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HF Alumiweld rods for joining AL sheet?
- Thread starter strantor
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2016
- Messages
- 838
Looks like I wasted a bunch of money on boring heads and what-not. A very large precision shouldered fit can be cut with a flycutter in a drill press.
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2012
- Messages
- 1,329
I have no idea why he did what I did, I don't speak the language, but I think he was adapting a different head to it. Sometimes in 3rd world countries things make sense that wouldn't anywhere else. They'll salvage things that have no business being salvaged. Whatever the goal or motivation, I don't care much about the why, just curious about the how. I've never seen anyone build up aluminum that way. Is it really as simple as it seemed in the video? Just melt a bunch of aluminum TIG rods all over the outside of a casting with an acetylene torch?
I think he’s using aluminum Arch Stick welding rods to weld aluminum using an Oxy/Acetylene torch. I know I saw a video by Jody’s Tips &Tricks Chanel where he DC tigs using the same Arch stick welding rods to weld aluminum. He even cut the weld afterwards and it had good penetration.
FWIW, I’m getting ready to try this in an hour or so to repair a cast aluminum bracket from my newly acquired 14” band saw. I’ll report back later with a progress report.
FWIW, I’m getting ready to try this in an hour or so to repair a cast aluminum bracket from my newly acquired 14” band saw. I’ll report back later with a progress report.
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2012
- Messages
- 1,329
Results?
I’ll report back once I get to it. Hopefully tomorrow but I’ve had a lot of crap on my table. I purchased the bandsaw used but then fractured my hip the next morning. Then it was hurricane Ida. Today it’s rain from Nicholas. And my hip is still hurting like a SO#. Life is complicated but it’s all we have.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2017
- Messages
- 5,289
I was asked to help a neighbor weld up a DIY inside rack for his SUV made out of aluminum sign material. He gave me several chunks to practice on which I cut up that appears to be .095 from scrapped signs.
Not having a TIG or spool gun for my MIG I decided this was the perfect excuse to have another run at OA welding AL as I fell down the rat hole several years ago and never got to the point of actually having a project.
I bought a whole set up from Tinman with AL solder/flux, AL braze/flux and AL weld rods/flux. Also a Mecco torch and assorted odds and ends along with a pricey pair of his patented cobalt glasses. I also looked at all the vids on HF alumaweld and it appears to be less of a brainer than the Tinman stuff so bought a pack. I'd also been watching a relatively new YouTube channel with this young Canadian guy Karl Fisher "Make it Custom". It's all hot rod stuff but great metal working tips and he's a great teacher. Does a lot of TIG but I feel like his tips for joining panels was a real boon as a lot of what I learned at this go around flys in a face of 50yrs of my OA welding experience of everything except AL.
#1 no gap! This is not like welding thick pieces of steel together so you don’t need gap or bevel especially. Penetration is not the problem, it’s melting through. You want ideally a fusion weld because anything above the level of the metal, AL or steel, will shrink and warp. It’s also paramount that each tack the level of the two pieces stay perfectly level to each other. Tacks are spaced out, then next tacks are closer, then another round of closer tacks and on and on. As the metal starts to pull you hammer and dolly right on the tacks to stretch the material back out. Here Karl is welding two door skins together to make one coup door on his Zephyr. It might be a little long but seeing the final product makes it all worth it.
Not having a TIG or spool gun for my MIG I decided this was the perfect excuse to have another run at OA welding AL as I fell down the rat hole several years ago and never got to the point of actually having a project.
I bought a whole set up from Tinman with AL solder/flux, AL braze/flux and AL weld rods/flux. Also a Mecco torch and assorted odds and ends along with a pricey pair of his patented cobalt glasses. I also looked at all the vids on HF alumaweld and it appears to be less of a brainer than the Tinman stuff so bought a pack. I'd also been watching a relatively new YouTube channel with this young Canadian guy Karl Fisher "Make it Custom". It's all hot rod stuff but great metal working tips and he's a great teacher. Does a lot of TIG but I feel like his tips for joining panels was a real boon as a lot of what I learned at this go around flys in a face of 50yrs of my OA welding experience of everything except AL.
#1 no gap! This is not like welding thick pieces of steel together so you don’t need gap or bevel especially. Penetration is not the problem, it’s melting through. You want ideally a fusion weld because anything above the level of the metal, AL or steel, will shrink and warp. It’s also paramount that each tack the level of the two pieces stay perfectly level to each other. Tacks are spaced out, then next tacks are closer, then another round of closer tacks and on and on. As the metal starts to pull you hammer and dolly right on the tacks to stretch the material back out. Here Karl is welding two door skins together to make one coup door on his Zephyr. It might be a little long but seeing the final product makes it all worth it.