Soldering Aluminium

[duckdog]

Anyone here have any experience soldering aluminium? I am working on a project boat and I am curious what luck you have had?

 

 

Nelson

[BITEME]

IRISHFIELD IS THE MAN TO TALK TO

RESIDENT ALUMINIUM DOCTOR

[irishfield]

Rivet a patch on it and forget it..for the rest of your life!

[Uncle Buck]

i thought they made duct tape silver so it would match when you'd patch aluminum...

[irishfield]

Don't laugh Goran...I do use it on my aircraft engine cooling baffles when I'm too lazy to fix a crack!

[duckdog]

Rivet a patch may be the way to go, solder it as best I can seal around it then patch it, would heavy rivets in a rivet gun work or go with the big guys? Here is a pic of the problem

[irishfield]

Skip the solder/welding PERIOD. It just weakens the parent material to each side of the weld and next year your'll have two cracks for the price of one.

 

Is this just a tinny with full access to the inside? If so haul the thing over here and I'll fix it if you donate $75 to the Cancer Society.

[BITEME]

Thats very COOL Wayne!!!!!!

[lew]

Yer a good man Mr. Irish

[irishfield]

Gotta stay on this Good Karma thing Lew! lol

[duckdog]

I feel like a complete ass saying this but there is no way that I could do that my dad towed the boat home as I have no hitch and I am a stay at home dad at the present my wife is the only working one at the moment, until Jan 2nd then I go back, so my time is very limited. I am so very sorry I hope this does not sound callous as my wife works at the hospital and see's what happends head on as I also lost my grandfather to cancer and a few friends I have that have survived breast cancer plus my mom has had several cancerous cists removed from her nose so you can see the cure and cause meens alot to me, I just cant come up with time time, money or resources to take you up on that but congrats on such an amazing offer.

 

 

Nelson

[bigbuck]

How bout getting your dad to tow it over to Wayne's place for the $75 donation to a cause you know all about.

Wayne, you're a good man Charlie Brown!!!

[irishfield]

No problems Nelson...I just thought I'd offer. Offer stands until Spring when I head back up North for the summer.

Edited November 2, 2007 by irishfield

[misfish]

[duckdog]

I would love to other then as I said I am off work right now and parental pay is very little I dont have $75 to donate let alone the gas money to get there. I do feel bad that I can not donate the money but that is the case right now, but as it stands I am still interested in anyone who would like to offer the advice. I hope this does not sound rude as it is not suppose to, cash is at a high shortage right now so I am trying to do this with the little free time I have and what ever scraps I can find so me and my family can all go out next year :-)

 

 

Nelson

 

How bout getting your dad to tow it over to Wayne's place for the $75 donation to a cause you know all about.

Wayne, you're a good man Charlie Brown!!!

[irishfield]

I can walk you thru it Nelson...it's still gonna cost you a $15 tube of Sikaflex 291...a piece of 5052 or 6061T6 Aluminum to make the patch, if you can find it local, and a few dozen solid or avex tank rivets. You will also need the tools to pull or set said rivets.

Edited November 2, 2007 by irishfield

[duckdog]

Thank you very much irishfield, I am guessing the rivets should be about 1/2" apart? and should I drill a stopper hole at both ends of the crack? I really do appreciate this, I also thank you once again for such a tremendous offer :-)

 

 

Nelson

[irishfield]

Thank you very much irishfield, I am guessing the rivets should be about 1/2" apart? and should I drill a stopper hole at both ends of the crack? I really do appreciate this, I also thank you once again for such a tremendous offer :-)

Nelson

 

Yes...you need to put a small hole at each end of the crack..beyond it actually to be sure you got it and 3/32 is plenty big for that. Then make your patch so it's at least 2 inches beyond the crack in each direction for all 4 sides. Then you want to drill a double staggered row of rivets around the perimeter of the patch. These rivets are about an inch apart. First row about 1/4" in from the edge of the patch...next row about an inch further in and centered between each of the first rows rivets. Also u should have a few rivets about 3/8" away from the crack on each side of it. Once you have all your holes done you need to debur everything by HAND turning a larger drill bit in all the holes...scuff the patch and the hull and apply a good layer of Sikaflex to the patch. Dip each rivet in Sikaflex before install and then set them all. DO NOT USE SHEEEET RIVETS FROM CTC !

