Alumiweld - a product that does what's advertised.

[Shannow]

Was in "Toolking" the other day, and saw their video running on how to repair holes in beer cans, and bought a handfull of sticks.

Yep, it fixed a hole I punched in a beer can, wetted the Al, and had the surface tension to seal the hole...then started on a list of other jobs, like installing a draft tube into a catch can.

Was really happy with it.

Here's some ideas

 

[michaelluscher]

Interesting.

 

[mimelio]

http://durafix.com/

 

[Brad_C]

I keep some in my toolbox. Sometimes you just don't need to break out the TIG and for non structural stuff it's often much quicker and easier.

 

[RF Overlord]

If this stuff is for real, it's pretty amazing...

 

[Brad_C]

It's basically zinc and works as solder for aluminium. It's not really brazing and it's certainly not welding. It does work as they advertise and for non-structural stuff it's cheap and easy.

 

[Trav]

Thanks for that Shannow, it seem like another good product to have handy.

 

[tig1]

I've seen this before and it works great for beer cans. This is a soldering process, not welding which actually penetrates the base metal.

 

[OneEyeJack]

It's been around for a long, long time. I've used it to repair aluminum heads, bell housings, transmission housing and cylinder blocks with excellent results.

 

[Vikas]

That demo with the banging by the hammer suggests it can handle structural load?

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
That demo with the banging by the hammer suggests it can handle structural load?


That was impressive. The butt joint was stronger than the metal itself. And the diamond plate butt joint where he bends it over with a wrench.

 

[Brad_C]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Vikas
That demo with the banging by the hammer suggests it can handle structural load?


That was impressive. The butt joint was stronger than the metal itself. And the diamond plate butt joint where he bends it over with a wrench.


Zinc has different metallurgical properties than Aluminium, so it's less malleable and generally harder. Again, great for anything non-structural, but for critical or highly loaded pieces different enough from the Ally that you may well end up with stress cracking on the join or the zinc cracking itself. A bit like what happens when you weld aluminium alloys that are not designed to be welded.

One thing that does not seem to rate a mention (and personally the most useful feature) is that once the aluminium is "tinned" with this stuff, you can use it to solder to other dissimilar metals.

I've used it to seal a crack in the floor of an aluminium boat that was made from a riveted non-weldable alloy, but I would not use it to fix a broken mount on my transmission. That was welded. I treat it like JB-weld on steroids.

 

[Shannow]

Brad C, great commentary, and yes, I have read but not done the Al/copper thing with it yet.

Yes, it's not structural.

But I wish that I had this back in the 80s when me and a mate were trying to make a triple downdraft carb set up for his straight 6.

 

[Brad_C]

The sad thing (for us) is it has been around in the US for years. A bit like JB Weld, it took years and years for it to be available down under.

 

[another Todd]

You don't need to fix a beer can with a hole in it, just drink the beer and throw away the can (or recycle).

 

[greasegunn]

I'm not familiar with welding - is there a similar product for carbon steel?

 

[Cujet]

I used that stuff way back in the 1980's to built aluminum velocity stacks, intake manifolds and air filter mounts for large thumper dirt bikes. I used a typical oxy acetylene welding torch set and a gentle flame. While it was "non structural", the carburetors and velocity stack/air filter mounts never failed. And, the carb flange held all the weight.

I now have a TIG welder for my projects, but I still have a few sticks of that stuff in my old torch set.

You've brought back some very good memories!!!!

 

[tom slick]

Originally Posted By: greasegunn
I'm not familiar with welding - is there a similar product for carbon steel?


Soldering and brazing are the ferrous metal equivelant and have been around forever.

 

[sleddriver]

I remember seeing a demo of this years ago..what is surprising is you haven't been able to get this in your country..until recently?? Wow....

Never realized it would fill a hole THAT LARGE in a beer can. Nor fix a broken off ear...with threads. Amazing...

 

[Shannow]

sleddriver, it's been here for a long time, but it's always the fairs and field days, alongside the one armed bandit oil additive sellers (the sump off 215 slant 6 died a long time ago).

Get to the end of the "show", and rods getting sold at $5 per.

First time I've seen them locally, in a shop, so I got them (5 for $13)