Aluminum Welding Rods: What You NEED to Know
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ต.ค. 2022
- Every beginner can easily learn how to weld aluminum! Aluminum welding rods like these Alumiweld Rods from Harbor Freight make welding aluminum without a Tig Welder or Spool Welder possible. This system is affordable and the process is simple. These aluminum welding rods make it possible to to braze weld aluminum in the field, in the shop or on the job site.
There are several brands of these aluminum welding rods but in this video I used the Alumiweld rods from Harbor Freight. The price for these aluminum rods is under $20 which makes them very affordable. Welding aluminum with these rods requires practice to be sure. I found that there are three key factors for success with brazing aluminum. The first is surface preparation. Sanding, wire brushing and a thorough cleaning with a solvent like acetone or alcohol is a critical foundation to the process. The second key is stabilizing the piece to be welded. Clamping and immobilizing the aluminum that you are working on will assist in heat flexing. The third factor that I found was temperature. The Alumiweld rods have a working temperature of 730° which oddly enough is the same max temperature of MAP gas. The max temperature of propane is about 600°, so I chose to use MAP. I found that evenly heating the parent metal along the entire length of the weld worked best for me. I also notice more success when I didn't "rush" the temperature/process.
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With a little practice, braze welding aluminum can become a valuable skill for any handyman! 🟣Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/mrfredsdiy/
where do I get 6061 aluminum
This post showed what most people miss when they try these products.... without success.
Proper preparation of materials is key to success! Removing all contaminants and oxidisaion leaves a prime surface for connection.
That was fun to watch, thanks! I'm going to give it a try!
This is perfect. I'm going to be making a bed frame for my camper.
Great video.
You are spot-on...the secret for them to work, is to prep the surfaces. If you do not, the weld will not hold beyond a casual tap.
The first time I used these, I was in a hurry and thought the two parts looked clean enough....Fail.
They are pretty amazing though. You can even use them to patch an aluminum boat that has a hole in it. As a practice, I punch a hole (dime size) in the bottom of an aluminum can, and use the rod in circles around the hole. It gradually fills in and closes the hole. (It also teaches you on the heat application of the base metal....too hot and the aluminum will melt down, especially if it is really thin.)
Thanks
My first few attempts with these things did not end well. That’s probably why I wanted to share this video lol. Thanks for watching.!
wire wheels tend to overheat the aluminum and can embed contaminants under the surface of the aluminum, making it uncleanable with solvents or significant sanding. its better to initially wipe the aluminum down thoroughly with acetone to wash all loose contaminants off of the surface, followed by prepping the weld joint with a light abrasive (scotch-brite abrasives, fine-grit sanding disks, a stainless steel wire brush, etc). finish by again cleaning with acetone and drying thoroughly before welding or brazing. this should allow for a smoother and higher quality weld to be made, with desirable aesthetics as well.
not trying to be an ass but steps like these can greatly enhance the quality of your work as well as assisting in smoother operation of welding equipment- the old timers taught me this stuff
hope it helps
Fantastic tips! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing Very educational appreciated 🤝
Good demo and test. Thx for sharing.
Thanks and and you are welcome!
Nice video. Looks like it works.
For cast aluminum I found stick welding with E4043 rods works great on old outboard parts. Good penitration for working outdoors in windy conditions too. But the best way to weld aluminum is mig or tig. But just DIY now and then works great
Great demo..Just like soldering copper...i may have some uses for this such as tool box latch repair
Well, for more than a year I have been looking for how to weld aluminum and your way of welding is the best, thank you very much
Buy a Primeweld Tig and just weld it.
This stuff is basically aluminum caulking.
Actually, this did not show any welding.
I used"em to weld a bracket that holds a (EDF)electric ducted fan jet engine on my model airplane, works like a charm ,thx for share
I cracked up laughing when you did the steel test. Nice video.
Just having a little fun! Thanks for watching!
Thanks man, answered my question whereas I don’t have a tig machine n have never tig welded 😅
I really believe most people know you cannot weld aluminum to steel, but good demo on the aluminum rods.
yes.... i totally knew that.. i just wanted to watch the video in case.. my cat didn't know🤦
just for... you know... everyone else reading this, what would somebody use?
