I do some silver soldering in my gunsmithing and I've found that if you place your pieces on a brick rather than an iron vise, the pieces will heat up more evenly, as the vise will draw away the heat.
@Brayan Carmona I just said brick, but what I have is Fire Brick. Never had a problem with that. I've done some cutting with a torch and have concrete explode. Not good to be around. Thanks.
@Brayan Carmona My propane torch melts platinum, obviously yours is junk. I can rub my hands together to get 450 degrees or did you forget the 2 in front of that to make 2450 which is what propane gets to? And you obiously have never had a rock explode and fill you with shrapnel, no not all rocks are the same. Volcanic rocks take heat but no concrete type rocks because they still have lots of water inside. If you want your parts hot, then you place them in a sand bath. In fact you can solder up entire boards with SMD components by simply using a solder paste mask so that the flux is only where you want your solder to be and then set thing on hot sand and all of it gets soldered at once.
Would a chunk of solid steel work for holding the heat as well if you wanted it to dissipate faster than steel but hold the heat to a localized area? Maybe even preheat the steel before laying the aluminium on top?
Nice stuff! I'm a professional TIG- Welder for over 35 years and I' ve seen a lot of crabb for brazing and welding aluminum. But this stuff seems to be a hit! A suggestion from my side: put the thicker material in a oven, hot as it can. If I had to close the hole in the tank, i would put the small aluminum plate into the oven. So you can warm up the tank with the torch! Best regards from the very north of Germany!!
@@brandonpierce1729 Depending on how close it is to the heating element... If it is cleaned thoroughly, I would trust them. The water itself is not going to get hot enough to do anything. It is more of a solider than a weld, but don't do it if it can cause any additional damage.
@RichardAC59 it's a propane heated tank so no element to deal with and it's in the back middle of this little 6 gallon tank. I have an acetylene torch to localize the heat and that's gonna get a lot hotter than my blue bottle of propane for sure...I guess the real issue is that happy point of hot enough to braise but not too hot to distort or melt the tank huh. Was just trying to determine if this "might" work over tanking it to a weld shop
This is a really clear demonstration of how to prepare your pieces prior to brazing, and how to spread heat to form a more secure joint. The original brazed joint would have been sufficient for the application, but it was good that you showed how to make it even better. These rods are invaluable and to spend time practicing the techniques necessary to gain the greater spread and bond strength will be time well spent.
FYI - The technique where you pre-braze the edge of a joint before you make the connection is called "tinning the joint". That technique is used a lot in architectural sheet metal work solder joints in copper sheet, galvanized sheet steel and stainless steel sheet metal. Great video!
5 years ago I used the Blue Demon aluminum brazing rod to make 3 small pieces of aluminum angle bar. Used it to secure the latch on two cedar garage doors (barn red) that I built for my garage. My wife was so proud of me. And I enjoyed your video. Thanks again. 🙏🏾🙏🏾
Never seen anything by you before man but the clean cut straight to the point way you made this vid was beyond great. The exact info anyone with common sense wanted and the exact info anyone with material science kinda mind wanted. Appreciate ya very informative
Thicker material is easy compared to thin....I used to have to do evaporators on older fridges, from people doing the ice pick defrost and puncturing the coil inside the freezer....Could be a real headache, especially depending on where they did the damage....Self defrosting refrigerators....What a blessing....This still taught me how to connect aluminum pieces...Thanks for that.
One good rule of thumb is to apply the heat quickly. Use as much heat as you can and place the filler in quickly. More heat over a shorter period of time is more controllable than too little heat over a longer time.
Jeremy Hall. Good point but there is one big consideration. The no warning characteristic and low melting point of aluminum. Many don’t realize it goes from solid to goo suddenly with no warning. Most propane turbo torches can easily slag plate Al so they can still get a nasty surprise. This stuff though not technically as strong at least gives a lot of latitude to guys who don’t do these things frequently.
Laying the parts on the vise slowed you down. The aluminum plate was pulling the cold out of the cast iron. Pick up a couple of hard fire bricks. One as base for the parts, the other as a backstop heat reflector. This setup saves time and fuel. ✌
Very much appreciated. It seems everyone is oriented to the most modern. Torch welding and braising has more potential than we know and I'm learning all I can for practical usage. You taught me a lot today and Thank You.
speaking as a weldor , when welding 2 metals of differing thickness u need to spend time pre heating the thicker metal then lay your patch down and solder immediately . thanks u made up my mind to try this stuff out .
Aluminium has an oxide layer. These brazing rods will go through it to alloy with the aluminium, but you will get much better results if you remove the oxide layer and tin the surfaces to be joined first. This can be done in one step. Heat the part to be tinned and once hot enough, melt the rod onto the surface. Use the stainless wire brush to rub the melted rod in / remove the oxide layer. You might need more heat or rod to get it nicely tinned. When the oxide is removed you will see this stuff flowing and sticking like crazy to everywhere the oxide is removed which is hot enough. I think the rods are usually zinc alloy.
I've used this stuff too and i fond out that you can get it to stick better when you use a stainles scatching tool and scratch through the weld.. I was told that that is better because there is a oxidation layer on the aluminum and when you scratch through that the bonding is much better.... I even repaired an engineblock from a ZX7R('93) with it, and that is allready 7 years ago…… Awesome stuff!!
That has been around for over 40 years, we used it for leak repairs on Carrier a/c condsening units that where manufactured with aluminum refrigerant coils.
I ‘welded’ all of my aluminum intercooler tubing together with the Alumiweld rods sold at Harbor Freight. Was tricky to control the heat, but got the job done. Pressure tested to 40psi.
Exactly was I was looking to hear. Going to do the same - experiment with alumiweld on intercooler piping on latest project. 40psi? More than I need.....sweet.
Yeah just be easy with the heat fellas as alloy crumbles easily if you're to harsh with it so go slow... Use some test pieces if you have any and practice first as it really does take little effort!
Evilstorm11 Wow what’s up your ass? I fabbed my charge tubes up back in 2012 and haven’t had a single issue. The engines a Duramax LBZ putting out 26 PSI of boost, and taking me over many miles of off-road terrain. Clearly you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Small tip: when your using the rod to test the temp at the very beginning of the “weld”, once you get the melt you want, flip the rod around and use the cold end to start. Of course the rod heats as you move along but it will make a cleaner beginning to the bead. Something to do with the thermal shock. It also helps if you flip to the cold end if you are just trying to dab a tiny spot.
I saw a demo of this brazing rod in the late 1970s. Learned a neat trick. If you use an oxy/acetylene torch, you can run it very rich on fuel and coat the aluminum with soot. Then add the oxy 'till you have a slightly carbonizing flame. As you heat the parts they will be exactly the right temperature to braze when the soot burns off. Then work fast.
I saw these infomercials for this stuff as a kid then it vanished and I figured it was probably toxic or something but nope, I’m so glad I saw this. Thanks man!!!!
This stuff is amazing for radiator repairs. You can also buy flux (comes in a plastic bucket) for the rods. You just dip the rod in it after you cleaned it of and go to town. Really helps keeping your “welds” cleaner.
