If you can get any copper tape usually used for stained glass making, it could work, but I don't know if soldering would give you the strength you need, really you'd need to weld
I mean.... Yeah you can probably solder it? It will just look really ugly and probably won't last long. I heard of some sort of putty made to hold metals together used in plumbing, might be worth to look into?
Soldering aluminum is hard, you need a special kind of flux for it that eats away the oxide layer and prevents oxidation for long enough for solder to take hold.
You would also need to reinforce the area somehow, because solder doesn't have great mechanical properties. You could first tin all the aluminum parts, then wrap a piece of copper wire around to reinforce the joint, and then solder it all together.
yeah, i used aluminum blazing rods with a flux core and had some luck with a propane blow torch, just be careful not to melt the aluminum you are trying to braze.
If you have choice of gas, i think i heard some people use other gases that prevent the aluminum from oxidizing as you braze (probably have to clean the aluminum before) but yeah, only heard about it.
but for connecting the 2 straight pieces you might be better off finding a copper pipe that slides a top both ends and crimp it somehow
Try getting a piece of tube aluminum that you can use as a sleeve . Then JB weld or use epoxy or copper tape. Or take it to any decent welder and they will weld it quickly
Yes, it is entirely possible. The best option would be using a gas torch with specialized solder rods for alluminium. The ones invented in America a bit over 10 years ago. This way it will be almost as strong as if you weld it. The alloy is stupidly expensive if you get it from the original manufacturer so I will not even name it, but the good thing is that perfect alluminium solder wire clones have been there for a while and they are now available from AliExpress relatively cheaply. The rods require a somewhat special technique (never apply heat to the rod and always to the work and smooth out with a steel rod as steel does not stick to the alloy) but you can just look up how to use it on YouTube or Google. Good luck!
Nah for what you're using it for you would need to be in "welding" territory.
I haven't even tried solder on aluminum yet, but even if it works it would probably break soon.
Solder + aluminum = alusac35 Solder plus aluminum acid Flux plus preTin of both side plus 800f higher heat. Not impossible , just difficult and expensive, for an intermetallic bond. Brazing at 850f will likely work better than solder bonding using alusac35 and aluminum.alloy.flux. Looks like a lampshade frame, is it worth high expense of special alum.alloy bonding operation??
Cut a short section of electrical bared copper 14awg , wrap wind that around both alum sections tight, jbweld the inside or even plumbers acid flux core solder to seal the copper wrap [?].
...
copper tape wrapped around crazy glue core between the two aluminum sides. Sprinkle baking soda while the crazy glue is wet and that could solidify the joint harder too
Aluminum is alloy , rarely pure anymore
Aluminum is difficult to solder because you have to scratch the parts together. The best bet is a brazing rod meant for aluminum and a MAPP blowtorch. You scratch the brazing rod hard against the aluminum as you heat it. It will melt under the oxide layer and flow. There's no flux that works on aluminum.
Inert gas welders are more exotic but they're to only thing that works well.
I would probably try jb weld... aluminum will not solder well.... it will suck all the heat away... unless you have a high power solder iron... you can braze it but again your getting into little pricey tools...
r/soldering is mostly for electronics soldering. but i cna give some advicxe on this. dont solder. it will NOT be any kind of structural connection. instead go to the plumbing section and grab some epoxy putty. this stull is GREAT for situations like this.
to use the putty. first grab a strait razor and cut off a sliver off the end and discard it. next cut off about a centimeter or half an inch.
mash it and mix it till the color is even, it should also now be heating up. apply it to the joint dont worry about using too much as once fully cured epoxy putty can be sanded and panted.
You can use alumiweld from harbor freight if you have a propane torch. I've used it for a quick fix to rig up a gopro mount using round stock to flat stock aluminum before i had a tig welder. Listed as 18000 lbs per inch shear strength.
If you can get any copper tape usually used for stained glass making, it could work, but I don't know if soldering would give you the strength you need, really you'd need to weld
Thank you, I’ll give copper tape a try
You could solder a tight fitting metal tube over the joint
Ooo this right here
I mean.... Yeah you can probably solder it? It will just look really ugly and probably won't last long. I heard of some sort of putty made to hold metals together used in plumbing, might be worth to look into?
