At what temperature does the base metal typically start to soften during brazing?

In brazing, the base metal typically begins to soften around 1400°F. This is significant because brazing involves joining materials using a filler metal that has a melting point above 840°F but below that of the base metals being joined. At the temperature range of 1400°F, the metal's structure changes, reducing its mechanical strength and allowing the filler material to properly flow and bond effectively across the surfaces being joined.

The chosen temperature is closely aligned with the properties of various common base metals, such as steel, which have softening points that occur around this range. Understanding this temperature is critical for professionals in the field, as exceeding it can lead to undesirable changes in the metal, potentially affecting the integrity of the joint formed during the brazing process.