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chris-red |
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chris-red Have you considered a TDM?
Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :
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Posted: 14:28 - 22 Oct 2020 Post subject: Soldering/welding aluminium |
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Hi all.
I'm after a bit of fabrication advice. I want to start making more of my own stuff. I have most of the required tools for basic stuff, (grinders,vise, bender, hand tools etc.)
I am planning on have ago at making a couple of brackets this weekend out of 1mm aluminium. And I would like to join a couple of folds for extra strength (think an L piece with a capped end.)
I have an Arc welder (Lidl special) however my welding experience considers of 20 minutes poking some Galvanised steel until the fumes gave me a head ache I threw up and went to bed for 16 hours . I'm happy to try again with more precautions but I also wondered about brazing/soldering. I remember someone on here (Stinkwheel?) talking about silver soldering aluminium.
I have a Mapp gas torch I can use, any suggestions of the type of stuff I need to braze/solder aluminium? Do you use flux? I have normal plumbers flux.
Cheers,
Chris ____________________ Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything. |
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A100man |
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A100man World Chat Champion
Joined: 19 Aug 2013 Karma :
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pepperami |
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pepperami Super Spammer
Joined: 17 Jan 2010 Karma :
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Easy-X |
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Easy-X Super Spammer
Joined: 08 Mar 2019 Karma :
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Posted: 16:02 - 22 Oct 2020 Post subject: |
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I had a little dabble with silver solder and it's very easy to work with (simple MAPP torch) but that was on steel.
This may be what you're after:
https://superiorflux.com/techniques-for-soldering-aluminum/ ____________________ Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter |
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :
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WD Forte |
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WD Forte World Chat Champion
Joined: 17 Jun 2010 Karma :
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Islander |
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Islander World Chat Champion
Joined: 05 Aug 2012 Karma :
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steve the grease |
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steve the grease Crazy Courier
Joined: 26 Jan 2018 Karma :
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Posted: 18:46 - 22 Oct 2020 Post subject: |
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Islander wrote: | WD Forte wrote: | what about those rods called durafix/duraweld or summat?
never used them but the adverts make it look easy
adverts dont lie
Edit: I looked it up Its Durafix |
I'm pretty sure that Stinkwheel has used these and recommended them... |
The blokes demonstrating such ally 'welding' rods at shows make it look so easy, I believe it is dooable , but you need just the right amount of heat and you have to scratch the surface with the rod , so as to break through the oxide scale so the rods can run into the joint, before it all melts and ends up on the floor. 1mm sounds very thin to me. ____________________ All the above is my personal opinion, you can see my lips move, but I'm talking out of my arse.
I've been riding, and fixing , bikes for 50 years, in that time the more I learn, the less I am absolutely sure of..... |
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stinkwheel |
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stinkwheel Bovine Proctologist
Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :
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Posted: 19:03 - 22 Oct 2020 Post subject: |
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The solder works pretty well. Does take practice though, and quite a lot of heat. The stainless steel wire/brush are essential. No stainless scratchy, no sticky.
1mm is plenty thich enough. I've soldered two red bull cans together before today to make a lightweight meths stove.
My most recent dabble with the stuff was filling in supernumary drill holes in alloy mudguards. Needed MAPP for that because they sink the heat away so rapidly. ____________________ “Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles. |
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chris-red |
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chris-red Have you considered a TDM?
Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :
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Easy-X |
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Easy-X Super Spammer
Joined: 08 Mar 2019 Karma :
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Posted: 01:45 - 23 Oct 2020 Post subject: |
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If it's not something visible always worth looking for an easy solution.
For example, I've lashed up brackets by cutting and bending up some of the punched-hole-strip stuff like wot them builders and plasterers use ____________________ Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter |
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kramdra |
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kramdra World Chat Champion
Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Karma :
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Posted: 11:31 - 23 Oct 2020 Post subject: |
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You can use your arc welder as a scratch start tig, but not for aluminium or magnesium. Requires gas and a torch. This will do any other metals. Make stainless brackets instead?
The zink brazing rods, got a pack, could never get them to work with any amount of scrubbing. Would have been useful for some turned parts, wasted a good few hours trying.
Mig works well 2mm + on alu. Requires a bottle of argon gas, mine was £120 with deposit, used mig was 50 and spool gun 20. It will do what you want on thicker but wont be as pretty.
Tig weld, much more precise and controlled than mig, but an AC machine costs £400+, plus consumables and gas. I have only done a few practise bits with it. Expect to use one bottle of gas just on practise peices.
Other option is casting your parts, not an expensive process and recyling scrap aluminium is good for the environment Not tried thin parts I imagine they will take some practise to get right. |
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A100man |
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A100man World Chat Champion
Joined: 19 Aug 2013 Karma :
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Posted: 18:54 - 23 Oct 2020 Post subject: |
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kramdra wrote: |
Other option is casting your parts, not an expensive process and recyling scrap aluminium is good for the environment Not tried thin parts I imagine they will take some practise to get right. |
Now that sounds fun.. I recall we did a sand cast at school to make a G-clamp. Not now I'll bet - they'll try and 3d print it ____________________ Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750
Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600 |
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 3 years, 182 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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