Vent: I keep seeing people skip the flux when forge welding and it's a bad move

Last month, I tried to weld a simple billet without flux, thinking my fire was clean enough. The steel just wouldn't stick, and I ended up with a bunch of scale and a cold shut. My buddy in the next town over said he does it all the time, but his welds always look grainy under the grinder. It's not worth the risk of a weak join just to save a step. Anyone have a good borax alternative they actually trust?

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3 Comments

grant.margaret4mo ago

Saw a guy at a demo swear by plain ol' baking soda. His weld looked okay, but man did it pop and spit.

1

dylan9764mo ago

Baking soda will get the job done in a pinch, but that popping is moisture turning to steam. Proper flux is made to handle the heat without all that mess. You can find cheap, real flux that works way better for just a few bucks.

6

skyler_baker4mo ago

Oh man, I tried the baking soda trick once and it was a total mess. That popping scared me and left little bits everywhere. I grabbed some real flux paste and it was way cleaner to work with.

1