Saw a similar product in the 90s at an agricultural show. The bloke seling this welded a coke can and the weld was stronger than the rest. Everything crushed yet the weld was intact! Amazing stuff! Haven't seen it since only on TH-cam! Nice job! 😊cheers from Australia!
In the 60's I used 'Aluminum' solder. It was in a spool like lead solder but much thicker/stiffer but it actually had acid flux in the center similar to plumber's solder. Worked okay, for aluminum.
Acetone near hot works, keep well ventilated, remove all traces of Acetone from the work area and make sure the lid is secured back on the tin. Acetone causes explosive mixtures in air and the vapours can travel and flashback over some distance, the tiniest spark even static can set the stuff off.
good idea. I have used aluminum soldering kits a number of times. You do need to clean the aluminum surface, use the flux suggested. AND there is always the danger of going too hot and melting the aluminum pieces! But it does work and is fairly strong.
I use map gas torches all the time I love them. I have a few of them but I got the ones with a hose and the tank clips to your belt. Its all I use anymore. I used to lug around a big acetylene torch but I actually got scrapped it years ago for the map torch. It doesn't get as hot but it gets hot enough to compensate for the weight in my book
I used this stuff to fill and seal a crack on a hmmwv 6.2l aluminum coolant crossover tube a few years ago. It's been holding very well with no leaks. I didn't even have to remove it from the engine. It's very easy to use this stuff.
I bought some stuff called 'Super Alloy 5' from Muggyweld that uses a flux and oxyacetylene to braze aluminum instead of just soldering it. Although it's nowhere near as pretty as TIG, they claim it's just as strong - 30,000 psi. What I know is, it is tough as nails when finished - especially handy in places it can be cleaned up with a grinder. Used it to patch up my old duck boat hull after a few rivets were forcefully beaten loose and starting to leak. Touch up with a grinder and it doesn't look half bad.
Maybe it's 30K psi as a material, the problem is that it's a surface bond, it doesn't penetrate and chemically bond the way a weld does so ultimately the strength depends on how tenaciously it decides to "stick"- I found an unacceptably high level of variability with that. It also has a slightly different color so you can't finish it out cosmetically like an aluminum weld- although in most cases that doesn't matter.
Excellent video thanks. I cant seem to find those nifty brazing safety glasses you were wearing in the video? Could you please list them on your amazon supplies list so we all can do this as safely as you do?
I knew someone who used "Lumiweld" (similar product) to repair a VW Beetle gearbox/engine mounting lug. "That's never going to work" but he had nothing to lose. He needed LOTS of heat but ran the 'box for 1000s of miles with no problems. Big items need A LOT of heat and the rough surface of crack faces have to be filed smooth. YOU MUST use a stainless wire brush and stainless scraper wire. Carbon steel will spoil the job.
I've done a fair amount of aluminum 'brazing' using a torch and rod. One very useful tool that i made, was a stainless steel 'screwdriver', with a wood handle, that allows me to scrape the base metal under the filler to meld the two together. Scraping removes the oxide layers, and also allows me to 'flow' the weld joint. The result is an extremely strong weld. BTW - new users should note that the rod does NOT flow or wick like solder or brazing, and I found that advertised fluxes are not really necessary.
These rods have been around for decades, as we see booths at the annual farm/ag shows. Farmers typically have welders, but not always for doing aluminum, so this provides a decent alternative for them without the high cost of a good quality MIG or TIG welder.
I hardly use these rods but must agree they're well worth having in the workshop. Recently used them to patch up a badly corroded ally boat part which would have been impossible to tig weld due to salt contamination, because the base metal isn't being melted which releases locked in contaminants (as in tig) this was the right choice.
I bought some of this stuff at at a flea market about 35 years ago. I only used it a couple of times. It works very well. I just never had much of anything made of aluminum that I wanted to fix. I think I still have a few sticks left.
Seriously killer cheap hack! I have actually never welded but I used to build vacuum tube based amps and apart from soldering for years, I used to work with aluminum a lot. This seems like a good way to step up a bit into welding (I own a welder but haven't tried it out yet). I own everything shown in the video except the braising rods. I could use this on a lot of things even outside of Jeeps.
I've used such rods to fix a crack on my aluminum oil pan on my engine few months ago and it is holding up very well. But the material has to be very hot and stay hot for a good amount of time to get the alloy form and diffund into the aluminum. 400 deg. celsius was needed, it is kind of hard to maintain with a torch on high surface area/mass.
😂 😂 😂 That was our go to welding repair methods "coat hanger" on our farm! I can say with confidence 30+ years later many pieces of whatever is still holding strong!
Ok, so if you weld Aluminum regularly, then you already know prep, prep, prep your surfaces. We both know if you do not hit it with a flap wheel or at the least wire brush the heck out of the metal to remove the top layer of Aluminum Oxide, in order for proper adhesion. And yes I have tried this stuff about 20 yrs ago. It does work fairly well for what it is.
its tough depending on size and shape of project, but pre heating parts in an oven makes all the difference in bringing larger part up to temp for brazing.
For your brazing use a hot plate first to get whatever aluminum u will be using hot enough its quicker and more even heat and makes the torching a hell of a lot easier! Just a tip good video!
This rod works great to fix cast aluminum parts and even pot metal cast parts. Using fire blankets to keep the heat in works good, just wrap all the large areas with the fire blanket to insulate the piece and keep the heat from escaping.
Insulating fleece/rockwool and thick aluminium foil are your friend. Just create a fleece/foil sandwich and "mould" it around the workpiece. Works like a charm for small parts, awkward spaces etc. where you can't get a blanket in 👍🏼
Stick the base plate on a ceramic hob to get it up to temp. Don't use a gas camping stove like an idiot mate did. Unless you want a mini diorama of a certain famous Terminator scene that is 🤣🤦♂️
I think you did a good job in saying that this is not for everything. I can think of a few things this would be good for, fuel cell repair, intake manifold repair, patching small holes. Possibly even repairing a small crack or hole in a aluminum rim in a emergency ... maybe!! In a shop situation though it should not replace TIG or MIG welding.
I'm not a welder, I don't have the tools or the space but I just checked out the video and the parts (tools) and I shall be giving this a go, thank you. I made two end boxes in wood (not great) but this would be so much better, stronger and neater.
@scooter The Industry in General of Manufacturing and Fabrication is in a low quality state Because everything, Tools and materials are from China. I'm amazed at what cheap sellouts are people in all western countries letting this to happen. Boycott All kind of Chinese crap! People need to force their politicians, to make this industries "made in your nation". There's a lot of benefits even if prices go up. Cheers from Houston,TX.
Great video…YOU just answered my question 👍. that was just the best demonstration of on average how strong that method is. Thank you. I will be building a frame for a camper shell out of 1 inch square aluminum. The method you are using will hold it firm enough as I will be attaching an outer shell to it. That will further hold it together. Great job communicating my friend.
I used to do brazing in high end bicycle factories. Mostly steel/chromo with brass and nickle/silver. For one run we had to braze an aluminum water bottle boss onto a chunky aero down tube. That was hard to not melt that tiny threaded insert. It was all about general heat (a lot of it) and the right flux, and then timing. That filler rod must have some kind of flux built in.
