Letter Re: Welding, Post-TEOTWAWKI

JWR:
My favorite planned substitute for welding in TEOTWAWKI is brazing. It can be done with a carbon arc torch, an oxyacetylene torch or on a old fashioned forge. The latter is particularly attractive to me as it requires no gas or electricity to accomplish. I have a charcoal fired forge and find that by sandwiching two pieces of metal together around some flattened brass rod and flux then using tie wire to hold all in position. I can place the pieces in my fire and increase the air (turn the crank) until the brass melts and flows to the two pieces of metal. I stop the air (reducing the heat), let the brass solidify then remove the bonded pieces, cool, then cut and grind the tie wire off. It’s a lot easier then forge welding but not as quick and easy as using modern equipment. – Axman