"Gunner" wrote in message
...
Some time back, I managed to scrounge up another Thermalyne heat
treating oven. Cute lil thing, about a 5x5x8 cavity.

Checking to see why it wouldnt heat, I found that one leg of the
heating element had broken.

This particular oven has three sides made of the element embedded in a
ceramic, so three sides come out at one time. The leg from the switch
broke off flush with the top of the ceramic. I carefuly chipped away
at the ceramic until I got about 3/8" of the lead exposed. It needs
about a 3" piece of some thing spliced to it, to make the run to the
terminal strip. The original was just a long piece of the heating
element. Ive tried crimping a wire connector to it, but it seems to
not grab very well and pulled loose while reinstalling the unit. I
gave it a quick shot with the mig welder using regular welding wire
and gas, and it held for a bit, but was still a bit fragile and broke
free while installing it.

Ive since installed the heating unit, and have a new lead run and
overlapping the stub.

How do I splice them together? I do have temporary use of a mig with
gas, and stainless wire as well as regular. I also have a tiny bit of
silver solder, regular brazing rod, etc etc.

Any suggestions? Its possible I can excavate a bit more wire for a nut
and bold mechanical connection...but would rather not break out any
more of the ceramic.

Thanks in advance.

Gunner

That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer's
cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays
there.
- George Orwell

I once repaired the nichrome element of a waffle iron using silver solder.
I simply hooked the element ends and crimped them together. Then I applied
flux and soldered with 45% silver solder and a propane torch. The solder
flowed readily and made a nice little bullet shaped blob over the
connection. Testing showed that the connection was good and it ran much
cooler that the element wire on either side of blob since it's resistance
was very low. The element wire got bright red, but the blob was so cool
that it did not glow at all. It was 30 years ago and the waffle iron was
still working at last report.

Randy