Aircooled VW South Africa

Aliminium can be welded, with success, with MIG/TIG and gas welding. But either process, it is a bitch to work with!! Not at all easy, but possible.

Yes, You can braze it with oxyfuel and a flux.
Exactly, what do you want to weld?

Wentzel
To gas weld it (or at least my experience with thin sheet) you need to find the right flux - they don't all work so good. Some oldtimers used to make their own. I haven't really tried to find the right flux locally as I have TIG and don't work with ally much anyway.
To TIG weld ally you need an AC welder - reversing polarity cleans the weld as you go.

Welding ally is not as difficult as many would have you think, but 2 things are critical:
Joint must be CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN - get a s/steel wire brush that you use exclusively for that purpose, and clean immediately before welding - ally starts oxidising immediately on exposure to air.

You have to pay a bit more attention to heat, as the ally doesn't change colour before a blob of it melts and falls onto your foot (no nylon running shoes or flip flops - ask me how I know!) There is a slight change in texture and it gets a little shinier to let you know it's ready - you have to be watching for it.
Technique is pretty much the same as any other welding.....

Other than that make sure that you're trying to weld a grade that can actually be welded (some can't)

What do you want to make/fix?

Hi Wentzel,
Agree with the other guys --but if you can master it you will be theâ€

Hi Baron

I think you meant to say aluminium is a GOOD conductor of heat (that's why it's favoured for cooling fins etc)
What happens is you have to put a lot more heat in, because the parent material is pulling it away so fast - more heat may mean less control also.

Big items will normally need to be preheated because of this phenomenon (do this in the kitchen oven at your peril )

Barry

[quote="BARON"]Hi Wentzel,
Agree with the other guys --but if you can master it you will be theâ€

Thanx Guys,

I want to box up an intercooler and make it a water to air intercooler (Chargecooler) and adapt my current alu boost pipes to match the new setup. I did some reading also and got the flux from afrox for alu brazing, s/s brush and a few different rods to try out. I don't have access to an expensive welder but ac/oxy is not a problem. Got a plain old tig welder if it can be used it will be a bonus, 120A Einhell welder. Can get hold of another welder with a home made rectifier to convert it to DC (to some degree at least) but the amps will be lower due to the limitation of the rectifier (40 or 80 A I can't remember).


Would probably try it out in a week or two with the help of my dad, he's got much more experience than me with welding and brazing etc.

What do you guys recommend I start with or try first ?

Hi Wentzel,
What to start with ?
I would say a good breakfast is a good starting point.

baron

Hi,

Found some "Alumoid" welding rods at afrox for use with a dc welder. Anyone with experience on using these? Are they any good?

Thanks in advance.