"Reynolds itself says, "Don't weld Reynolds 531 or 753 tubing. It's no good for this purpose.""
I have also seen that, in Reynolds literature/spec sheets. Also you cannot braze 531, but you can "bronze weld" it. Apparently brazing gets the 531 too hot & it can go brittle, with potentially disastrous results! So Reynolds recommend "Bronze Welding", where the bronze is used as a filler metal, which holds the 531 tubing in place. Before you all think I am talking rubbish, I can tell you that I don't quite understand the difference between "Brazing" & "Bronze Welding" either!!
Now, having said all that, remember "THRUST" the world speed record car driven by Richard Noble back in the eighties? The chassis/space frame of that car was made from Reynolds 531 (that's why the car carried TI Reynolds logo's). Well, I met Ken Sedgeley, the guy who built the chassis for the car, and he told us that the complete chassis was open-arc, or stick, welded. That is electric welded, no argon shield, not MIG, nor TIG. Because they were using rectangular section tube it was a better way of construction, according to Ken.
Which defeats all the Reynolds advice and folklore.
You go figure!!!!!!
But 531 is definitely seamless Sorry if it is "Off Topic" but it definitely has a bearing on the subject - and it was back in the (early) eighties!!!!
Regards
Paul,
Stourbridge, West Midlands
ENGLAND