Chuck and all,
I just looked at the Mercian shop photos. I don't think the brazing they are doing is "actual" hearth brazing. That setup looks pretty much like the same thing everyone all over Europe uses; typical oxy/propane (or natural gas). That brazeing bench and firewall get-up is very simular to what Mario used while at Masi in Carlsbad. The tourch looks a little different, but there are lots of types from many countries. Oxy/propane is good for brazing with brass. The heat from that combo is more difuse and heats a larger area at once without getting too hot, when done properly. Maybe that's why they have been calling it hearth brazing. It looks like standard Euro brazing technique to me, based on that one photo. Myth busters strikes again.
Brian Baylis La Mesa, CA I've seen pictures of the Euros putting on braze-ons with those giant oxy/propane tourches; now THAT'S scary! USE SILVER, you dodos.
Frank Knox wrote:
>
> Thanks for your reply. I don't know as much as I would like to know about
> this. I'll do a search for open hearth brazing.
Frank, they have been doing it this way since 1946!!! If the bikes were no good they wouldn't still be in business. Like I mentioned, I love the 1959 Mercian Vigorelli Superlight road/track that I ride all the time, and it looks like it has suffered plenty of abuse from some of its previous owners and is still in one piece.
Me at the San Diego vintage ride:
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California
.