RCCrawler Forums

Bronco · 12-06-2006, 06:10 PM

Well Im building a cage with solid aluminum rod and I have torches and aluminum welding rods. everytime I try to use it, it the weld doesnt stick. I dont want to melt it together because itll look messy. ive tried to scuff the aluminum but that doesnt work either. any suggestions of how to help or even a different procedure?:-(

redrover · 12-06-2006, 09:07 PM

I dont know if you have the equipment or resources - but your best bet for sticking aluminum to aluminum would probably be to TIG weld it.
I tried the aluminum brazing rods just to see how they would work - Not Too Good

I tried on some scrap stuff and it was nasty looking, weak, and I did not like it at all.
You could try to MIG it if you have the right gas - but I havent really heard the best about that either. I never tried to MIG it, or TIG it for that matter - but I know TIG on aluminum is OK, MIG - I dunno? - I have heard mixed reviews. Sorry I cant give you a good simple answer.

joesbruiser · 12-06-2006, 09:11 PM

A tig welder would be the best way but not every one has one in there garage.
If you had a mig welder you could set it up with a spool gun rigged for alum.
I do not know much about brazing alum. but with steel if you do not get the material you are welding to hot enough the weld doed not stick.I do know that goes the same when tig or mig welding alum.
I do not know if any of this will be of any help but it cant hurt.

rockwerks · 12-06-2006, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bronco

Well Im building a cage with solid aluminum rod and I have torches and aluminum welding rods. everytime I try to use it, it the weld doesnt stick. I dont want to melt it together because itll look messy. ive tried to scuff the aluminum but that doesnt work either. any suggestions of how to help or even a different procedure?:-(

what torches? what gases? what rods? identify those and we can help better

Robb · 12-06-2006, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bronco

I dont want to melt it together because itll look messy.(

hmmmm....................would you like the metals to just kiss or hug?

rockwerks · 12-06-2006, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robb

hmmmm....................would you like the metals to just kiss or hug?

I was being nice.......and didnt want to explain that welding is melting them together..

phishead1101 · 12-07-2006, 11:09 AM

Think of it as trying to melt to M&M's together. You have to reach the right temperature to braze it together but be carefull because you can melt the piece that you are working on. Alluminum has excuse the phrase sort of a hard candy coating and once you get through that it's smooth sailing. I have a Mapp and Oxy Torch setup and it works fine.

gotmuddy · 12-07-2006, 12:35 PM

MIG will work fine with aluminum. Every aluminum rim you have ever seen with a welded in center was welded with a MIG. You need straight Argon gas to MIG weld aluminum.

'83 chevy · 12-07-2006, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotmuddy

MIG will work fine with aluminum. Every aluminum rim you have ever seen with a welded in center was welded with a MIG. You need straight Argon gas to MIG weld aluminum.

I dont fully agree with that, like it was stated above a mig can weld aluminum only if it has the spool gun attachment becasue it only has like 6 inches to travel before its melted not like in a mig gun when it has to go 10 feet so when the wire is feed through the hose it kinks because its so soft.

Bronco · 12-08-2006, 02:52 PM

Thanks guys, gals, anyways thanks. I did a little research and found this and it works great!

http://www.durafix.com/demo/256.html

Robb · 12-08-2006, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bronco

Thanks guys, gals, anyways thanks. I did a little research and found this and it works great!

http://www.durafix.com/demo/256.html

No it doesn't.

Cole82 · 12-08-2006, 03:08 PM

I've used that stuff before it works ok. It's not nearly ast strong as they lead you to believe. It does probably have just enough strength for a tlt tuber.

Bronco · 12-09-2006, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robb

No it doesn't.

ah, ya it does

rockwerks · 12-09-2006, 06:38 PM

I have used it, and it works as well as brazing steel with brazing rods... It is alum brazing not welding. I think I have a few stick laying around from before I might just play with.

