brazing
Hi folks and I apologize for barging in on your thread.
I have done a good bit of stick welding and tig welding as a part of my job over the years. I saw these rods year after year at gun shows welding pop cans and lawn mower engines.
I finally gave it a try for a couple years ago and found that it does work but believe me it is not as easy as they say.
Aluminum transfer rapidly transfers heat away so it takes extra heat to get up to 7 or 800 degrees it takes to melt the rod. What makes this diffecult is that the temp has to be just right, too low won't melt the rod and too high will blow a MUCH bigger hole than what you started with.
the other thing is that you need to get the surface your are welding hot enough to melt the rod. don't let the torch heat get too close to the rod, it will just make a puddle after melting the rod.
Also, make slow circles with the torch around the hole, again try to keep the heat even. I also think mapp gas is a couple hundred degrees hotter so if i were trying to heat something big, I would definitely spend the extra money on the mapp gas.
And be patient, depending on the size and thickness, it make take a few minutes holding the torch before you get the aluminum not enough to melt the rod.
don't let this discourage you from doing it but I would emphasize the need to find some scrap that is similar in material thickness and size and practice. I believe anyone with a little patience can do it but my bet is the first few tries you will find yourself making bigger holes instead of filling them.
__________________
Tim and Karen
Searching for "Camp Somewhere"
Jimmy Buffet said it's always 5:00
but didn't give the location.
|