HTS-2000 Aluminum Welding?

[davintosh]

I'm sure someone here has used this stuff before...

http://www.aluminumrepair.com/

Is it any good? Does the product perform in real life like they say it does? Looks interesting, and would be great if it did work. I wonder about metal fatigue from heating up the surrounding metal that much.

Curious, because I've got a broken aluminum piece and would rather not pay dealer prices for a replacement, nor sit around waiting to see if they can actually get it anymore.

[1st 5er]

Is your part shippable.

I've got a friend who'll weld it.

[Mike W.]

I've used products something like that if not the same thing and been distinctly unimpressed. Once I felt like it might have worked, maybe, but I wasn't willing to try that oil pan with the baffles welded in it in a real running engine.

While an amateur, I've been gas welding forever, stick for quite a while, moderate MIG and a little TIG. I can fake stainless and cast iron with a torch, the E28 cat I welded up (strange alloy) held up well after 155K, I hold my own with a torch. But those aluminum alloy sticks looked like I stuck chewing gum on some aluminum. I would not buy that product.

[davintosh]

Is your part shippable.

I've got a friend who'll weld it.

Thanks for the offer! The answer is yes and no... It's a broken door handle carrier on the X5. It's still on the car right now, and I don't have a replacement for it. I might have a go at getting it welded if I've got a good part in hand (or in the car) and nothing to lose if it doesn't turn out.

[Mike W.]

Yeah, I don't think that's a good candidate for the gas sticks. Those are much more of a brazing or even soldering process where you're putting something on the surface and using that as a bonding agent, not really welding the two parts together. Actually think epoxy and you'll be closer. I'm sure there's applications where it works, but I suspect they are few and far between.

[mooseheadm5]

It works fine. I've got a meeting but I'll give you some links later.

[mooseheadm5]

http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/alu ... -rods.html

http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/dur ... -rods.html

If you are brazing things like oil pans that have been soaked in oil, you need to do your best to clean them well, but NEVER EVER EVER use chlorinated brake clean to clean something you plan to weld or heat to a high temperature. This can produce phosgene gas which can produce mild death as side effect. Clean with acetone or alcohol, scrub with a stainless brush, and go to town with the repair. I've found the stuff available at Tractor Supply reasonably cheaply, and at my local hardware store by the individual stick for less than $1.

[davintosh]

Thanks for the info, Paul. I stopped by the local TSC over lunch, and they had an 8-pack of Hobart aluminum brazing rods for about $15, so I picked them up. With any luck I'll have a chance to pull the handle apart this weekend and maybe give it a try. I'm not sure exactly where it's broken, but I'm thinking that adding some strips of aluminum along the break might help keep it together. if I can fix the thing rather than spend ~$100 on a replacement...

And if it works on that, I've got a poorly designed e32 door lock actuator bracket that could use some help as well.

[alijonny]

Son of a bitch! I could have used this on my vw's rotted case halves! Hmm. I still have the original single port engine with minor rotting, I will try it one day...

[mooseheadm5]

Thanks for the info, Paul. I stopped by the local TSC over lunch, and they had an 8-pack of Hobart aluminum brazing rods for about $15, so I picked them up. With any luck I'll have a chance to pull the handle apart this weekend and maybe give it a try. I'm not sure exactly where it's broken, but I'm thinking that adding some strips of aluminum along the break might help keep it together. if I can fix the thing rather than spend ~$100 on a replacement...

And if it works on that, I've got a poorly designed e32 door lock actuator bracket that could use some help as well.

The rods are mostly zinc and the repair will be as strong as or stronger than the base material. Adding additional material may be helpful but may not be possible due to clearances. You may want to notch the break a little bit so you get more surface area for the fill rod to bond to in the break region. The handle casting may actually be pot metal (mostly zinc) so be careful not to turn the handle into a blob of molten zinc. Take your time and let it cool between tries.