I've used a similar product myself for aluminium. Superb stuff! Final joint stronger than the parent metal. It really is!
It is really a brazing process, not a weld.
You must prepare the two faces properly or the brazing material won't flow or bond. You must also follow the instructions on how to use it as it won't work if you don't. Technique sensitive.
I've brazed steel joints, and this is easier once you get the hang of it. Once this stuff is at the right temp it almost feeds itself into the joint. Just be aware that its working temperature is narrow, and if you overheat it will run off the job very quickly and pool where you don't want it to.
I only tried it on aluminium. By far the easiest way to join aluminium components. Much easier than welding. Don't need anything more specialized than a vice & blowtorch. No oxy or argon.
Good to know Alex. I like the idea of being able to work with aluminium like this.
Is it the same rod regardless of metals being joined? Or do you need a steel rod for steel etc? Their website shows brass, copper and aluminium joined so does this imply one rod across all metal types?
I would be interested to know what the composition of the filler rod is, for it to work on aluminium as well as steel copper and brass. Having been in the mechanical trades, I'm familiar with most welding, brazing and soldering techniques including using aluminium filler rods to oxy weld aluminium but this seems to be something different.
If it works as well as it seems to it would be handy for some projects in the dreaming stage.
Interesting product. It's soldering and I don't believe most of the marketing, however there are plenty of fiddly little situations where it could offer a great solution. There is a vid on YouTube where they try various different products and destructively test the results.
I'll going to look into this further as I've been searching for a way to repair a die cast trim on my old car. My wallet is crying at the thought of trying to replace it.
There's cheaper stuff, but this one is the goods. I was not about to buy an untested product and cross my fingers that it would work the same way. I was after something that was proven & would do the job without me needing to reinvent the wheel.
Only for non-ferrous metals.
Different types of aluminium is not a problem either as often needs to be with Al, that is most Al welding has be be between same parent alloy & matching welding rod.
You MUST follow the instructions on how to use this stuff. Do not apply the heat source (blow torch) directly to the rod. You feed the rod to the heated metal - see the instruction videos.
Last edited by mental4astro; 24-01-2021 at 01:47 PM.
I tried some from an Australian supplier and braised up some alloy bike parts as a temporary fix before I could get the crank part . Worked well and was very strong under a lot of load. I little bit hard to use and once braised once and set , it is very hard to get it soft once more. Must give off whatever flowing agents are bound into the Rod. So good to get right the first time or perhaps build up.
Last edited by Sunfish; 24-01-2021 at 03:37 PM.
Reason: Full stop.
My experience is only with the material I used and put a link to. If the product counter indications says not for ferrous metals, then cast iron is out of the equation. There may be a similar low temperature solder/brazing material for cast iron, but you will need to be really sure it is the right material not just for cast iron but also for the purpose you have in mind that the item is to be used in. Cast iron from what I know is notoriously difficult to repair/weld.
There are arc welding rods for cast iron, but I haven't used them either.
Hi
On Wednesday, I tried the rods that Bojan suggested. Worked, but, not well in my hands.
I think the biggest issue for me was getting enough heat into the aluminium for long enough.
For those who try it for the first time, I think part of the 'trick' is rub the rod back and forth across the hot area. This seems to help trigger the rod to melt cleanly.
How well did you clean the surfaces to be joined? Without a blooming good scrub from a stainless steel brush the stuff won't flow. Yes there is the need to get the parent metal suitably hot too, but unless it is properly cleaned first, it won't work. Brush like mad BOTH surfaces and then clean with acetone.
Aluminium does take a surprising amount of time to raise to the correct temperature, and there are no visual clues other than the brazing rod starting to flow. So when the stuff starts to melt/flow, it all depends on how well the surfaces have been cleaned because the actual application of the rod material is very fast. I mean FAST! Stuff melts like butter on a hot poker and flows really well with capillary action. But the surfaces must be properly prepared
And do not apply heat directly to the rod! It MUST take all its heat from the parent metal. This is what is triggering the flow reaction. If you apply heat to the rods it won't work.
One other tip to maximise heat transfer in to the parts to be joined: If you need to clamp the 2 pieces together using metal/steel clamps, then try to insert a ceramic tile or piece of cement sheet between the clamp and the parts to be joined as this will reduce heat transfer in to the clamps and thereby maintain or help elevate part/joint temperature and give you an easier job of it.
This applies equally to any steel/metal table you may be working on.