I have a torch with a 4' hose between it and the tank. Thats all I use, as it gives me the freedom to move any way I might encounter when brazing/ soldering.
On the subject of "safe practices", it might be a good idea to move that acetone a little farther away from the heat. I'm sure it mostly evaporated, but you wouldn't want the rag to catch fire when you're not watching, heat the can, and go boom.
Great video, thanks. After bending up some 0.060" aluminum for my homemade car fan shroud, I used this aluminum brazing rod to seal the corners of the panels. Worked well. You're right about getting everything as clean as you can!
I’m known locally for tig welding aluminum... I have somebody about once a week tell me they tried to repair something using these rods… And they will actually stand there and in the same breath as telling me how well these rods work, they’re asking me to repair what they used these rods on.
Well you still need to hawe the skill to see the colur .. of the gass ... Whooops The problem ain't the produkt !! ITs the in skilled Guy not Knowing What to look fore .. Like asking some on to solder the first time .. like that Will Work .. And thats just tin and cupper!!!
In truth this nothing more than filler, purely cosmetic anyone who thinks this is welding is dangerously deluded and clearly has no concept of welding metal. As for the guy who pressure tested to 500 psi well he is clearly unaware of the law regarding welds and fully coded welders. Wearing rubber gloves says all I need to know actually 😲😨😢
@@AJ-ch6kg Oh, please enlighten us, Grand Master, for we are mere mortals. You are so correct. Amazing observations. So that's why they're called aluminum Brazing rods. I'm very grateful. I was about to use it to build a frame for an oil painting on canvas. Whew, that was close. I knew those darn aluminum Brazing rods were too good to be true. I guess I should prepare my tig setup. I do have one question though. In your expert opinion, should I go with tig welding or tig Brazing?
Very helpful! I set my cast aluminum block down on the garage floor a bit too quickly and a little strip of the flat part that th pan seats against cracked off Was going to use JB weld but this looks like a better solution since it's not structural and simply needs to stay in place to be a mounting surface for pan and gasket. Thanks!
The first video of this rod I found, they filled a hole in a coke can to show that the heat needed does not come close to melting the aluminum. Thanks for a great video.
discovered this stuff a few years ago and used it to repair my honda engine casing. I'm currently using this to fabricate an alu battery box for my BMW K100 that I'm chopping
I tried those rods, the issue on smaller parts is the heat required to melt the rod properly means the entire part gets so hot that any previous welds liquify and come apart on you. I tried to weld up some 1 1/2" x 2" brackets for my CNC machine and it just wouldn't work. Imagine an L bracket with a gusset on the inside....when I went to weld the gusset the top of the L fell apart. If I welded the gusset first, then welded the top of the L, the gusset fell off.
A trick I learned from soldering electronics is to put a heat sink between the two parts -- you clamp a chunk of metal tight against the work piece and the heat will be conducted away before it gets to the joint you're trying to preserve. It can also help to have a hotter torch and work fast
I'm an aluminum welder by trade, an really welding as you have shown will make the weld brittle and full of porosity. There are cheap mig welders on Amazon for under 100 bucks that can weld up to 1/4 inch
There is a product called Sif 555 aluminium solder. I stripped a thread in the axle clamp on my dirt bike. I helicoiled it but a while later it pulled out. Last chance was the solder. I used oxy acetylene to heat it due to the size and thickness of the area. I drilled and tapped it and it’s still holding up fine years later. The sif stuff seems harder and stronger than T1 aluminium . Pretty impressed personally.
It saved me thousands over the years I reckon. The key with using it is to make sure you have a carborising (can’t spell it) flame. A neutral or oxidising flame just makes you ruin a lot of expensive rods. And the ally has to be mega clean. Even if it’s new n shiny it needs a good wire brushing.
I usually melt off some of the flux that coats it and then wipe that around where you're going to put your rod and then your Rod usually melts into it a lot easier
I used to use an alum. rod back in the 70's.... from Forney Welding, Ft. Collins, CO. They would advertise that you could patch a hole in a coke can! It came in handy on an amazing number of projects
Got a dual battery tray to build and I really didn't want to use screws. This is much cleaner and professional looking. Only have a stick welder and my skill with it is not up to welding aluminum just yet. Thanks for the great tip.
Awesome video! I guess I will have to finally try mine😅. Just a heads up Nate, once aluminum is welded unless heat treated again it's still only a 30-50 psi, joint around the heat effected areas. Depending on the alloy. So in the grand scheme of things it's really not much if any weaker. Also beveling the edges gives it more surface area, meaning a stronger joint. Also this process can anneal any heat treatment.
Something I've never seen done on these videos (no clue why): if you have access to MULTIPLE SIDES of the target, USE. TWO. TORCHES. I use one with MAPP with a high intensity "wash" nozzle and the other with propane, also with a "wash" flame. Propane puts out much less heat than MAPP, and every bit as important, the hottest part of the propane flame is a couple cm ABOVE where the blue core of the jet is. Do your preheating with the MAPP, then set up the propane on the FAR SIDE of the target, at about 2/3 intensity. from there on out, just use the MAPP in short jets (it'll xfer the heat to the aluminum FAST, and the propane will HOLD it at heat pretty much for as long as it's exposed). This gives you LOTS of working time with the stick. Likewise: Aluminum IS a great heatsink. So set it on top of something that offer huge thermal RESISTANCE like ceramic, or as another commenter mentioned a brick. I find you can actually fit a couple of those ceramic plates to the jaws of your vise and it won't wick away all that heat, too. A propane tank WITH TORCH HEAD can be had for like 15 bucks.
9:55 “got penetration” Is it penetration or bonding? My impression with braze is that it’s bonding, where as welding is penetration and unifying. Looking for clarification.
It is definitely not melting both pieces Soldering perhaps. In any case, it bonds/adheres like a weld. Its good practice to clean with a "virgin" SS steel brush. Heat and re brush. Cleaning is a big deal here. Some people use diluted muriatic acid to wipe then quickly solder...Also, heat and tap the base metal with the rod, on and off till it gets hot enough to pool the rod will fall in place pushing oxidation to the sides. I keep the rod next to the flame to keep it hot and also make sure to wipe it clean before using.
You are correct. With the exception of fusion welding (melting two pieces of metal together without a filler rod) welding happens when you bring both pieces of material above their melting point, then add material (filler rod) to provide an extra measure of strength. Penetration is important in welding. What you have here, in the case of brazing or soldering, you could just think of as "good glue". Penetration is not important, but having the braze material flow between the two pieces is what provides the strength.
Using this for my jeep for small components & electrical box housing and small bracketry and my vintage motorcycle for a custom battery /electrical box.(nothing that will be under any stress.) Might bea good way to mount my oil cooler radiator too (smallframe w/ brackets to mount it up)
Yes it's technically soldering. The melting point is 750ﾟ and anything under 800 degrees is considered soldering. But most solder melts at around 350 and comes on a roll. I've been soldering and breezing for a living for the last 14 years at my job and this feels much more similar to brazing then soldering. But from a technical stand point you're absolutely right. 👍
quick heat is essential, if it takes too long or you have too long a seam to run the air quickly promotes oxide formation on the hot surface. The flame actually performs the function of shielding the weld, not in the same degree of effectiveness as and envelope of inert gas but still it does consume the oxygen at the point of heating, pulling away allows the air to react to the hot aluminum.