Robb · 12-09-2006, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bronco

ah, ya it does

BS The crap works great for filling holes, but not much else. Notice that your cool "demo" vid showed nothing actually being done except filling holes. I have a couple of bundles of stuff sitting around, and have worked with it in every form or fashion that you can think of....................and as far as trying to piece together two pieces of aluminum, it is worthless!! I have yet to "bond" two pieces of aluminum together with that crap that I can't break apart with my bare hands. It makes it look pretty, and gives the impression that the two materials are now "one," but it is just filler.

Bronco · 12-09-2006, 07:11 PM

Dang dude calm down. Im building a cage and it seems to work well

Bronco · 12-09-2006, 07:13 PM

btw, you might not of got the alum. hot enough?

Robb · 12-09-2006, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bronco

btw, you might not of got the alum. hot enough?

You're right. Forget the part about me working with it in every form or fashion.............I probably didn't get it hot enough. You have made it work good for you, and that is great. Have fun with it.

edit: Here is a thread I started when dealing with aluminum brazing issues...............this stuff is FAR superior to the durafix junk. Found Aluminum Brazing Alloy That Works

west virginia krawler · 12-09-2006, 07:25 PM

i made a roll cage for my old nylint out of aluminum using that procedure and it worked fine, just have to make sure its hot enough

Robb · 12-09-2006, 08:31 PM

edit: this post won't make sense, since the post before it was deleted

I would have to disagree with your welder friend. And I mean this in all honesty, not just being a PITA as usual. I have worked with both these materials, and can tell you, they are night and day apart from each other.

The durafix rods are sold under many names, and the ones I have are of another name, but they are all the same thing. I bought mine at a gun show, and have seen the identical product at many gun and car shows. Durafix is sold as +/- 1/8" rods, whereas the 1070 is sold as a much thinner material, and sold in spools. The 1070 is NOT one of the rods that you see at the shows.

The durafix rods melt under a much lower temp than the 1070 , and is no where near as strong. Durafix is a very strong filler, and I will give it props for that. I have used the 1070 in creating strong joints, then used the durafix on top of that to fill in the gaps (left from the shrinkage of the 1070). The fact that the 1070 melts at a higher temp makes it also much more difficult to work with. You have to work right at the 1100-1200* line at which to melt the 1070 and the point at which the original material melts. It is a very tedious process, and one that is easy to screw up.

I will leave an easy challenge. I will pay shipping for anyone to send me two aluminum pieces "bonded" with Durafix (or offbrand), and on video, I will record myself trying to break that bond with my hands, and then post that video here on RCC. I will then post a vid of me trying to break a bond created with 1070. I will swear on my first child's grave (happy b-day Bryant) that I will treat each test equally. I would do both materials myself, but some would say that I didn't treat the Durafix properly, so I will entertain those created by others.

12-06-2006, 06:10 PM	#1
Bronco I joined the Band! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: ... Posts: 515	welding alum. help! Well Im building a cage with solid aluminum rod and I have torches and aluminum welding rods. everytime I try to use it, it the weld doesnt stick. I dont want to melt it together because itll look messy. ive tried to scuff the aluminum but that doesnt work either. any suggestions of how to help or even a different procedure?:-(

12-06-2006, 09:07 PM	#2
redrover Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: ---EAST--TN--- Posts: 352	I dont know if you have the equipment or resources - but your best bet for sticking aluminum to aluminum would probably be to TIG weld it. I tried the aluminum brazing rods just to see how they would work - Not Too Good I tried on some scrap stuff and it was nasty looking, weak, and I did not like it at all. You could try to MIG it if you have the right gas - but I havent really heard the best about that either. I never tried to MIG it, or TIG it for that matter - but I know TIG on aluminum is OK, MIG - I dunno? - I have heard mixed reviews. Sorry I cant give you a good simple answer.

