Aluminium Welding made simple

[Griffo]

He makes it look so easy, when i first gas welded (20 ys ago)alloy it was with the standard alloy rods and for the first 3 or 4 tries i just burnt holes in what i was welding and made the problem worse, the big secret is getting the right temprature.

I have to agree! First time I tried it with the oxy I burnt holes, and the resulting weld looked like rat droppings!

[Dave Mac]

You have also got to get rid of any oxidation as it has a higher melting point than the ally. A good scrub with some steel wool in the area to be welded is vital. When heat shrinking aluminum panels, turn your oxy on to just an acetylene flame and soot up the area to be shrunk. Then bring in the oxy to a slightly carbonizing flame and then bring the torch up to the sooty area, about 5 - 10mm away, heating up an area of about a 10 cent piece, then when the soot disappears, have your flat dolly on the inside of the panel and, using a wooden mallet, gently hammer the area. Cool area down with a damp rag. For all you Landrover boys, there you have a heat shrink.