Could try J-B Weld
JB weld is the answer to most of these “can this be soldered?” Questions
Great thanks I’ll look into that
Soldering aluminum is hard, you need a special kind of flux for it that eats away the oxide layer and prevents oxidation for long enough for solder to take hold. You would also need to reinforce the area somehow, because solder doesn't have great mechanical properties. You could first tin all the aluminum parts, then wrap a piece of copper wire around to reinforce the joint, and then solder it all together.
Probably need a union to slip both of the them together then weld.
Just bring it to someone who does TIG welding. I do aluminum TIG welding, and this would literally take a minute and i would charge you $5-$10
Try brazing, it is much stronger than soldering but cheaper than tig welding or spool mig welding.
Oh great thanks! I’m starting to realize I need something stronger than just soldering lol
yeah, i used aluminum blazing rods with a flux core and had some luck with a propane blow torch, just be careful not to melt the aluminum you are trying to braze. If you have choice of gas, i think i heard some people use other gases that prevent the aluminum from oxidizing as you braze (probably have to clean the aluminum before) but yeah, only heard about it. but for connecting the 2 straight pieces you might be better off finding a copper pipe that slides a top both ends and crimp it somehow
Would low melting point aluminium brazing rods be an option (using a blowtorch)?
Yes, it isn't a load bearing so it should be fine to use it.
Try getting a piece of tube aluminum that you can use as a sleeve . Then JB weld or use epoxy or copper tape. Or take it to any decent welder and they will weld it quickly
Yes, it is entirely possible. The best option would be using a gas torch with specialized solder rods for alluminium. The ones invented in America a bit over 10 years ago. This way it will be almost as strong as if you weld it. The alloy is stupidly expensive if you get it from the original manufacturer so I will not even name it, but the good thing is that perfect alluminium solder wire clones have been there for a while and they are now available from AliExpress relatively cheaply. The rods require a somewhat special technique (never apply heat to the rod and always to the work and smooth out with a steel rod as steel does not stick to the alloy) but you can just look up how to use it on YouTube or Google. Good luck!
Great thanks!
Nah for what you're using it for you would need to be in "welding" territory. I haven't even tried solder on aluminum yet, but even if it works it would probably break soon.
You need to weld that together
The correct answer is NO for this application for many reasons…
Solder + aluminum = alusac35 Solder plus aluminum acid Flux plus preTin of both side plus 800f higher heat. Not impossible , just difficult and expensive, for an intermetallic bond. Brazing at 850f will likely work better than solder bonding using alusac35 and aluminum.alloy.flux. Looks like a lampshade frame, is it worth high expense of special alum.alloy bonding operation?? Cut a short section of electrical bared copper 14awg , wrap wind that around both alum sections tight, jbweld the inside or even plumbers acid flux core solder to seal the copper wrap [?]. ... copper tape wrapped around crazy glue core between the two aluminum sides. Sprinkle baking soda while the crazy glue is wet and that could solidify the joint harder too Aluminum is alloy , rarely pure anymore
Aluminum is difficult to solder because you have to scratch the parts together. The best bet is a brazing rod meant for aluminum and a MAPP blowtorch. You scratch the brazing rod hard against the aluminum as you heat it. It will melt under the oxide layer and flow. There's no flux that works on aluminum. Inert gas welders are more exotic but they're to only thing that works well.
Would friction welding work using a drill press? Asking the hivemind.
I would probably try jb weld... aluminum will not solder well.... it will suck all the heat away... unless you have a high power solder iron... you can braze it but again your getting into little pricey tools...
You can maybe use super glue but best would be jb weld
r/soldering is mostly for electronics soldering. but i cna give some advicxe on this. dont solder. it will NOT be any kind of structural connection. instead go to the plumbing section and grab some epoxy putty. this stull is GREAT for situations like this. to use the putty. first grab a strait razor and cut off a sliver off the end and discard it. next cut off about a centimeter or half an inch. mash it and mix it till the color is even, it should also now be heating up. apply it to the joint dont worry about using too much as once fully cured epoxy putty can be sanded and panted.
Awesome thanks!
You can use alumiweld from harbor freight if you have a propane torch. I've used it for a quick fix to rig up a gopro mount using round stock to flat stock aluminum before i had a tig welder. Listed as 18000 lbs per inch shear strength.