I saw a video of them doing that not long ago. I heard tinning gets the best results. Getting the material on both parts before trying to join together
Thanks for the walk threw on procedures and glad to see you used MAPP gas here since as you've seen, propane would take longer to get the base metal up to the point where the rod would adhere well. As for use on fuel tanks or pressurized applications, I would of course test first and even wait for a couple of weeks since I've seen other videos describing that some alum weld products would break free under stress. Also, can this work as well for aluminum alloys, cast aluminum? As you may have seen, cast aluminum can have other metals mixed in and I'm no expert yet. I think TIG welding would be the best way to go on structural applications or anything you want to be strong such as motorcycle parts.
Might be a silly question to some, but would it polish? Say I built a catch can or overflow reservoir for a hotrod, would these seams stand out if I polished the tank?
I remember the day in 1983 at an RV show when I first saw aluminum brazed with a torch, and I thought is was witchcraft and/or fraud. I can appreciate how it's still kind of amazing to see today.
Abotner old school trick is to use a pencil and mark a heavy line at the edge of were you want your material to stop. Go ober the live several times makinb it as dark as you can. Makes for a very clean edge.
@@darcymcnabb9259 its not welding its more like brazing or soldering, and its is drawn on out side of the area your working on, just to keep it from running were you dont want It. Of course not on the weld. Lol.
Thanks for reminding me! I used this stuff at least 10 years ago in my Motorcycle shop in NZ. Brazed a lump of old alloy over a hole in the crankcase after a farmer threw his bike down a gorge - piece of cake with Oxy/acetylene.
Another awesome vid! I've been curious about this too! I saw a guy filling a hole in a motorcycle gas tank with just the rod (running in a circle on the edges, making the hole smaller until it was filled) I really wanted to ask what kind of magic he was using, but he was on the clock...
Lol they almost are snake oil. They definitely work with a little elbow grease but these can be frustrating and are not even close to the quality joint you get from a copper/brass braze. But for someone without access to a dc tig this can be a good option with enough practice and patience. Still though, they do kinda suck lol
Bought some very similar looking sticks from a local machine shop. No instructions. Was just told a lot of people liked it. Watching this video I can see I've been applying too much heat (oxy-fuel) in too small of area (000 welding tip) when it didn't work. Guess my mind was one-tracked on welding when it's actually used more like solder.
Yes, this is solder/brazing....key word...'low melting point'....the 'rod' is hollow, with the flux inside... You can weld aluminum...use tig filler wire and there's a good flux you need, I can't recall the name of it...a good welding store can help you out there... A Lot of kitchenware was aluminum, welded, before TIG was invented...
Hi interesting video thanks. If you stroke a match stick on the metal close to the parts you are going to braze, if it leaves a brown line then the metal is very close to the temperature need to braze the parts together.
A friend (not me I'm not that good) welded a broken gearbox mounting lug on VW Beetle using Lumiweld similar stuff). It did at least 10,000 miles so this stuff is strong. He cleaned up the rough cracked surface and clamped the fragment with a bolt and washers. Aluminium needs lots of heat to get hot enough. Big lumps need a big burner, but use a smaller burner to keep the job area warm enough while brazing. A piece of stainless wire to stir the pool helps. It has to be stainless ferrous wont work. Metal cleaning has to be a stainless wire brush.
I don't mean to use the You should thing but I think you should have some fire bricks underneath the aluminum so all the heat from the bottom plate doesn't get absorbed straight into the vise.
what about lining the steel jaws of the vice with something like brake pad or brake shoe lining which should afford good grip, tolerate quite high temperatures and not be an excessively good heat sink... get good thermal isolation and a stable platform to solder on?
I do some silver soldering in my gunsmithing and I've found that if you place your pieces on a brick rather than an iron vise, the pieces will heat up more evenly, as the vise will draw away the heat.
That's true!
Another suggestion is to try a rose bud torch.
@Brayan Carmona I just said brick, but what I have is Fire Brick. Never had a problem with that. I've done some cutting with a torch and have concrete explode. Not good to be around. Thanks.
@Brayan Carmona My propane torch melts platinum, obviously yours is junk. I can rub my hands together to get 450 degrees or did you forget the 2 in front of that to make 2450 which is what propane gets to? And you obiously have never had a rock explode and fill you with shrapnel, no not all rocks are the same. Volcanic rocks take heat but no concrete type rocks because they still have lots of water inside. If you want your parts hot, then you place them in a sand bath. In fact you can solder up entire boards with SMD components by simply using a solder paste mask so that the flux is only where you want your solder to be and then set thing on hot sand and all of it gets soldered at once.
Would a chunk of solid steel work for holding the heat as well if you wanted it to dissipate faster than steel but hold the heat to a localized area? Maybe even preheat the steel before laying the aluminium on top?
Nice stuff! I'm a professional TIG- Welder for over 35 years and I' ve seen a lot of crabb for brazing and welding aluminum. But this stuff seems to be a hit! A suggestion from my side: put the thicker material in a oven, hot as it can. If I had to close the hole in the tank, i would put the small aluminum plate into the oven. So you can warm up the tank with the torch! Best regards from the very north of Germany!!
Thank you! Great suggestion!
I've been using these for 40 years and they work great! I've made some nice looking radiator shrouds.
Do you think these rods would hold on an rv water heater that is leaking at the seam?
@@brandonpierce1729 Depending on how close it is to the heating element... If it is cleaned thoroughly, I would trust them. The water itself is not going to get hot enough to do anything. It is more of a solider than a weld, but don't do it if it can cause any additional damage.
@RichardAC59 it's a propane heated tank so no element to deal with and it's in the back middle of this little 6 gallon tank. I have an acetylene torch to localize the heat and that's gonna get a lot hotter than my blue bottle of propane for sure...I guess the real issue is that happy point of hot enough to braise but not too hot to distort or melt the tank huh. Was just trying to determine if this "might" work over tanking it to a weld shop
This is a really clear demonstration of how to prepare your pieces prior to brazing, and how to spread heat to form a more secure joint.
The original brazed joint would have been sufficient for the application, but it was good that you showed how to make it even better.
These rods are invaluable and to spend time practicing the techniques necessary to gain the greater spread and bond strength will be time well spent.
Thank you!
FYI - The technique where you pre-braze the edge of a joint before you make the connection is called "tinning the joint". That technique is used a lot in architectural sheet metal work solder joints in copper sheet, galvanized sheet steel and stainless steel sheet metal. Great video!
5 years ago I used the Blue Demon aluminum brazing rod to make 3 small pieces of aluminum angle bar. Used it to secure the latch on two cedar garage doors (barn red) that I built for my garage. My wife was so proud of me. And I enjoyed your video. Thanks again. 🙏🏾🙏🏾
Never seen anything by you before man but the clean cut straight to the point way you made this vid was beyond great. The exact info anyone with common sense wanted and the exact info anyone with material science kinda mind wanted. Appreciate ya very informative
Thanks brother! I'm inspired but years of watching 20min. Videos that could have been done in 5 lol. I'm sure you know my pain! Thanks for watching 🤘
Agreed, porn is getting ridiculous. Just wait til you guys get to 2024. If it's shorter than 10min, you can assume it's most likely a trailer.
