Apr 15, 2008 · 20 mule team borax is what I use.....the white powder. From what I've read on this site alone, I've discovered that there are many different ways to use the stuff. Some smiths 'roast' it a little to get rid of excess moisture. I've heard others recomend adding iron filings and other things to aid in the 'fluxing' process.....mixed with borax.

Oct 30, 2008 · The difference is the chemically attached water. Borax can be easily converted to anhydrous borax by baking in the oven to drive off the water. You drive off the water at 250-300 degrees F to turn borax into anhydrous borax. So what is different from using 1500 degrees F to do the same thing.

Jul 28, 2020 · Drying borax as described removes only the water on the surface of the borax crystals and not the crystal water. Anhydrous borax, on the other hand, is formed by the removal of the crystal water. The only way to do this is to heat the regular borax until its crystals melt, at which point the crystal water is released and boils off.

Feb 24, 2009 · As things go Borax is pretty harmless with a high LD50 requirement. Note that it's poison_class is 5 the lowest toxicity class there is besides 5S for unrestricted use stuff. 2000-5000mg/kg is consided a LD50 for Borax so I would have to eat apx 1.1 to 2.75 *pounds* of it to have a 50% chance of killing myself.

Jul 27, 2020 · Anhydrous borax is made by fusing hydrated borax into a glass and regrinding it. It thus contains little or no water of crystallization. The powder does not rehydrate under normal dry storage conditions. It is somewhat water soluble, but considerably less so than raw borax (in aqueous solution it can thus provide slow release of boron).

Mar 16, 2007 · I use EZ weld for some things, borax for others and some stuff called Black Magic (made by a blacksmith) for others. Boraxo is a soap. 20 Mule team borax is not a soap but a water conditioner. It was used as a laundry aid, increasing the effectiveness of soap in hard water when soap was used to wash clothes.

Jun 18, 2014 · Borax is known for this and needs to be dissolved as it's in the join so brushing doesn't reach it. I've found how much residual borax is trapped in the weld depends on a few factors. The type weld, laps, faggot, and jelly rolling seem to be the most likely to trap flux. Butt welds and welds with round on round seem to be the least likely.

Sep 28, 2017 · My question was: Is borax applied to the stacked layers on the first heat, before forging? Seems to me that a little flux drawn in by capillary action would be a good thing. I understand fluxing as you go when bending and forging. Searching? Yea, I know how to search, but a proper search and reading may take days.

Jan 20, 2014 · Borax for flux or melting under a layer of powdered real charcoal---NOT BRIQUETTES!---can help as well as stiring with a chunk of real charcoal that is DRY DRY DRY. If you are not used to casting please read up on safe handling as I consider molten metal much more hazardous than hot steel even when the steel is hundreds of degrees *hotter*.

Mar 5, 2006 · Borax can be found in the laundry section of stores, and some older hardwear stores. Flux is not needed to make a forge weld, but many things can be used as a flux, borax being a common flux. EZ Weld, and other welding fluxes can be obtained from your welding supplier, or stores that cater to blacksmiths and farriers.