I had a customer come in asking me to weld his running boards back onto his vehicle, seems the last person that welded them on didn’t do a good enough job. Half way through the job I realized the problem, aluminum to steel. I was wondering about my sanity after that one!! The welds were very crapy but it does work!
Anybody know if? What about “galvanised steel” pipe. Trying to do something simple “artsy”.
@@Wigglewonks i ended up using brass and steel. i have been experimenting with lead tin silver and aluminum. its not too great so far, right up there with hot glue
@@Mitchell_is_smart._You2bs_dumb appreciate it!
Cool ❤, now I know!
I fixed my truck tool box worked perfect. Still holding after 4 years use it almost daily.
what type of metal did you weld with these rods on your tool box? was it diamond plate?
BRILLIANT 🤝🇬🇧
I bought this plastic tube of aluminum rod now used up. I need to replace now. You know good place to get this rod?
Will this work just to fill holes on metal like running boards and I will cart
Thankyou will try ,but sandals that could hurt
This guy welds in the same outfit I do shorts and flipflops!!!!
Thanks for the vid. Some of the similar products on Amazon say they can weld ice cubes to blocks of cheese they're so versatile. I tried brazing two pieces of steel together and no dice. But this stuff has been useful for a lot and no $1000 tig machine and all the trappings needed!
I had co worker convicted after I told him to go get me some concrete welding rods and I show you a thing or to.. dumb ass did my boss got wind of his search and was hot! Priceless moments 😁😁😁
Do it Fred, DO IT!!!
The only experience I have had with taking a blowtorch to aluminium is to watch the piece disappear before my eyes
I've seen Indian people here on TH-cam solder using some kind of tin and flux. But I want to try aluminum rods. Do you think adding flux on the radiator before burning the aluminum rod makes it stick better? I plan on repairing my tractor's radiator. Thanks.
Hello I really enjoyed your video and expect to try it out sometime!
But I just can’t help myself your little Jerry can really needs to vent and I thought you must be a really tough guy to be wearing flip flops 😂😂But I was very impressed with how steady your hands are I have tremors so I always have to find a way to rest my hands on something but anyway Well done 😀🇨🇦
With some practice this technique will serve you well! Thank you for commenting.
Are those osha approved steele toe flip flops you are wearing??
3:30 Doing metal work while squatting down on the floor wearing flip flops - is this to appeal to the Asian market?
I am hoping to make a bike trailer using this sort of weld, hope it holds up as good as yours
Hi, I've got a project where I'm trying to braze large pieces, about 4' length. Every vid I see only shows about 2" to 4" of test. How long of an increment should I attempt at a time? I'm assuming I can't heat the entire 4 feet without one end cooling down again. Also, should I be worried about reheating the parts that have existing braze weld? Thanks for the insight. I need it, trying this for the first time with zero welding experience
I would clamp both sides if possible while making the braze weld. As one end cools the metal will definitely move. Good luck and let us know how it turns out!
How long do these brazed joints tend to last? Will it crack after a few months or years of vibration? Wondering if I can use it to make reliable car intake manifolds or intercooler tubing.
I wouldnt use it for an intake or any application that has a lot heating and cooling cycles.
Thank you for your video. Is there a way to sandwich two pieces of aluminum instead of standing one up and brazing the edges? I would like to add flat pieces of metal on top of another metal.
This is not really welding, this is soldering. It's strong enough for a lot of things but it's more like gluing than welding.
At least if it's being used on a low strength aluminum alloy, and the heat is high enough, there's a chance of a metallurgical bond or even a partial one. There's no chance of that with steel and that's not what soldering or brazing attempts to do either. Clearly not for industrial applications but a weekend warrior/DIY'er can surely make good use of this like they would a JB Weld.
So it makes a bond that is stronger then the metal itself.
Oh I didn't watch the video first. Instructions on use of these is never put in direct flame. Only use the heat of the piece to melt the base
Is there hotter map torches?
My BernzOmatic 4000 with Map gas won't get my thicker aluminium base plate hot enough make this rod stick.😢
I think it 6061 alloy
Add a insulator (welding blanket, silicon hot pad, etc) between the aluminum and whatever's holding it to minimize heat transfer between the two. Aluminum is already a excellent heat sink, stick it on top of a piece of steel or in a vice with no insulator and you'll never get it heated up to the required temperature.