Thicker material is easy compared to thin....I used to have to do evaporators on older fridges, from people doing the ice pick defrost and puncturing the coil inside the freezer....Could be a real headache, especially depending on where they did the damage....Self defrosting refrigerators....What a blessing....This still taught me how to connect aluminum pieces...Thanks for that.
That sounds like a pretty interesting gig! Thanks for watching👍
One good rule of thumb is to apply the heat quickly. Use as much heat as you can and place the filler in quickly.
More heat over a shorter period of time is more controllable than too little heat over a longer time.
Jeremy Hall. Good point but there is one big consideration. The no warning characteristic and low melting point of aluminum. Many don’t realize it goes from solid to goo suddenly with no warning. Most propane turbo torches can easily slag plate Al so they can still get a nasty surprise. This stuff though not technically as strong at least gives a lot of latitude to guys who don’t do these things frequently.
Laying the parts on the vise slowed you down. The aluminum plate was pulling the cold out of the cast iron. Pick up a couple of hard fire bricks. One as base for the parts, the other as a backstop heat reflector. This setup saves time and fuel. ✌
Very much appreciated. It seems everyone is oriented to the most modern. Torch welding and braising has more potential than we know and I'm learning all I can for practical usage. You taught me a lot today and Thank You.
speaking as a weldor , when welding 2 metals of differing thickness u need to spend time pre heating the thicker metal then lay your patch down and solder immediately . thanks u made up my mind to try this stuff out .
Aluminium has an oxide layer. These brazing rods will go through it to alloy with the aluminium, but you will get much better results if you remove the oxide layer and tin the surfaces to be joined first. This can be done in one step. Heat the part to be tinned and once hot enough, melt the rod onto the surface. Use the stainless wire brush to rub the melted rod in / remove the oxide layer. You might need more heat or rod to get it nicely tinned. When the oxide is removed you will see this stuff flowing and sticking like crazy to everywhere the oxide is removed which is hot enough. I think the rods are usually zinc alloy.
I've used this stuff too and i fond out that you can get it to stick better when you use a stainles scatching tool and scratch through the weld.. I was told that that is better because there is a oxidation layer on the aluminum and when you scratch through that the bonding is much better.... I even repaired an engineblock from a ZX7R('93) with it, and that is allready 7 years ago…… Awesome stuff!!
I was thinking the same thing about scratching the surface but for something for the aluminum rod to hold onto.
eaglebrink 93 ZX7R? Sweet bike bro.
That has been around for over 40 years, we used it for leak repairs on Carrier a/c condsening units that where manufactured with aluminum refrigerant coils.
I ‘welded’ all of my aluminum intercooler tubing together with the Alumiweld rods sold at Harbor Freight. Was tricky to control the heat, but got the job done. Pressure tested to 40psi.
Exactly was I was looking to hear. Going to do the same - experiment with alumiweld on intercooler piping on latest project. 40psi? More than I need.....sweet.
Good to see this response, I was thinking about using it to "weld" my IAT bung and BOV flange. thanks!
So glad to see this. I've got a new radiator that's sprung a leak if it will hold 40lbs of boost it shouldn't have a problem holding 16lbs
Yeah just be easy with the heat fellas as alloy crumbles easily if you're to harsh with it so go slow... Use some test pieces if you have any and practice first as it really does take little effort!
Evilstorm11 Wow what’s up your ass? I fabbed my charge tubes up back in 2012 and haven’t had a single issue. The engines a Duramax LBZ putting out 26 PSI of boost, and taking me over many miles of off-road terrain. Clearly you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Small tip: when your using the rod to test the temp at the very beginning of the “weld”, once you get the melt you want, flip the rod around and use the cold end to start. Of course the rod heats as you move along but it will make a cleaner beginning to the bead. Something to do with the thermal shock. It also helps if you flip to the cold end if you are just trying to dab a tiny spot.
I saw a demo of this brazing rod in the late 1970s. Learned a neat trick. If you use an oxy/acetylene torch, you can run it very rich on fuel and coat the aluminum with soot. Then add the oxy 'till you have a slightly carbonizing flame. As you heat the parts they will be exactly the right temperature to braze when the soot burns off. Then work fast.
Better use wood, you have woodsoot and the right temrature to brace, lots off soot are not good the area to brace need tho be clean
I saw these infomercials for this stuff as a kid then it vanished and I figured it was probably toxic or something but nope, I’m so glad I saw this. Thanks man!!!!
This stuff is amazing for radiator repairs. You can also buy flux (comes in a plastic bucket) for the rods. You just dip the rod in it after you cleaned it of and go to town. Really helps keeping your “welds” cleaner.
Saw a similar product in the 90s at an agricultural show. The bloke seling this welded a coke can and the weld was stronger than the rest. Everything crushed yet the weld was intact! Amazing stuff! Haven't seen it since only on TH-cam! Nice job! 😊cheers from Australia!
Thanks man! Your living the dream over there! I tell my wife I want to move to Australia all the time!
In the 60's I used 'Aluminum' solder. It was in a spool like lead solder but much thicker/stiffer but it actually had acid flux in the center similar to plumber's solder. Worked okay, for aluminum.
Acetone near hot works, keep well ventilated, remove all traces of Acetone from the work area and make sure the lid is secured back on the tin.
Acetone causes explosive mixtures in air and the vapours can travel and flashback over some distance, the tiniest spark even static can set the stuff off.
I can't find any evidence that this is true. Acetone is explosive?
@@HavokTheorem google it.
www.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.display%3Fp_version%3D2%26p_card_id%3D0087
Agreed with the brick, alternatively a ceramic tile.
good idea. I have used aluminum soldering kits a number of times. You do need to clean the aluminum surface, use the flux suggested. AND there is always the danger of going too hot and melting the aluminum pieces! But it does work and is fairly strong.
I use map gas torches all the time I love them. I have a few of them but I got the ones with a hose and the tank clips to your belt. Its all I use anymore. I used to lug around a big acetylene torch but I actually got scrapped it years ago for the map torch. It doesn't get as hot but it gets hot enough to compensate for the weight in my book
I used this stuff to fill and seal a crack on a hmmwv 6.2l aluminum coolant crossover tube a few years ago. It's been holding very well with no leaks. I didn't even have to remove it from the engine. It's very easy to use this stuff.
I bought some stuff called 'Super Alloy 5' from Muggyweld that uses a flux and oxyacetylene to braze aluminum instead of just soldering it. Although it's nowhere near as pretty as TIG, they claim it's just as strong - 30,000 psi. What I know is, it is tough as nails when finished - especially handy in places it can be cleaned up with a grinder. Used it to patch up my old duck boat hull after a few rivets were forcefully beaten loose and starting to leak. Touch up with a grinder and it doesn't look half bad.
