PaulG
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Aluminum Solder
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Help Support Home Model Engine Machinist Forum:
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Hi Paul, yes I have used it. I have a Tig welder with which I weld aluminum. It uses electrodes and argon gas etc. When I saw a demonstration of this product at a motorcycle show I thought "yeah sure". The demonstrator said "come on over, you look interested". I thought what the heck, I'll give it a try.
He first took a soda pop can and pocked a hole in the bottom with a screwdriver. He then wired brushed the surrounding area with a stainless brush. Using a propane type torch he played the heat onto the can surrounding the hole all the while lightly rubbing the aluminum rod to the can. At the point the rod flowed he moved it around the perimeter of the hole working toward the center. In an instant the hole was covered over. Now for the clincher! He took a punch and pounded on the welded area only to have the can rip and collapse at a different point.
He then moved on to two pieces of flat stock posed at right angles to each other. Using the same technique he layed a fillet along the inside edges of the two pieces. Afterward he mounted it in vise and began hitting it with a hammer. the pieces bent away from the joint but no matter how hard he hit them the weld never broke.
Does it work, you bet! From my readings there are ok brands and good brands. The good stuff is quite expensive but it works much better than the ok product.
He also explained another use for it although he didn't demonstrate it. If you have a stripped out hole in an aluminum casting you can clean the hole out, insert a bolt and position is square and then proceed to fill around the bolt with the rod. It will stick to the aluminum but not the steel bolt. When you are through just unscrew the bolt. It probably won't be perfect but it might save a part that's no longer available.
As with Tig welding, the thicker the cross section much more heat is needed.
I'd like to add this disclaimer, no I have nothing to do with this product, just a disbeliever converted.
gbritnell
He first took a soda pop can and pocked a hole in the bottom with a screwdriver. He then wired brushed the surrounding area with a stainless brush. Using a propane type torch he played the heat onto the can surrounding the hole all the while lightly rubbing the aluminum rod to the can. At the point the rod flowed he moved it around the perimeter of the hole working toward the center. In an instant the hole was covered over. Now for the clincher! He took a punch and pounded on the welded area only to have the can rip and collapse at a different point.
He then moved on to two pieces of flat stock posed at right angles to each other. Using the same technique he layed a fillet along the inside edges of the two pieces. Afterward he mounted it in vise and began hitting it with a hammer. the pieces bent away from the joint but no matter how hard he hit them the weld never broke.
Does it work, you bet! From my readings there are ok brands and good brands. The good stuff is quite expensive but it works much better than the ok product.
He also explained another use for it although he didn't demonstrate it. If you have a stripped out hole in an aluminum casting you can clean the hole out, insert a bolt and position is square and then proceed to fill around the bolt with the rod. It will stick to the aluminum but not the steel bolt. When you are through just unscrew the bolt. It probably won't be perfect but it might save a part that's no longer available.
As with Tig welding, the thicker the cross section much more heat is needed.
I'd like to add this disclaimer, no I have nothing to do with this product, just a disbeliever converted.
gbritnell
swivelhead
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Hi
Have used it a few times on repairing motorcycle crankcases and have been sucessfull every time.
Even used it to build up an edge that was missing.
Most important thing is to get whatever area you are working on up to the right tempeture.
No connection with the company just a more than happy user.
Tony
Have used it a few times on repairing motorcycle crankcases and have been sucessfull every time.
Even used it to build up an edge that was missing.
Most important thing is to get whatever area you are working on up to the right tempeture.
No connection with the company just a more than happy user.
Tony
There is nothing new about this product, just a lot of flea market salesmen have made the public aware of it. It is been around since at least the 1930s when autobody repairmen used it to fix the elaborate cast metal grills (before chrome plated plastic).
I have used it for many years and trust it to the point that I brazed a hinge joint in a folding aluminum ladder. To be successful you have to get a film off the rod material onto the parent metal at a rather critical temperature. After that, you can do almost anything with it, including filling in large holes.
Anyone who has done lead work on car bodies should find it very similar.
I have used it for many years and trust it to the point that I brazed a hinge joint in a folding aluminum ladder. To be successful you have to get a film off the rod material onto the parent metal at a rather critical temperature. After that, you can do almost anything with it, including filling in large holes.
Anyone who has done lead work on car bodies should find it very similar.
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Thanks for this thread. I saw this being demonstrated at our old engine show last year and wondered if it could really be as good as advertised. I think my skepticism had more to do with the guy demonstrating it that anything so I am happy to hear it has been used successfully by some here. So it the link at the top of the thread one of the better sources just a so-so one as to product quality.
I am thinking this could be quite useful in building up the crankcase on the Briggs 6S build since I plan on doing the block out of aluminum, and my TIG skills are nil.
Bill
I am thinking this could be quite useful in building up the crankcase on the Briggs 6S build since I plan on doing the block out of aluminum, and my TIG skills are nil.