Edited November 4, 2007 by irishfield

[cisco]

I'd predict the left side will encounter the same stress crack in future. Wayne gives great advice as always. An old boat like that can also be fixed strong by getting a few things from a marine supply store. I'd get a small amount of reducer along with a 1/2 pint of epoxy resin and hardener (combined volume when you mix both for 5 minutes to get it to activate. Composite material should be what the store recommends, but one layer of 5.5 or 6.5 oz Kevlar (yellowish-gold coloured cloth) is more than fine. Cut two pieces of Kevlar, one for each side of the middle keel there to fit between the keels and remove/sand the loose stuff off the aluminum. The repair side looks pretty clean now, but I'd do the other side just in case. Unlike polyester resin like you get for car repairs, the epoxy stuff is both an adhesive and is waterproof. Do the job under warm conditions, say, 60 degrees F using worklight heat or ? this time of year. Wipe the area down with the reducer until rag is clean so contaminants are removed, then using a cheap dolla store small paint roller wet the area with some mixed resin. Then lay the cloth down and roll on some more resin till air bubbles are removed. I use disposable surgical gloves cuz the stuff gets a bit messy.

 

Some places sell small repair kits containing all the stuff needed for a small repair. Check the marine supply store to see what they have. Shouldn't cost much depending on minimum volumes/amounts you must buy. $30-$40. my guess.

[duckdog]

Well it looks like it happened do to the seat bracket being loose and any weight on that seat would be sitting on the hull directly behind the rib, now I am not sure wich way I will be going about repairing it lots of ways come to mind the riveting is awesome the glass is very convenient and I am still wondering about brazing rods like alumaloy there is a guy on ebay selling them very cheap and only 3$ shipping, any thoughts on pro's cons?

 

 

 

Nelson

[cisco]

I bought some and tried it off that Ebay guy. You need a plumbers torch which is different than a regular propane torch. The Plumbing torch burns acetalene which is slightly hotter which is required to melt the crap. I did it but wasn't impressed and laid composites over it anyway. LOL! The Ebay guy didn't really explain the acetelene torch part very clearly.... and not many guys have access to one...... which maybe explains why it is left unclear to potential buyers.

Edited November 5, 2007 by cisco

[duckdog]

The one I am refering to states all you need is a propane torch http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIt...A:IT&ih=018 the auction has ended but he says he has lots more. But the main thing that I here is propane does not heat up enough for a correct bond, wich makes plenty off sense, so I may just go the composit method as I have all the supplies here, I am wondering instead of kevlar would glass cloth work? I have tons :-) One other question any good ideas on removing old tar? I am thinking of laying the stripper on it them using my buddies pressure washer and blowing it off?

 

 

Nelson

[cisco]

I tried the regular propane and it didn't work. Couldn't get the rod to melt. The plumbers torch worked fine but for a long weld on thick material like a boat hull it wasn't very good in my opinion.

 

Regular glass will work. Use a few layers laid in different directions so the fabric strength is evened out over the repair area. Just remember to use EPOXY resin and to STIR it for the time recommended.... 3 to 5 minutes. You have at least 1/2 hour working time with it befoe it goes off, so don't rush the job.

[duckdog]

Well I am going with irishfields suggestion I would like to extend an open welcome to all the suggestions and a great big thanks to irishfield now on to painting questions lol

[duckdog]

Well for sure I know the reason now for the crack, the seat vertical supports sit on 90 degree brackets riveted to the bottom well the vertical brackets are sitting right on the bottom of the boat, I think I will remove the uprights and place them inside the 90 degree and re rivet them 1/4" above the bottom of the hull, here is a pic for a little definition