Maybe it's 30K psi as a material, the problem is that it's a surface bond, it doesn't penetrate and chemically bond the way a weld does so ultimately the strength depends on how tenaciously it decides to "stick"- I found an unacceptably high level of variability with that. It also has a slightly different color so you can't finish it out cosmetically like an aluminum weld- although in most cases that doesn't matter.
Excellent video thanks. I cant seem to find those nifty brazing safety glasses you were wearing in the video? Could you please list them on your amazon supplies list so we all can do this as safely as you do?
I knew someone who used "Lumiweld" (similar product) to repair a VW Beetle gearbox/engine mounting lug. "That's never going to work" but he had nothing to lose. He needed LOTS of heat but ran the 'box for 1000s of miles with no problems. Big items need A LOT of heat and the rough surface of crack faces have to be filed smooth.
YOU MUST use a stainless wire brush and stainless scraper wire. Carbon steel will spoil the job.
I agree whole heartedly and mark all your stainless steel used for aluminum "aluminum" so you don't mix it's use up with the steel projects.
This has been around for years! Used it 10 years ago. Nothing beats my tig welder.
I've done a fair amount of aluminum 'brazing' using a torch and rod. One very useful tool that i made, was a stainless steel 'screwdriver', with a wood handle, that allows me to scrape the base metal under the filler to meld the two together. Scraping removes the oxide layers, and also allows me to 'flow' the weld joint. The result is an extremely strong weld.
BTW - new users should note that the rod does NOT flow or wick like solder or brazing, and I found that advertised fluxes are not really necessary.
These rods have been around for decades, as we see booths at the annual farm/ag shows. Farmers typically have welders, but not always for doing aluminum, so this provides a decent alternative for them without the high cost of a good quality MIG or TIG welder.
I hardly use these rods but must agree they're well worth having in the workshop. Recently used them to patch up a badly corroded ally boat part which would have been impossible to tig weld due to salt contamination, because the base metal isn't being melted which releases locked in contaminants (as in tig) this was the right choice.
I don't typically subscribe to anybody per se but his attention to detail his due diligence is excellent
Adam Chavez "his due diligence" ?? Like wearing rubber gloves ! - OK
also i was screaming high
@@adamchavez3140 👍
I bought some of this stuff at at a flea market about 35 years ago. I only used it a couple of times. It works very well. I just never had much of anything made of aluminum that I wanted to fix. I think I still have a few sticks left.
Smedleydog1 , did you buy it in Huntington beach ? Could've been me !
Seriously killer cheap hack! I have actually never welded but I used to build vacuum tube based amps and apart from soldering for years, I used to work with aluminum a lot. This seems like a good way to step up a bit into welding (I own a welder but haven't tried it out yet). I own everything shown in the video except the braising rods. I could use this on a lot of things even outside of Jeeps.
Would have liked to have seen the pressure test 👌
I've used such rods to fix a crack on my aluminum oil pan on my engine few months ago and it is holding up very well. But the material has to be very hot and stay hot for a good amount of time to get the alloy form and diffund into the aluminum. 400 deg. celsius was needed, it is kind of hard to maintain with a torch on high surface area/mass.
Its funny how we used to use a propane tourch and wire hangers to braze anything from body panels to gas tanks. That was back in the 70s.
😂 😂 😂 That was our go to welding repair methods "coat hanger" on our farm! I can say with confidence 30+ years later many pieces of whatever is still holding strong!
I heard the wire hangars of yesterday were a lot more helpful. Accountants were so sure to have companies make cheaper ones going forward.
Ok, so if you weld Aluminum regularly, then you already know prep, prep, prep your surfaces. We both know if you do not hit it with a flap wheel or at the least wire brush the heck out of the metal to remove the top layer of Aluminum Oxide, in order for proper adhesion. And yes I have tried this stuff about 20 yrs ago. It does work fairly well for what it is.
its tough depending on size and shape of project, but pre heating parts in an oven makes all the difference in bringing larger part up to temp for brazing.
For your brazing use a hot plate first to get whatever aluminum u will be using hot enough its quicker and more even heat and makes the torching a hell of a lot easier! Just a tip good video!
Sounds like a good idea! Thanks for watching!
This rod works great to fix cast aluminum parts and even pot metal cast parts. Using fire blankets to keep the heat in works good, just wrap all the large areas with the fire blanket to insulate the piece and keep the heat from escaping.
Insulating fleece/rockwool and thick aluminium foil are your friend. Just create a fleece/foil sandwich and "mould" it around the workpiece. Works like a charm for small parts, awkward spaces etc. where you can't get a blanket in 👍🏼
Stick the base plate on a ceramic hob to get it up to temp. Don't use a gas camping stove like an idiot mate did. Unless you want a mini diorama of a certain famous Terminator scene that is 🤣🤦♂️
I think you did a good job in saying that this is not for everything.
I can think of a few things this would be good for, fuel cell repair, intake manifold repair, patching small holes. Possibly even repairing a small crack or hole in a aluminum rim in a emergency ... maybe!!
In a shop situation though it should not replace TIG or MIG welding.
Thanks! I couldn't agree more, nothing beats a good tig torch 👍
Wait until your better half goes shopping and use the oven to pre-heat your parts. Thank me later 😂
Every metal shop should have a kitchen oven. Find them behind appliance shop. Dishwashers are handy as well.
@@gregwarner3753 too right
Gas grill works too...
@@gregwarner3753 What kind of temperature can you get inside a dishwasher on the "dry cycle?"
Considering plastic does not melt probably less than 220 dag f.
I'm not a welder, I don't have the tools or the space but I just checked out the video and the parts (tools) and I shall be giving this a go, thank you.
I made two end boxes in wood (not great) but this would be so much better, stronger and neater.
In the hvac industry we repair aluminum the same way and out welds hold 500psi on condenser coils
scooter with aluminum rods, the 15% won’t stick to the aluminum
@scooter The Industry in General of Manufacturing and Fabrication is in a low quality state Because everything, Tools and materials are from China. I'm amazed at what cheap sellouts
are people in all western countries letting this to happen. Boycott All kind of Chinese crap! People need to force their politicians, to make this industries "made in your nation". There's a lot of benefits even if prices go up. Cheers from Houston,TX.
Thoughts on using this on an rv water heater that is leaking at the seam? Aluminum tank obviously...
Great video…YOU just answered my question 👍. that was just the best demonstration of on average how strong that method is. Thank you. I will be building a frame for a camper shell out of 1 inch square aluminum. The method you are using will hold it firm enough as I will be attaching an outer shell to it. That will further hold it together. Great job communicating my friend.
I used to do brazing in high end bicycle factories. Mostly steel/chromo with brass and nickle/silver. For one run we had to braze an aluminum water bottle boss onto a chunky aero down tube. That was hard to not melt that tiny threaded insert. It was all about general heat (a lot of it) and the right flux, and then timing. That filler rod must have some kind of flux built in.
I have a torch with a 4' hose between it and the tank. Thats all I use, as it gives me the freedom to move any way I might encounter when brazing/ soldering.
On the subject of "safe practices", it might be a good idea to move that acetone a little farther away from the heat. I'm sure it mostly evaporated, but you wouldn't want the rag to catch fire when you're not watching, heat the can, and go boom.