Yeah that’s more of a braze than weld, as it doesn’t melt the base metals. Quite strong result, though, likely due to good prep. For AC Tig aluminum welding it is critical to brush through the aluminum oxide, and not induce any contaminants. Stainless steel brush, cleaned either with isopropyl alcohol or acetone, and only used for prepping aluminum…
these rods don't work on magnesium alloys either so being able to ID the base metal is important. I know by experience trying to do repairs on chainsaw parts which are magnesium alloy except for the forward carry handle, which is aluminum and will repair nicely with this rod alloy.
Good to have safety glasses on. When was the last time you dropped molten metal or anything heavy or sharp on your uncovered Fred Flintstones?
far less often than dropping molten metal that ALWAYS finds the ONE hole amongst all those layers of leather and kevlar...
i got sick of undoing boots whilst ball bearings burnt through my toes, and just go bare-foot, pakistani "safety boot" style now.
I have no experience with this, used a butane (kitchen type) torch and aluminum rod to solder two stainless steel M14 washers together, it held well. It is unusually convenient and seems to be strong enough for light uses.
I want to get my hands on some nickel silver rods, mapp torch to braze and re-test.
Btw, I found out this random info while doing some research:
If MAPP torch flame isn’t blue, (like yellow), the fuel isn’t burning 100% and probably producing carbon monoxide, deadly in areas with poor ventilation.
Please, for complete beginners, can you say more about what we need to know about handling the flame? How should the flame be set, what part of the flame should contact the piece, how long are you actually heating the pieces, how much do I need to move the flame around? Any cautions to be aware of?
The hottest part of the flame is at the end of the “blue cone”. With map-pro gas like I am using in the video, (that burns at about 3700°F) it only takes a few minutes to heat the project aluminum to the required 720°F. I move the flame around both sides that I want to join to get them up to temperature evenly. It’s best to not let the metal get too much hotter than the 720°. This can be done by periodically testing with the rod to see if it will melt by touching the metal as opposed to melting in the flame. The metal should melt the rod.
Aluminum is a good heat conductor, so long as both parts get good heat, it's not so important which bit of the parts is heated.
Might consider heating from the back side too.
Wow you need to go back to shop class lady
There. I did it. I was the 666th person to like this video. Now y'all can press the like button again. You're welcome Mr. Fred.
How would you use these on a crack in a large 3/16 aluminum boat. I have trouble getting the metal hot enough. The crack is only 3 inches.
I would use mapp gas and heat an area several inches around the crack as well as the crack. Heat will dissipate very quickly on a larger surface area like an aluminum boat.
get friendly with a waterproofer., road worker, or similar... one of those guys with a BIG blowtorch, for working in certain waterproofing compounds... cus thats the biggest issue of aluminium, its sucking all teh heat away....
if you can prop a camp oven under it, a gas burner...
then you run the issue of permanent warping as the area heated is so large and the hull buckles...
pay someone with a TIG.
এই এসটিক ঢাকায় পাওয়া যাবে জানতে চাই
Hi guys and gals. Does the melted rod material go towards heat kinda like solder does when soldering copper?
What I noticed is that the rod melts and seems to just pool with gravity.
nope. its zinc, doesnt seem to flow or run... its not under flux. you gotta sort of scrape it under the surface of the aluminium oxide layer as it is.
spent years silver soldering/brazing... i only noticed the "flow towards/away from heat" as rather subtle, and definitely not anything to really consider at all. generally, "flow to where-ever is hot enough to tin, clean enough to tin, and has sufficient flux" was more the deal...
@@paradiselost9946 thank you for taking the time to reply! Much appreciated.
Can i use it for my crank case hair-crack?
I don’t think you could get the crank case hot enough (730°f)
I wanted to braze an aluminum box together for an air intake system, but I'm wondering how it will hold up with the engine vibrations over time.
That’s a fine question. Braze welds like these are not like an arc weld but they are strong. I have a spare tire mounting bracket that I brazed together about 4 years ago that shows no signs of weakening. Thanks for the comment!
@@MrFredsDIY Sweet, thank you!
Can these be used on leaking gutter seams?!
