Chainsaw Repair
Chain - Grinders - Filing - Wood Milling - Tools - Welding - Machinist - Mowers - Tillers => Welding Shop => Topic started by: trappermike on January 28, 2019, 05:40:04 pm
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This is the way it was done in the old days before mig and tig, but you can weld both quite successfully with some practice.
To weld aluminum you use a small diameter flux-coated aluminum arc rod,and weld just like brazing,bring the metal to melting point and let the rod flow in.
Same for magnesium,except you buy bare magnesium rods from a welding shop and a jar of Flux,warm the welding rod first,then dip it in the flux powder,then melt it in,continuously dipping the rod in the flux.
It is hard to tell when these metals are near melting point,I was taught to gently prod the metal with your rod as you're heating it,when it is starting to get soft add your rod,once it;s flowing it goes great.
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I'm not so sure that method is an actual weld .Now first remember I am an actual at one time state of Ohio certified welder although I made my living as an industrial electrician .Having said that I've had number 6 Gas welding tips with gas on aluminum and you can't get it hot enough to puddle because it sags first .With a gas rod you have no gas shield like heli arc which keeps the oxygen off of the molten metal which doesn't change color like steel when it's molten . I'm not saying it can't be done but I've never seen it.If so it would have"sugar " not a good weld .
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Even with Tig welding it is not easy to see the puddle when welding Mag or Aluminum. It takes a trained and eye and practice.
Al does bring up a good point about the shielding gas that you get from Mig or Tig.
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I've seen the vid clips on those supposed "welding rods " .I have no idea what they are made of but the base metal is not melted ,it's more like a braze or hard solder joint .With brass or lead you are heating up the base metal and using it to cause the filler flow .The molecules of the base metal has expanded and the filler thusly flows into it .Which is not saying a joint made like this is not strong it's just not as strong as the base metal .