12-06-2006, 09:11 PM	#3
joesbruiser I wanna be Dave Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: spring hill TN Posts: 2,959	A tig welder would be the best way but not every one has one in there garage. If you had a mig welder you could set it up with a spool gun rigged for alum. I do not know much about brazing alum. but with steel if you do not get the material you are welding to hot enough the weld doed not stick.I do know that goes the same when tig or mig welding alum. I do not know if any of this will be of any help but it cant hurt.

12-07-2006, 11:09 AM	#7
phishead1101 Rock Crawler Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Knoxville Posts: 611	Think of it as trying to melt to M&M's together. You have to reach the right temperature to braze it together but be carefull because you can melt the piece that you are working on. Alluminum has excuse the phrase sort of a hard candy coating and once you get through that it's smooth sailing. I have a Mapp and Oxy Torch setup and it works fine.

12-07-2006, 12:35 PM	#8
gotmuddy Pebble Pounder Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: N. Arkansas Posts: 143	MIG will work fine with aluminum. Every aluminum rim you have ever seen with a welded in center was welded with a MIG. You need straight Argon gas to MIG weld aluminum.

12-08-2006, 02:52 PM	#10
Bronco I joined the Band! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: ... Posts: 515	Thanks guys, gals, anyways thanks. I did a little research and found this and it works great! http://www.durafix.com/demo/256.html

12-08-2006, 03:08 PM	#12
Cole82 I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Cedar Rapids Posts: 2,028	I've used that stuff before it works ok. It's not nearly ast strong as they lead you to believe. It does probably have just enough strength for a tlt tuber.

12-09-2006, 06:38 PM	#14
rockwerks I wanna be Dave Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: FLAGSTAFF Posts: 3,728	I have used it, and it works as well as brazing steel with brazing rods... It is alum brazing not welding. I think I have a few stick laying around from before I might just play with.

12-09-2006, 07:11 PM	#16
Bronco I joined the Band! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: ... Posts: 515	Dang dude calm down. Im building a cage and it seems to work well

12-09-2006, 07:13 PM	#17
Bronco I joined the Band! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: ... Posts: 515	btw, you might not of got the alum. hot enough?

12-09-2006, 07:25 PM	#19
west virginia krawler Rock Crawler Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: capon bridge Posts: 571	i made a roll cage for my old nylint out of aluminum using that procedure and it worked fine, just have to make sure its hot enough

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12-09-2006, 08:31 PM	#20
Robb RCC Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: VARCOR Posts: 1,826	edit: this post won't make sense, since the post before it was deleted I would have to disagree with your welder friend. And I mean this in all honesty, not just being a PITA as usual. I have worked with both these materials, and can tell you, they are night and day apart from each other. The durafix rods are sold under many names, and the ones I have are of another name, but they are all the same thing. I bought mine at a gun show, and have seen the identical product at many gun and car shows. Durafix is sold as +/- 1/8" rods, whereas the 1070 is sold as a much thinner material, and sold in spools. The 1070 is NOT one of the rods that you see at the shows. The durafix rods melt under a much lower temp than the 1070 , and is no where near as strong. Durafix is a very strong filler, and I will give it props for that. I have used the 1070 in creating strong joints, then used the durafix on top of that to fill in the gaps (left from the shrinkage of the 1070). The fact that the 1070 melts at a higher temp makes it also much more difficult to work with. You have to work right at the 1100-1200* line at which to melt the 1070 and the point at which the original material melts. It is a very tedious process, and one that is easy to screw up. I will leave an easy challenge. I will pay shipping for anyone to send me two aluminum pieces "bonded" with Durafix (or offbrand), and on video, I will record myself trying to break that bond with my hands, and then post that video here on RCC. I will then post a vid of me trying to break a bond created with 1070. I will swear on my first child's grave (happy b-day Bryant) that I will treat each test equally. I would do both materials myself, but some would say that I didn't treat the Durafix properly, so I will entertain those created by others.

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