for the solder to cool enough to solidify. How long depends on how far above it's melting point you heat it.

I've realized steel has one distinct advantage over brass - it's a ferrous metal, which allows you to use magnets for jigging purposes. Quick and easy. Brass has to be clamped or wired in place. The advantage of brass and plumbers solder is it's easy to find and inexpensive to work with.

You can sometimes tin both brass pieces (like you would doing electrical work) and then do a quick hold-and-heat w/o any jigging. I've tried this w/ Harris Safety-Silv also, it seems to work the same. You just have to watch the heat, so it cools as rapidly as possible once its done.

Looks like a good start! A little on the tall side maybe, but thats up to you. Now that you have this much together, it gives you a much better visual reference and you can start adding more tubing/rod to flesh it out some and brace it up

thanks for the comments Big Mike, i fell asleep in my den just poring over pics of tubed rigs and brazing WIP here sponging everything in. i will do another stinger but apply what ive learned so far, reason i went with brass is to keep cost down while on matriculation, if i feel ive picked up enough then maybe move to MAPP and fuel line. im still having a hard time bending with measurements.
that front stinger do look like a clothes line/LOL

[kasper]

I will be bringing my scx to work now that we are slowing down and get my service techs something to do dam goverment work.

[ecoli]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

I've realized steel has one distinct advantage over brass - it's a ferrous metal, which allows you to use magnets for jigging purposes. Quick and easy. Brass has to be clamped or wired in place. The advantage of brass and plumbers solder is it's easy to find and inexpensive to work with.

Getting slightly off topic, but yeah, that's a huge advantage. I can't tell you what a pain in the rear it is to work with stainless when you can't use magnets to hold pieces in place. Looks nice in the end, but twice as much effort.

[JOOTZ]

Originally Posted by kasper

I will be bringing my scx to work now that we are slowing down and get my service techs something to do dam goverment work.

must be good/LOL

Originally Posted by ecoli

Getting slightly off topic, but yeah, that's a huge advantage. I can't tell you what a pain in the rear it is to work with stainless when you can't use magnets to hold pieces in place. Looks nice in the end, but twice as much effort.

i hear you, as much as i love multi-tasking this new skill im trying to learn has me stumped-for now. but from admiring other peoples tube work to now being able to braze my own stuff just feels so good. and i am jotting down notes

[2500hdon37s]

personaly i think its too tall and the angle that it goe out at is off and the top could be closer to the body

[JOOTZ]

Originally Posted by 2500hdon37s

personaly i think its too tall and the angle that it goe out at is off and the top could be closer to the body

i know it mang, handled my biz so i havent gotten anything done. cancelled track day at buttonwillow today to get work on the brazing/lol
be back

[JOOTZ]

did work on some free time and got to this. darn brazing is not easy, so is bending. im still a noob after burns and blood/LOL
the front stinger is an iffy- like its not meshing with the looks or sumthin, the cage is bolted on to the chassis. im mulling if i should take the whole top off or leave the front windshield. also what to do with the rear trunk with the top off.
suggestions be most welcome, thanks for looking

[tutit]

dudz you doing great..........

[70duncan]

I think the cage came out great . Looks like your brazzing has gotten better too. The front stinger does look a little off, but I am not critisising you at all. It is better that I have done. Keep us posted.

[pardonmyn00b]

Roll cage looks great

[JOOTZ]

Originally Posted by tutit

dudz you doing great..........

Originally Posted by pardonmyn00b

Roll cage looks great

thanks

Originally Posted by 70duncan

I think the cage came out great . Looks like your brazzing has gotten better too. The front stinger does look a little off, but I am not critisising you at all. It is better that I have done. Keep us posted.

thanks, that stinger was inspired by the truggy builds here/LOL. i cleaned-up on the brazing before the pics, those on the pics been dremeled to death. using brakeline on the top bars i found its easier to braze than solid brass rod but might not be as rigid.