My neighbors act like I'm the Wylie Coyote of DIY, but I saw that acetone and thought "hell no!" Good to know it wasn't just me.
Great video, thanks. After bending up some 0.060" aluminum for my homemade car fan shroud, I used this aluminum brazing rod to seal the corners of the panels. Worked well. You're right about getting everything as clean as you can!
Awesome man!
I’m known locally for tig welding aluminum...
I have somebody about once a week tell me they tried to repair something using these rods… And they will actually stand there and in the same breath as telling me how well these rods work, they’re asking me to repair what they used these rods on.
Exactly the same things up here north! Greetings from Norway, fellow welder B-)
Well you still need to hawe the skill to see the colur .. of the gass ... Whooops
The problem ain't the produkt !! ITs the in skilled Guy not Knowing What to look fore ..
Like asking some on to solder the first time .. like that Will Work ..
And thats just tin and cupper!!!
In truth this nothing more than filler, purely cosmetic anyone who thinks this is welding is dangerously deluded and clearly has no concept of welding metal. As for the guy who pressure tested to 500 psi well he is clearly unaware of the law regarding welds and fully coded welders. Wearing rubber gloves says all I need to know actually 😲😨😢
@@AJ-ch6kg Oh, please enlighten us, Grand Master, for we are mere mortals. You are so correct. Amazing observations. So that's why they're called aluminum Brazing rods. I'm very grateful. I was about to use it to build a frame for an oil painting on canvas. Whew, that was close. I knew those darn aluminum Brazing rods were too good to be true. I guess I should prepare my tig setup. I do have one question though. In your expert opinion, should I go with tig welding or tig Brazing?
@@davcar872 Try araldite - "another alternative to aluminium welding"
Very helpful! I set my cast aluminum block down on the garage floor a bit too quickly and a little strip of the flat part that th pan seats against cracked off Was going to use JB weld but this looks like a better solution since it's not structural and simply needs to stay in place to be a mounting surface for pan and gasket. Thanks!
The first video of this rod I found, they filled a hole in a coke can to show that the heat needed does not come close to melting the aluminum. Thanks for a great video.
Oh really? That's cool. That's what I was worried about. Off to amazon...
discovered this stuff a few years ago and used it to repair my honda engine casing. I'm currently using this to fabricate an alu battery box for my BMW K100 that I'm chopping
I tried those rods, the issue on smaller parts is the heat required to melt the rod properly means the entire part gets so hot that any previous welds liquify and come apart on you. I tried to weld up some 1 1/2" x 2" brackets for my CNC machine and it just wouldn't work. Imagine an L bracket with a gusset on the inside....when I went to weld the gusset the top of the L fell apart. If I welded the gusset first, then welded the top of the L, the gusset fell off.
A trick I learned from soldering electronics is to put a heat sink between the two parts -- you clamp a chunk of metal tight against the work piece and the heat will be conducted away before it gets to the joint you're trying to preserve. It can also help to have a hotter torch and work fast
Thanks for this video! I've seen ads for this stuff, but I wasn't confident that it worked well until I saw something unbiased like this. Big help.
No prob! Happy to help!
You can also get this at any harbor freight in the welding.rod area, ive used it several times on smaller parts on my rc planes
I cant never get the harbor freight ones to work right.
@@JM-yx1lm Hmmm, their welding wire isn't a problem for me in MIG, but I haven't worked in aluminum.
I'm an aluminum welder by trade, an really welding as you have shown will make the weld brittle and full of porosity. There are cheap mig welders on Amazon for under 100 bucks that can weld up to 1/4 inch
I wonder how well it works for repairing stripped or crosssthreaded aluminum bolt holes. (Fill hole drill and retap)?
I bet it would work really well! Depending on the application of course.
There is a product called Sif 555 aluminium solder. I stripped a thread in the axle clamp on my dirt bike. I helicoiled it but a while later it pulled out. Last chance was the solder. I used oxy acetylene to heat it due to the size and thickness of the area. I drilled and tapped it and it’s still holding up fine years later. The sif stuff seems harder and stronger than T1 aluminium . Pretty impressed personally.
@@mopedmarathon ive used that product also on my yfz450 race quad n would recommend it
It saved me thousands over the years I reckon. The key with using it is to make sure you have a carborising (can’t spell it) flame. A neutral or oxidising flame just makes you ruin a lot of expensive rods. And the ally has to be mega clean. Even if it’s new n shiny it needs a good wire brushing.
I usually melt off some of the flux that coats it and then wipe that around where you're going to put your rod and then your Rod usually melts into it a lot easier
I used to use an alum. rod back in the 70's.... from Forney Welding, Ft. Collins, CO. They would advertise that you could patch a hole in a coke can! It came in handy on an amazing number of projects
yes I have seen them weld a hole in the bottom of a coke can at a sales demonstration at a g*n show years ago
Got a dual battery tray to build and I really didn't want to use screws. This is much cleaner and professional looking. Only have a stick welder and my skill with it is not up to welding aluminum just yet. Thanks for the great tip.
Awesome video! I guess I will have to finally try mine😅. Just a heads up Nate, once aluminum is welded unless heat treated again it's still only a 30-50 psi, joint around the heat effected areas. Depending on the alloy. So in the grand scheme of things it's really not much if any weaker. Also beveling the edges gives it more surface area, meaning a stronger joint. Also this process can anneal any heat treatment.
Thank you! Good to know!
Would the method in this video be able to handle the pressure of a motorcycle radiator?
@@Tinman1985 yes
I take the parts inside and place them on my gas stove. This heats the base extremely well, while I use the torch to heat the top pieces.
I've used this in the past. Harder on larger items, especially since aluminum is a great heatsink.
Something I've never seen done on these videos (no clue why): if you have access to MULTIPLE SIDES of the target, USE. TWO. TORCHES.
I use one with MAPP with a high intensity "wash" nozzle and the other with propane, also with a "wash" flame. Propane puts out much less heat than MAPP, and every bit as important, the hottest part of the propane flame is a couple cm ABOVE where the blue core of the jet is. Do your preheating with the MAPP, then set up the propane on the FAR SIDE of the target, at about 2/3 intensity. from there on out, just use the MAPP in short jets (it'll xfer the heat to the aluminum FAST, and the propane will HOLD it at heat pretty much for as long as it's exposed). This gives you LOTS of working time with the stick.
Likewise: Aluminum IS a great heatsink. So set it on top of something that offer huge thermal RESISTANCE like ceramic, or as another commenter mentioned a brick. I find you can actually fit a couple of those ceramic plates to the jaws of your vise and it won't wick away all that heat, too.
A propane tank WITH TORCH HEAD can be had for like 15 bucks.
You can put the large part on the BBQ for a bit before welding.
Gonna try this on my intercooler piping
I remember seeing infomercials for Alumaloy when I was a kid. Just seeing the name took be back instantly. Thanks for that.
STK 9 dual fuel turbo torch extreme
AND the STK 99!!! Third-generation plumber here from Michigan
9:55 “got penetration”
Is it penetration or bonding? My impression with braze is that it’s bonding, where as welding is penetration and unifying. Looking for clarification.
