copper ramp sheathing ???

[tcross]

I've framed up my arch with 1 1/4" angle iron and am ready to start attaching the sheathing! the entire thing will be insulated. 2" around the fire box and probably 1" on the ramp with vermiculite! I have 2 3'x5' sheets of copper that I want to attach to the ramp section... sides and bottom! I don't have a lot of experience with welding! is copper weld-able to angle iron/mild steel? or is there a high temp solder (silver solder?) that would work? I'm assuming regular solder would be out of the questions? or would my best bet be to cut it into the pieces and rivet it on? any advice?

[WESTMAPLES]

theres no way to weld copper, solder would end up melting I would go with steel pop rivets or small bolts

[Big_Eddy]

While you can weld copper to copper, you can't weld dissimilar metals.

Pop-Rivets work well. For the number you will be installing, you might consider an air powered one.

[maple flats]

No reason to solder or weld anything covering the angle iron on the arch. However the angle iron should be welded. Ask a friend to help if necessary. As far as the covering it is usually either screwed or riveted in place, even on commercial made arches. You can do this with the copper if you want. However being the value of copper, I'd save it for a project that copper will be ideal for and get some sheet metal (galv or SS) to use.

[tcross]

the copper was free. so I'm not worried about the value of it... I did have a buddy weld up the arch frame for me... i have a 4x8 sheet of galv steel that I'm going to do the fire box part with... I'm pretty sure i won't have enough to do the ramp, so i'll probably either just use the copper, or sell it for scrap seeing how that'll probably give me more then enough $ to buy more galv steel! Thanks for the info guys!

[WESTMAPLES]

its called brazing when you use gas to heat and puddle the materials, welding is caused by an electrical arc that melts your material and inert gas to shields it from impuritys

[Big_Eddy]

Technically
Welding involves melting the base metal, and bonding two parts of similar material by the melted material merging together, with or without the addition of filler (of similar compsition). Heating can be done electrically, in a forge or furnace or with a torch.

Brazing is the joining of two metal parts without melting the base material, using a lower melting point filler material that bonds betwen each piece. Soldering is essentially a low temperature variant of brazing. Brazing and soldering usually use capillary action to wick the filler into thin cracks between parts. Brazing and soldering are often done with a torch, but can be done in an oven, furnace or forge, as well as by dipping parts into molten filler.

[WESTMAPLES]

im certified welding tech. with years of experience and working around vet. welders on many jobs. welding is electrical (to a welder and brazing is gas in tech. lingo ) brazing can be both filler / no filler I find it hard to completely join castiron, plain steel, copper, stainless, white metal without using a filler material to build and swirl the puddle after the base metal is properly heated, but thats my way of brazing properly without making a mess of the job . tcross your on the right track just keep an open mind when approaching issues

[tcross]

Well, I went with cooper! and here is the arch... or what is done on it. only have to tack the grates in place, put on the door, cut a hole in the back for the air blower and insulate and brick it! hoping to get it all done next weekend and do a test boil! if time permits, i'll rub off some of the rust and shine her up a little! 8697[/ATTACH[ATTACH=CONFIG]8698