I suppose it’s possible! I have used these rods to braze similar material in this video▶️th-cam.com/video/T8oqgoZ9fyE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=QHUBAsO5yREGTmYH
make sure you use a stainless steel wire brush
One question, I see the aluminum flat seemed to bend easily. My concern is the annealing the aluminum. The "weld" is strong, but now the base material has been weakened. Could you do a bend test (with lbs of force needed to bend the base material) before and after the braising?
Interesting perspective!
It's brazing, welding involves fusion of the parent and host metal.
I’ve used these Alumiweld rods successfully for a few projects using 6063 AL extruded stock and can confirm the aluminum definitely gets annealed / softened. Over the course of a few days / weeks the aluminum will slowly reharden. If you don’t want to wait that long you can bake it in an oven for one to two hours at 380 to 400 degrees F.
@@desolder75 thank you, it was hard to find that data
project farm did a video where he tests the strength of these rods, they're good
Did you use a stainless wire wheel.. you must use a non ferrous type. If not you impart iron to the aluminum. Embellishment.. you should mention what type you used..
can you use that rod for copper to copper and copper to aluminum?
I don’t think that copper is one of the metals listed on the label. Thanks for commenting!
Use SILFOS for copper and copper alloys. Do not use in applications where this joint comes in contact with combustion products.
What is this welding rod
How long does it usually take to completely cool? Do I need to remove or clean anything such as flux after the weld? Thanks.
My project took about 15 minutes to cool down. There is no flux in this process so no special cleaning needed! Thanks for the question!
@@MrFredsDIY Thanks clarifying.
Thanks
Excellent, however that gas can in the background might send a careless message. Oh, and the outboard motor?
But you are very detailed in the presentation. Thanks
Will Butane gas work?
Yes, butane burns hot enough to achieve the 720° necessary to melt the rods. Great question!
ok..aluminum and iron don't close that easily...but iron and tin solder together? It's probably not the best solution, but I suggest that there is a slightly stronger joint than aluminum ?
these are zinc. with the right flux and surface prep, they will "tin" steel, just like galvanising...
I'd love to keep dreaming of what I can build but I cant find where to get metal without paying 200 alone in shipping
The base metal is bending because you annealed the aluminum by heating it up. You need to re-temper the aluminum after brazing.
re-temper? What do you mean by that?
Because you are not melting the base metal it is brazing not welding.
They call this an aluminum welding rod but in reality, it is a Zinc rich filler rod and the process is actually brazing. if you really want to test the weld, do a T joint and then do a face bend.
Had a feeling it wouldn’t work on the steel.
TIG is the "steel brazing". Yes you can braze steel with a torch but that's just a waste of time and money. Brazing is better for softer metals, but Brazing is actual welding compared to Soldering.
The weld might be OK but the heat anneals the surrounding aluminum and the whole thing falls in a heap, so to speak. Most of the strength is gone.
try with aluminum and copper mix copper
Excuse my ignorance, but isn't this soldering, not welding?
Not supposed to use wire wheel if stainless not good
Good to know now put some boots on and stay safe🤣🤷🏼
It would have been a better show if it didn't sound like a harbor freight advertisement.
these arent actually aluminium. theyre zinc.
i got a massive box years ago, and whilst ive only "welded" with them... three times, i HAVE used a fair few dissolved in HCL to make soldering flux!
Why does this feel like one big Advert by an employee or business owner
You can't braze without brass.
Smart! Im going to have to say who"s smarter! like that guy that sold you that overpriced (everbuilt ) 6inch flat !!! @3/16 and not even heated??????? Of course it wont work that way!
:faceplam: not welding. this is brazing. WELDING involves getting the two pieces you wish to weld to a critical temp and fusing them together with filler. :THUMBSDOWN:
Welding is danger
I don’t think it’s a good idea to have your gas can on top of the car battery. A small amount of moisture on the bottom of that plastic can you could see your garage go up and poof of flame
My mom won't let me mess around with hot stuff only when I'm baking cookies when Mom lets me so I'll use Elmer's glue to weld stuff my mom says it's dangerous and you guys are gonna hurt youselfs
More like aluminum hot glue.
I can tell that you are college educated.
You. Slow
1:00 people asking Many day's why the hell veteran Vanaraud don't taken medicine of the God's answers is because god's wanted to used the medicine to clean up the part's god is great even his medicine helps aluminum part's not only human s....
That's not wilding at all that's glorified soldering