How To Weld Copper Sheet Metal

Sheet metal welding techniques.

How to weld copper sheet metal.

In order to weld sheet metal or patch panel you have to follow certain rules and use specific techniques. Some copper pipe and some copper sheet metal. For cv mig welding on sheet metal wire diameters of 035 inch are recommended. Grease oil and paints can cause your weld to crack if they get mixed in.

The filler has more nickel than the base metal making it stronger. As the stick material melts in the heat the flux coating also melts creating both a gas and a liquid slag which act to shield the weld from oxidation. You want the weld metal to be stronger than the base metal. For even thinner materials try a 035 inch filler metal.

Also it will ensure that you don t get any warping of the materials you are working on and no burn through as well. If the copper is thicker you will need to adjust the gas and amp by applying helium and upping the. It is often necessary to raise the temperature level of the sheet in an area 6 0 to 12 0 in. Stick welding otherwise known as shielded metal arc welding smaw stick welding is a two handed method like tig.

Tig welding sheet metal. Stick welding uses a metal filler rod or stick coated with flux. Step 3 remove all problem substances. Forget the larger 1 8 inch tungsten electrode and use a smaller one.

When the copper alloy contains at least 70 percent copper use 70 30 copper nickel filler. These projects will need strong welds i also dont want a brass look where the weld joints are like sweating in plumbing. Proper technique will come with practice and experience. Use the proper gas ratio.

Depending on if you are using tig tungsten inert gas or mig metal inert gas and the thickness of your copper you will need to adjust the ratio of your gas and temperature. In welding copper sheets the heat is conducted away from the welding zone so rapidly that it is difficult to bring the temperature up to the fusion point. To weld sheet metal with solid wires use electrode positive ep or reverse polarity. Take the time for proper fit up proper tight part fit up is especially important when welding thin materials.

152 4 to 304 8 mm away from the weld. As a general rule of thumb copper under 2 mm should have argon gas and up to 160 a applied. A 100 argon shielding gas is the most common in mig welding aluminum sheet metal.