Seems like we've covered nearly every kind of welding on most every type of material with everyone's opinions on each thrown in ad nauseum... But I haven't noticed much discussion around gas welding aluminum. I'd like to hear specifics about tools, technique, precautions, etc.
Tried it in high school. We used a flux coated rod alot like flux coated brazing rod only aluminum. You used to be able to buy it at most any farm store. That was the way that most irregation line got repaired. I didn't do a very good job but we all had to stick a couple of pieces of 1/8" plate together to pass the class.
Forget the name of it, but, I have some rod around here that I got from a swap meet years ago. You just use a propane torch and heat until it all flows together. I haven't used it much but has worked very well for what I have done. Ended up being a very strong weld also. I tried to break a couple of pieces apart. All I did was bend the crap out of them.
Gas welding aluminum is not as bad as one would think. use regular tig rod with a flux paste, heat and go. the hardest thing for me was learning to read the puddle, as it doesn't change colors like steel. having the proper torch tip is a must. heres a good video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF1Srs_e1Aw
Need to PM 'Mindover' on this topic (if he dosn't see the thread) he is the absolute master at gas welding aluminum (or just about anyother material).
Kevin, I don't do it much since I bought the Tig, but you can come over and try it out when you pick up that pedal mount if you want.
Didn't they have (and probably still have available) some gas torch that looked kind of like a gun. If I remember correctly, one of the bonuses of this gun was its ease (?) of welding aluminum ... can't remember the name of the product though. I can't give you any insight into gas welding anything at the moment, an "ex" friend has had my torches for coming on 10 years now. If I knew where the clown lived I'd gettem back. Based on info from the post below mine, I did some googleing ... the Dillon/Henrob is what I was referring to ("looks like a gun").
Gas welding is supposedly superior to TIG for things like tanks that are subjected to stress and vibration. The welds are softer and less likely to crack. Ron Covell's DVD about working aluminum with hand tools has a good demo. I am pretty sure Jerry Weeks gas welds the oil tanks he builds for sprint cars and midgets....the one I have certainly looks like it is. All that said, I have not attempted it yet (I have a TIG that I'm still mastering). I am slowly collecting parts of a oxy-acetylene rig for this reason. I am thinking seriously about getting a Dillon/Henrob torch setup. Ron Fournier recommends it pretty highly for aluminum welding.
I have used Alum-Rod also that I have bought out at Hersey years ago, I admitt the first time I used it I was ticked off and felt I was rippied off,,, the stuff sat in my welding cart for years a few years ago I came across a broken manifold cheap at a swap meet,,,, I said maybey.... I made repairs to a broken ear in a sbc 3X2 manifold. came out better than expected,after I remembered to do what my father always said...which was "RTFD"
Had an old welding instructor back in the 70s that was amazing at it.Everybody in the class watched in awe as he made it look quick and easy,none of us could do it.He was so old then that his welding history predated almost all the newer stuff.He wanted us to learn the basics of gas welding,even though the younger instructor thought it was a waste of our time.I was the only one in class who wanted to gas weld,knew I'd use it on sheetmetal,even if nobody else did.But I still sucked at aluminum gas welding
I use strips of the same material as filler, the TIG rods didn't do it for me. Cleanliness is the most important part. Use a dedicated stainless steel wire brush and wipe down with alcohol. Use the softer, purer grades of alloy, 3003, 1200. We can only get 5005 here in New Zealand, I find I have to anneal the weld area first or it cracks at any defect, like pinholes in a weld crater. The best information on the net: https://www.tinmantech.com/html/aluminum_welding_article.php
Okay, what about eye damage resulting from gas welding aluminum? I've been reading about the special lenses that filer out the harmful part of the spectrum.
About 20 years ago I saw a video put out by the Universtiy of Indiana on gas welding aluminum. It may still be available from them. It was very eye opening for me.
if you can gas weld steel you will be able to do aluminum if you get the right flux and the glasses from tm technologies the glasses are the trick
Hmmmm....while I've never gas welded alumium, I have STICK welded aluminum. Use same lens as steel.... But as said, it's tough as the puddle color doesn't really change....
Not sure about eye damage, but flux causes the flame to glow bright orange, making the puddle harder to see. Special lenses filter that frequency making it easier to see what you're doing.
I think the eye damage came from the old school cobalt blue lenses that were used to filter out the orange glow. They weren't effective at filtering out UV rays. From what I've read, the new lenses from TM Technologies are safe for your eyes while making the puddle visible. The old lenses were taken off the market for this reason...
X2 Good advice right there, I had the same problem, but once you get the hang of it, you can use it on just about anything.
I've been playing around with gas welding aluminum, the only flux i could find says "aluminum brazing flux" on it, but it seems to work fine. I am cutting strips of the parent material for filler. I've just been practicing on some aluminum tubing, sort of akin to tent posts. Doesn't look too pretty but it will get better.
Its so awesome that this thread just happened to come up now. I searched this site lastnight looking for tips. Im planning a T based boat-tail speedster build with alum body. Im a prof. welder and have the MIG spool gun and do a decent job with that setup. Thing is I do not want to use it on this project, i wanna do it like they did in the early 1930's. I have never gas welded in my life, so any thing helps at this point. I spoke with my welding supplier and he doesnt know if he can get me the rod. He did tell me to try and contact to Craig Naff, i guess he knows alot about it. Oh yeah....X2 on Mindover. Check out his Riley build.
Gene Winfield was still rocking his cobalt blue lenses when he gave the OKC seminar. They looked like Ray-Bans. Bitchin'
Oh yeah, my salesman also said to get a etching agent to clean the material. Even fresh material. In the end, this is one of those things where practice makes perfect.
I have gas welded aluminum. I used a bare rod, flux coating on the parts being joined, and blue lenses. I don't know anything about the rod or flux, I was using someone else's stuff, just trying to see if I could do it. I could already stick, MIG, TIG, and gas weld. Welding aluminum with a torch was easier than expected. The bodies on classic era custom bodies were gas welded together. Some still use the process for repair, restoration, and reproduction.
Do not confuse the "Alumaweld" gimcrack with REAL amluminum welding. That stuff isn't even good enough to be considered "shitty." And, like other have said- clean with dedicated wire brush, small torch and tip, good paste flux, and practice on something sacrificial first- the changes in the metal as it melts are VERY subtle
Kent White sells everyhting you need. TM Technologies. Craig Naff welded up the Golden Submarine with a torch. Way cool! Mucho talento
Amen, Brother! Check out David's current thread. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=526153
ok, so i watched the youtube video linked on page one. Unfortunately i have no sound on this computer. Maybe you guys can help me, did he melt the two pieces together when he tacked them? Or did he use rod, and i just missed it?
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