It is definitely not melting both pieces Soldering perhaps. In any case, it bonds/adheres like a weld. Its good practice to clean with a "virgin" SS steel brush. Heat and re brush. Cleaning is a big deal here. Some people use diluted muriatic acid to wipe then quickly solder...Also, heat and tap the base metal with the rod, on and off till it gets hot enough to pool the rod will fall in place pushing oxidation to the sides. I keep the rod next to the flame to keep it hot and also make sure to wipe it clean before using.
You are correct. With the exception of fusion welding (melting two pieces of metal together without a filler rod) welding happens when you bring both pieces of material above their melting point, then add material (filler rod) to provide an extra measure of strength. Penetration is important in welding. What you have here, in the case of brazing or soldering, you could just think of as "good glue". Penetration is not important, but having the braze material flow between the two pieces is what provides the strength.
Using this for my jeep for small components & electrical box housing and small bracketry and my vintage motorcycle for a custom battery /electrical box.(nothing that will be under any stress.)
Might bea good way to mount my oil cooler radiator too (smallframe w/ brackets to mount it up)
You could put the material on a hot plate while you’re alumawelding it, or place a heat gun under it
I use a large flat brick from a pizza oven
Keep up the good work. You are a natural teacher.
Thanks man! I appreciate it 👍
Due to the low melting point of Alumaloy and very low joint strength doesn't this qualify as soldering and not brazing?
Yes it's technically soldering. The melting point is 750ﾟ and anything under 800 degrees is considered soldering. But most solder melts at around 350 and comes on a roll. I've been soldering and breezing for a living for the last 14 years at my job and this feels much more similar to brazing then soldering. But from a technical stand point you're absolutely right. 👍
quick heat is essential, if it takes too long or you have too long a seam to run the air quickly promotes oxide formation on the hot surface. The flame actually performs the function of shielding the weld, not in the same degree of effectiveness as and envelope of inert gas but still it does consume the oxygen at the point of heating, pulling away allows the air to react to the hot aluminum.
This rod has been around for 25 plus years, a buddy put a nail through a pop can and filled in the hole with it, works great.
I saw a video of them doing that not long ago. I heard tinning gets the best results. Getting the material on both parts before trying to join together
I saw that demo at an agricultural show in Australia in the 90s and haven't seen it since!
Thanks for the walk threw on procedures and glad to see you used MAPP gas here since as you've seen, propane would take longer to get the base metal up to the point where the rod would adhere well. As for use on fuel tanks or pressurized applications, I would of course test first and even wait for a couple of weeks since I've seen other videos describing that some alum weld products would break free under stress. Also, can this work as well for aluminum alloys, cast aluminum? As you may have seen, cast aluminum can have other metals mixed in and I'm no expert yet. I think TIG welding would be the best way to go on structural applications or anything you want to be strong such as motorcycle parts.
Very cool man, I been using those rods from harbor freight for my rc models to make mufflers to scale they work good after you practice a little
That video was way better than those old Alumaloy commercials on late night tv! Those commercials were creepy- almost hypnotic!
Lol thanks man 👍
Might be a silly question to some, but would it polish? Say I built a catch can or overflow reservoir for a hotrod, would these seams stand out if I polished the tank?
I haven't tried yet but I think it would polish up fine!
I remember the day in 1983 at an RV show when I first saw aluminum brazed with a torch, and I thought is was witchcraft and/or fraud. I can appreciate how it's still kind of amazing to see today.
Abotner old school trick is to use a pencil and mark a heavy line at the edge of were you want your material to stop. Go ober the live several times makinb it as dark as you can. Makes for a very clean edge.
Never a good idea to interdouse a contaminate to your weld especially when wrlding aluminum.
@@darcymcnabb9259 its not welding its more like brazing or soldering, and its is drawn on out side of the area your working on, just to keep it from running were you dont want It. Of course not on the weld. Lol.
Thanks for reminding me! I used this stuff at least 10 years ago in my Motorcycle shop in NZ. Brazed a lump of old alloy over a hole in the crankcase after a farmer threw his bike down a gorge - piece of cake with Oxy/acetylene.
Another awesome vid! I've been curious about this too! I saw a guy filling a hole in a motorcycle gas tank with just the rod (running in a circle on the edges, making the hole smaller until it was filled) I really wanted to ask what kind of magic he was using, but he was on the clock...
It may have helped to insulate the bottom piece from the large hunk of metal beneath it so the heat will remain in the Aluminum base.
I never got any decent results from these type of rods, and i worked with soldering and brazing in my job, I gave up on them as snake oil.
Lol they almost are snake oil. They definitely work with a little elbow grease but these can be frustrating and are not even close to the quality joint you get from a copper/brass braze. But for someone without access to a dc tig this can be a good option with enough practice and patience. Still though, they do kinda suck lol
I've used these rods a few times, they work well and are very convenient.
Bought some very similar looking sticks from a local machine shop. No instructions. Was just told a lot of people liked it. Watching this video I can see I've been applying too much heat (oxy-fuel) in too small of area (000 welding tip) when it didn't work. Guess my mind was one-tracked on welding when it's actually used more like solder.
Yes, this is solder/brazing....key word...'low melting point'....the 'rod' is hollow, with the flux inside...
You can weld aluminum...use tig filler wire and there's a good flux you need, I can't recall the name of it...a good welding store can help you out there...
A Lot of kitchenware was aluminum, welded, before TIG was invented...
Melting point of aluminum 1221°F melting point of aluminum oxide 3762°F make sure the aluminum surface is clean.
Ultra cool and ULTRA cheap. Two of my favourite things.
Thanks Nate. Awesome as always. 🤙
Thank you for watching! How inexpensive these rods are is very attractive
Thank you! I've often wondered if this stuff was a gimmick or worth having in the kit for fixing things.
For fixing leaking radiators, I reckon that is perfect 👍
I’ve never used it myself.
But my buddy used repair his aluminum tool box.
Seems to be pretty awesome.
I feel like an idiot.
I forgot the word “it” in my comment.
Oops
I stopped payment on Amazon Prime! No more Amazon for me!!
Amen
Hi interesting video thanks. If you stroke a match stick on the metal close to the parts you are going to braze, if it leaves a brown line then the metal is very close to the temperature need to braze the parts together.
From a professional welder to another yes it has its applications.
A friend (not me I'm not that good) welded a broken gearbox mounting lug on VW Beetle using Lumiweld similar stuff). It did at least 10,000 miles so this stuff is strong. He cleaned up the rough cracked surface and clamped the fragment with a bolt and washers. Aluminium needs lots of heat to get hot enough. Big lumps need a big burner, but use a smaller burner to keep the job area warm enough while brazing.
A piece of stainless wire to stir the pool helps. It has to be stainless ferrous wont work. Metal cleaning has to be a stainless wire brush.
I don't mean to use the You should thing but I think you should have some fire bricks underneath the aluminum so all the heat from the bottom plate doesn't get absorbed straight into the vise.
what about lining the steel jaws of the vice with something like brake pad or brake shoe lining which should afford good grip, tolerate quite high temperatures and not be an excessively good heat sink... get good thermal isolation and a stable platform to solder on?