Subject: Aluminum welding

From: Sandi <[email-masked]>
Date: 19 Sep 1996 02:02:11 GMT

Anybody have any advice on aluminum welding for a novice?
I would like to make things out of aluminum for my RC hobby 
(planes, boats, helicopters, etc.)

Thanks so much for any help!
Tom         [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (David E.Hockin)
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 15:58:34 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,

>(planes, boats, helicopters, etc.)

There is a low temperature aluminium welding process available 
here in Britain. I can't remember the name, but I have it at 
home. It certainly works, and is very easy - quite unbelievable 
when you think about it! A small propane torch will suffuce for 
small jobs. It seems to rely on scratching the surface of the 
aluminium UNDER the pool of molten filler metal, to break through 
the surface oxide layer. It isn't expensive (here at least!) and 
gives a good strong hard alloy weld. The kit just contains a few 
rods of the alloy, in two sizes, and a wire brush and a sharp 
pointed tool. I thought it was more like black magic, until I 
bought some at the last Model Engineer exhibition at Olympia, 
London. I expect it is available in the States - assuming of 
course that's where you are! (Trouble with compuserve - the email 
address is useless for telling what country you're in!)

If you want more gen - email me over the weekend, and I'll look 
it up.

Dave.

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From: "S. Russell Sutton" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 1996 11:12:43 GMT

I recently acquired a Wade Profiler.  I need collets which I'm told are 
'Houdall'  collets.  They are double angle type and maybe someone knows 
who originally made them.  I could use a spindle pulley if anyone has parts.

Russ

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From: "J. M. Reid" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 01:14:40 -0700

A kit like the one described by David is available from Ideal Industrial
Supplies at 2005 Van Epps Road SE,  Olympia WA 98501
360 352 3471
The rod costs $35 a pound, and "welds" most non-ferrous metals

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From: [email-masked] (Nik Semenoff)
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 21:34:36 GMT

While there are special rods sold for welding aluminium, in fact it is
more a soldering function.  I bought some once at a much too expensive
a price, to find that they are basically nothing but zinc.  Since I am
an artist with zinc plates used for etching, I sheared some plates
into rod like dimensions and tried them instead.  Zinc worked
perfectly, just like the special rods.  I have shown a number of
sculptures and metal working types this fact and they all now use
common, inexpensive zinc in what ever form they can get it.

Nik Semenoff
Artist-in-residence