soldering aluminum?

[varmint]

Thanks for the advice, folks. I think the Muggyweld stuff would be the best route, but at $50+ for the smallest order, I hesitate to go that way. I would be willing to invest another $10 or so in aluminum solder (this is a small hairline crack, so it wouldn't take very much solder to fix, if it's gonna fix) before I give up. I can buy a nice new cooler that will work for about $80 (I didn't do all the internet research before buying the Earl's- and it's a nice, NASCAR grade unit... but this is a shop, after all. What to do??

 

[Soundguy]

If you have a northern tools store nearby.. hit it.. they sell the aluminum alloy solder rods... Also check welding supply houses for it... perhaps flea markets..e tc.

Soundguy

 

[john_bud]

I've bought muggy stuff before. Complete and total waste of money. Just my opinion, but for the same or less money, take it to a custom weld shop and have them spend 5 min on it with a tig.

jb

 

[sperry]

J B is right. You need it right the first time with not having to wonder if you'll have oil on the floor.

 

[Eagleview]

I'm afraid that the oil in the Aluminium pores will keep coming out and foil any chance of welding . Is there a possibility of drilling the crack and tapping for a tapered plug ? Depending on the length and position of the crack you should be able to find a brass plug to take the place of the crack . If need be Lock N Stitch have Aluminium plugs that are screwed into the crack . The first one goes in and is ground flush , the second is drilled into the side of the first and so on until you reach the other end . The finished job looks like a series of half moons all joined together .

 

[barneyrb]

I think horse has a point.... most every welding shop here has alum welding rods for gas.

 

[tlbuser]

Earl's suggests an industrial epoxy (?) which doesn't sound good to me- I don't want to go out some day and find 2 gallons of solar oil on the floor.

Ones like this, Hy-Poxy Systems, Inc., will do what you want. Applying a slight vacuum to the piece while patching will help draw epoxy into the repaired area. Check with a HVAC supply house, not lowered standards (Lowe's) or home dumpo...

 

[GeneD14]

I am currently running a company that manufactures thousands of aluminum and stainless heat exchangers per year. When a heat exchanger has a leak at the braze joint we sometimes put pressure on it in a restraining fixture and then bake it again. If the leak is easy to get to from the exterior we TIG weld it. I would guess that even our very experienced repair people loose over 1/3 of what they try to fix.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm afraid that the oil in the Aluminium pores will keep coming out and foil any chance of welding .

Every time I've ever welded or brazed / soldered oil lines.. i just use a torch to burn out the crack first... never had a problem with doing that..

soundguy

 

[john_bud]

Sound,

That works for steel, but aluminum will melt before you can burn off the oil. Silly to make stuff out of it...

Professional shops will have degreaser tanks. They do it often. May or may not be successful, but a pro with a Tig would be my 1st and 2nd choice. 3rd choice involves cuss words, more oil on the floor and the puchase of a new one....

jb