Bill
Hi
If you go over to the A WORK IN PROGRESS section and search back a few pages to find my topic A SMALL BOILER you will see I soldered all the aluminium housing together. As with all things it takes a bit of practice but its not that hard to get used to. A couple of weeks ago a customer came into us with a broken sump from a Audi A3. Very expensive new and on back order. With nothing to lose I took it home with me and within a half hour I had it repaired. It has excellent gap filling properties and the repair was stronger than the original. I bought it from a Swedish guy who was demonstrating it at the great Dorset steam fair about 4 years ago. If I remember rightly it was expensive, about £30.00 for a 1 metre stick but the sump repair job has just got my money back. I still have about half a stick left, its quite economical to use. I would recommend it.
Cheers
Rich
If you go over to the A WORK IN PROGRESS section and search back a few pages to find my topic A SMALL BOILER you will see I soldered all the aluminium housing together. As with all things it takes a bit of practice but its not that hard to get used to. A couple of weeks ago a customer came into us with a broken sump from a Audi A3. Very expensive new and on back order. With nothing to lose I took it home with me and within a half hour I had it repaired. It has excellent gap filling properties and the repair was stronger than the original. I bought it from a Swedish guy who was demonstrating it at the great Dorset steam fair about 4 years ago. If I remember rightly it was expensive, about £30.00 for a 1 metre stick but the sump repair job has just got my money back. I still have about half a stick left, its quite economical to use. I would recommend it.
Cheers
Rich
rake60
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I bought a bundle of the stuff from a flea market vendor last summer.
It works very well on thin aluminum with nothing more than a propane torch.
If you look closely you may recognize the safety shoes I were in the shop. :
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2rlkfhhQs8[/ame]
For any material over 1/8" think the propane torch just doesn't have enough heat
to get it done. A MAPP gas torch will do.
I have never tried to machine the stuff, but I can tell you IT'S HARD!
Even grinding and filing take some effort.
Rick
It works very well on thin aluminum with nothing more than a propane torch.
If you look closely you may recognize the safety shoes I were in the shop. :
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2rlkfhhQs8[/ame]
For any material over 1/8" think the propane torch just doesn't have enough heat
to get it done. A MAPP gas torch will do.
I have never tried to machine the stuff, but I can tell you IT'S HARD!
Even grinding and filing take some effort.
Rick
rickharris
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It does work BUT it's LOT harder to use than the demo suggests if you want to get a tidy and strong job.
I can braze and solder very well and weld fairly well but despite several attempts getting a neat strong joint with this stuff still escapes me.
that's not to say your experience will not be different.
I can braze and solder very well and weld fairly well but despite several attempts getting a neat strong joint with this stuff still escapes me.
that's not to say your experience will not be different.
rake60
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I have this video for Durafix rods on my youtube account with permission
granted by Randy Weeks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch#playnext=1&playnext_from=TL&videos=DZBdGsv3J1Y&v=jijW310xvp4
If you have the proper heat source, it is that simple.
He uses the term "weld". It isn't welding. soldering or even brazing in their proper
terms. It just works.
Rick
granted by Randy Weeks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch#playnext=1&playnext_from=TL&videos=DZBdGsv3J1Y&v=jijW310xvp4
If you have the proper heat source, it is that simple.
He uses the term "weld". It isn't welding. soldering or even brazing in their proper
terms. It just works.
Rick
The pop can demo has to be in "how to sell this stuff 101"-- I've seen it done all over the place, and even tried it once. I would have bought some, but the guy selling it wouldn't answer my questions, just kept on with the sales pitch, so I hiked it out of there.
I have used the solder to repair auto airconditioning condensers. The metal must be very clean and a stainless wire brush a must.seems the steel in a regular wire brush contaminates the repair area. the solder must be melted with the heated metal by rubbing it on the repair area.its kind of a funny technique, but I have had no failures yet.
I have used "Ideal 720" rods for years,which are exactly the same thing,but a bit cheaper,and available in most welding supply shops.
Like Dale mentions,keep a stainless steel brush solely for this stuff.The area to be "welded" must be clean,and I also use a piece of 1/16 stainless rod to scratch through the weld puddle.This is required to remove oxygen from the area to be joined.
Heat the join indirectly,and scratch the Ideal rod on the join,until it flows.
Then scratch through the puddle with the stainless rod.When you can feel the base metal start to go soft,you're at the correct temperature.Try to make a neat job,because it clogs grinding wheels like you won't believe.
Practice makes perfect.I used to make my own mufflers for model RC airplane engines.
Like Dale mentions,keep a stainless steel brush solely for this stuff.The area to be "welded" must be clean,and I also use a piece of 1/16 stainless rod to scratch through the weld puddle.This is required to remove oxygen from the area to be joined.
Heat the join indirectly,and scratch the Ideal rod on the join,until it flows.
Then scratch through the puddle with the stainless rod.When you can feel the base metal start to go soft,you're at the correct temperature.Try to make a neat job,because it clogs grinding wheels like you won't believe.
Practice makes perfect.I used to make my own mufflers for model RC airplane engines.
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