Has anyone ever glued aluminium?

[MikeG.]

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can help me? I can't find an aluminium extrusion in the profile I need, and have come up with a way of machining 2 standard extrusions to overcome the problem. However, I then need to join the two extrusions along their length (ie side-by-side).

I don't think that they would be suitable for welding......and I can't TIG weld anyway.......there must be zero distortion or gollops of weld because moving parts pass fairly tightly through the extrusions.

I have heard that aluminium is glued regularly these days. Does anyone know what adhesive is best for this, and where it is obtainable? It will be mill finished aluminium.

This is why I haven't posted any woodwork for weeks now!!

Thanks for any help!!

Cheers

Mike

 

[Steve Maskery]

Sorry Mike, it's not possible.

Al is very electropositive. It's virtually impossible to stop it reacting with oxygen to produce aluminium oxide. It happens in an instant. To weld it you have to drive off the AlO (I forget the ratio - is it Al2O3? ) and a glue is not going to do that. Araldite is probably the best optional and that is not excellent.

Sorry to be the harbinger of doom.
S
PS, Of course, if someone knows differently, I'm all ears.

 

[motownmartin]

I have used a similar adhesive to this Loctite to repair an Aluminium casting some years ago, maybe worth a try

 

[motownmartin]

The link doesn't work properly, just enter this into the search

Loctite® Hysol® 3475 A&B - Metal Set A1

 

[MooreToolsPlease]

have a look at this thread from another forum I visit,
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=3241.0
I dont know where you could find it, but it might be just the thing for this application?

 

[Jake]

There will be an awful lot of planes falling out of the sky if it turns out that aluminium can't be glued after all.

Unlike for a weld, I suspect the oxide layer is irrelevant

 

[newt]

Audi, Lotus and the aero industry glue aluminum on load bearing structures.

 

[Grinding One]

You guys never heard of alumaloy?? I saw a man weld a hole in a pop can bottom after he poked it with a screwdriver.You can fix properllers on boats and cracks in aluminum heads most everything alumium can be welded with it and a propane bottle torch....I have bought some and it works great.JUst as advertised.But I knew that after watching the guy do it....oh and it can be machined afterwords too.sands like metal or use a file on it....you choose.
Anyway it comes in rod form ,you heat both serfaces to be joined touch the rod to the space you want joined with propane on and it starta to melt into the joint,let cool and file,sand to finish.Works a treat.The pop can was not distorted at all and held water afterword.

 

[MikeG.]

G One,

that sounds interesting!! It will have a different trade name over here......I don't supoose you can find a link to it can you?

Mike

 

[Grinding One]

I have twenty rods left,I`ll have a look see for paper work tonight.

 

[Wanlock Dod]

I believe that some epoxies are good for metal bonds, and I'm sure I've heard somewhere that it is posible to get special prep treatments for metals to provide the best bonding surface.

http://www.westsystem.com/webpages/userinfo/manual/index.htm#2.1

This site recommends an aluminium etch kit, and it's certainly a well respected brand.

Cheers,

Dod

 

[Oryxdesign]

You can glue it as others have said, you can also glue with epoxy resin with the appropriate filler but, you've got me interested, what are you making?
Simon

 

[MikeG.]

Matt,

thanks for that.......no sooner did I reply to the Grinding One asking for more info than your link opened and I found it was the same sort of thing. That looks pretty good........particularly the low levels of heat required.

Still, I am sure that there are glues thatwork without any heat at all......

Thanks for the Loctite link, Martin..........I ring them in the morning. That is more the sort of thing I'm after, I reckon.

Mike

 

[Oryxdesign]

I believe that some epoxies are good for metal bonds, and I'm sure I've heard somewhere that it is posible to get special prep treatments for metals to provide the best bonding surface.

http://www.westsystem.com/webpages/userinfo/manual/index.htm#2.1

This site recommends an aluminium etch kit, and it's certainly a well respected brand.

Cheers,

Dod

They do courses, general stuff about using epoxies, really enjoyable. I did one some years ago, they give you about the same in value in product as the course costs.

 

[Hitch]

We used to do it regualrly. It was using an adhesive from 3M, a 2 part 1:1 mix, the nozzle was the mixer.

Iirc, it was called either Scotch-weld or Scotch-bond.



Edit, a quick search assumes its Scotchweld.

 

[Grinding One]

OK heres the dope--LDM INDUTRIES INC.
P.O.Box 292396
Tampa,Florida 33687-2396
Phone # 1 813 991 4277
Fax # 1 813 991 4810
Ask for Mystic Welding Rod for welding aluminum
It says will repairAluminum,copper,brass,galvanized,pot metal and even300 series stainless steel .It will also jion dissimilar metals.It flows when the base metal reaches 720 to 800 degrees....heating to be done by propane or mapp gas torch

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well, I'm learning a lot.
S

 

[Jake]

Ask for Mystic Welding Rod for welding aluminum
It says will repairAluminum,copper,brass,galvanized,pot metal and even300 series stainless steel .It will also jion dissimilar metals.It flows when the base metal reaches 720 to 800 degrees....heating to be done by propane or mapp gas torch

That's brazing, rather than welding (I think!).

It doesn't sound an easy process, Steve, so you weren't that far wrong.

 

[wizer]

Come on Mike, spill the beans, you have me interested too.

 

[gidon]

I had some very helpful advice on this thread on silver soldering / brazing:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... highlight=

B&Q sell Aluminium brazing rods IIRC - but not tried them.

Jake if you read that thread brazing or silver soldering is not too tricky and cheap to have a go at.

Cheers

Gidon