Abstract: Method and apparatus for holding the ends of two metal rods which are to be joined, cutting a face on each of the two metal rods, maintaining alignment of the two cut faces, and providing proper compressive force on the two rods while they are joined by a brazing operation.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously extruding material includes a moving member and a stationary member forming a passageway therebetween for frictional feeding of the material to be extruded under pressure into the passageway. An abutment in the passageway forms a barrier to the material being fed therein, whereby the forces on the material heat it and cause it to yield. The heated material flows into an extrusion chamber adjacent to the abutment and is extruded from a die in a wall of the chamber. A cooling system in heat exchanging relationship with the chamber in proximity to the die maintains the material in that region of the chamber at a substantially uniform temperature to provide uniformity of grain size in the extruded product. A further cooling system at the point of egress cools the extruded product immediately as it exits from the die to inhibit secondary recrystallization.