Brazing aluminum

#2
I have not done it but I saw a guy at Lows Motor Speed Way do it and bought some of the rods but have never had the need to try it yet. He made it look real easy. Said you just had to be careful not to heat the aluminum that you were repairing too much or too fast because it has such a low melting point.
 
#3
I have not done it but I saw a guy at Lows Motor Speed Way do it and bought some of the rods but have never had the need to try it yet. He made it look real easy. Said you just had to be careful not to heat the aluminum that you were repairing too much or too fast because it has such a low melting point.
thats what I had read as well.
 
#4
What are you trying to repair?

Aluminum is a mother to weld bc the weld is the weak part where as other metals the weld is the strong part and the base metal is the weak part. Why you always see aluminum welds break all the time (rci fuel cells seem to be notorious). Aluminum welding is hard to judge the heat too bc of how much it soaks it up. You have to watch it carefully and add filler at the right time or else it will blow through.

It's been awhile since I've gas welded but it's definitely something you have to get the hang of and feel for the heat. Kind of like tig welding, you control the puddle and add filler to it to control your weld.

I'd say it's worth a shot but I'd get something to practice a lot on before I welded anything I wanted to last.

Spoolguns are cool but can be a bitch bc the wire will try and birdsnest on you. I wouldn't weld anything thin with one. You can find them used pretty often on clist and ebay. Check out weldingweb.com too they always have welding stuff for sale. I'm planning on buying a bigger mig in the next few months and I'll likely get a spoolgun for it to get me by until I can spend the coin on a nice Tig.


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#5
I gas welded aluminum in school once, its been 6-7 years ago though. I much prefer the TIG. It takes big power to get enough heat to start, but then you need to be ready to back off pretty quick.

I did not find AL that hard to work with, get that stuff CLEAN and practice a bunch before you start on anything pricey.
 
#10
So, did a test run with two short rods last night trying to make a 90 between them. The mapp torch can easily melt the aluminum rods I'm welding together. But the joint still seemed cold. I the filler rid bonded to one rod but not the other. The rods I got say you don't need flux and I have read that guys are doing it without flux, But I'm doing something wrong.
 
#13
That's what I thought. Aluminum melting point is 1200* If I remember correctly. Maybe try and preheat it a little around the joint before you weld it will make it fuse better.


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#14
That's what I thought. Aluminum melting point is 1200* If I remember correctly. Maybe try and preheat it a little around the joint before you weld it will make it fuse better.


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well, I was heating the whole part. I found there is a fine line between melting the brazing rod and melting the aluminum haha.
 
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