Aluminum Welding Rods: What You NEED to Know

[@MrFredsDIY]

With a little practice, braze welding aluminum can become a valuable skill for any handyman! 🟣Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/mrfredsdiy/

[@twinkbidlake1126]

where do I get 6061 aluminum

[@Burntvalve]

Gas welding was around before electricity

[@petersnushall7293]

This post showed what most people miss when they try these products.... without success. Proper preparation of materials is key to success! Removing all contaminants and oxidisaion leaves a prime surface for connection.

[@williamhusseyjr1143]

I wished all I missed was the preparation, - I rigged mine up like a stick welder and had that stuff popping everywhere hahaha

[@44Mag]

Great video. You are spot-on...the secret for them to work, is to prep the surfaces. If you do not, the weld will not hold beyond a casual tap. The first time I used these, I was in a hurry and thought the two parts looked clean enough....Fail. They are pretty amazing though. You can even use them to patch an aluminum boat that has a hole in it. As a practice, I punch a hole (dime size) in the bottom of an aluminum can, and use the rod in circles around the hole. It gradually fills in and closes the hole. (It also teaches you on the heat application of the base metal....too hot and the aluminum will melt down, especially if it is really thin.) Thanks

[@MrFredsDIY]

My first few attempts with these things did not end well. That’s probably why I wanted to share this video lol. Thanks for watching.!

[@aayashopofficial6689]

It only took me 4:31 minutes to learn about aluminum rod welding. Thanks a lot 😂🙏

[@desertentertainment397]

wire wheels tend to overheat the aluminum and can embed contaminants under the surface of the aluminum, making it uncleanable with solvents or significant sanding. its better to initially wipe the aluminum down thoroughly with acetone to wash all loose contaminants off of the surface, followed by prepping the weld joint with a light abrasive (scotch-brite abrasives, fine-grit sanding disks, a stainless steel wire brush, etc). finish by again cleaning with acetone and drying thoroughly before welding or brazing. this should allow for a smoother and higher quality weld to be made, with desirable aesthetics as well. not trying to be an ass but steps like these can greatly enhance the quality of your work as well as assisting in smoother operation of welding equipment- the old timers taught me this stuff hope it helps

[@MrFredsDIY]

Fantastic tips! Thanks for sharing!

[@Burntvalve]

@@desertentertainment397 well many don't know aluminum from magnesium u file a bit off out on a napkin and light the magnesium will burn and spark green .You over heat magnesium it feed itself and burn down u won't put it out say goodbye to what ever it was

[@Burntvalve]

Well some times a greenish but I definitely see it spark and burn

[@justabouthadit5872]

I do my best welding when I use alcohol. A couple drinks make for beautiful beads.

[@tomjeffersonwasright2288]

Finally, a good video joining some fairly thick pieces.

[@TimsWorkshopTJY]

For cast aluminum I found stick welding with E4043 rods works great on old outboard parts. Good penitration for working outdoors in windy conditions too. But the best way to weld aluminum is mig or tig. But just DIY now and then works great

[@stealhty1]

I used"em to weld a bracket that holds a (EDF)electric ducted fan jet engine on my model airplane, works like a charm ,thx for share

[@JavierLopez-gv7kt]

Well, for more than a year I have been looking for how to weld aluminum and your way of welding is the best, thank you very much

[@SeamlessFab]

Buy a Primeweld Tig and just weld it. This stuff is basically aluminum caulking.

[@Word569]

Actually, this did not show any welding.

[@icin4d]

@@Word569True. No, this is not welding. This is brazing, more akin to soldering. The metal to metal bond is surface only.

[@duckman5849]

@@JavierLopez-gv7kt this is not welding so maybe you should keep looking

[@Marine-72]

I really believe most people know you cannot weld aluminum to steel, but good demo on the aluminum rods.

[@Mitchell_is_smart._You2bs_dumb]

yes.... i totally knew that.. i just wanted to watch the video in case.. my cat didn't know🤦 just for... you know... everyone else reading this, what would somebody use?

[@mudpuppy318]

I had a customer come in asking me to weld his running boards back onto his vehicle, seems the last person that welded them on didn’t do a good enough job. Half way through the job I realized the problem, aluminum to steel. I was wondering about my sanity after that one!! The welds were very crapy but it does work!

[@Wigglewonks]

Anybody know if? What about “galvanised steel” pipe. Trying to do something simple “artsy”.

[@Mitchell_is_smart._You2bs_dumb]

@@Wigglewonks i ended up using brass and steel. i have been experimenting with lead tin silver and aluminum. its not too great so far, right up there with hot glue

[@Wigglewonks]

@@Mitchell_is_smart._You2bs_dumb appreciate it!

[@arthurmorgan8966]

I have no experience with this, used a butane (kitchen type) torch and aluminum rod to solder two stainless steel M14 washers together, it held well. It is unusually convenient and seems to be strong enough for light uses. I want to get my hands on some nickel silver rods, mapp torch to braze and re-test. Btw, I found out this random info while doing some research: If MAPP torch flame isn’t blue, (like yellow), the fuel isn’t burning 100% and probably producing carbon monoxide, deadly in areas with poor ventilation.

[@mmoonman13]

I cracked up laughing when you did the steel test. Nice video.

[@MrFredsDIY]

Just having a little fun! Thanks for watching!

[@Mike-en4ye]

I fixed my truck tool box worked perfect. Still holding after 4 years use it almost daily.

[@deanvandress4693]

what type of metal did you weld with these rods on your tool box? was it diamond plate?

[@POOKIE5592]

Holy crapola! I never would have guessed that aluminum joint would stand up to that kind of hammering!

[@TimBarnett-pl9kd]

I bought this plastic tube of aluminum rod now used up. I need to replace now. You know good place to get this rod?

[@terencebarnett113]

I don’t go with all cleaning but tell you what I’m going stick one them rod in my arc welder I think it do what you did without all the fuss

[@ericcarr8634]

Great demo..Just like soldering copper...i may have some uses for this such as tool box latch repair

[@nuc2726]

This is perfect. I'm going to be making a bed frame for my camper.

[@cameronwhite4859]

@@nuc2726 how did the project go? I’m wanting to do the same.

[@cameronwhite4859]

How’s the project go? I’m wanting to do the same.

[@nuc2726]

@@cameronwhite4859 I sold the camper so early in the project I never even bought the materials found in this video... It was way more trouble than I thought it was going to be...

[@LALNatalieG]

Please, for complete beginners, can you say more about what we need to know about handling the flame? How should the flame be set, what part of the flame should contact the piece, how long are you actually heating the pieces, how much do I need to move the flame around? Any cautions to be aware of?

[@MrFredsDIY]

The hottest part of the flame is at the end of the “blue cone”. With map-pro gas like I am using in the video, (that burns at about 3700°F) it only takes a few minutes to heat the project aluminum to the required 720°F. I move the flame around both sides that I want to join to get them up to temperature evenly. It’s best to not let the metal get too much hotter than the 720°. This can be done by periodically testing with the rod to see if it will melt by touching the metal as opposed to melting in the flame. The metal should melt the rod.

[@dougaltolan3017]

Aluminum is a good heat conductor, so long as both parts get good heat, it's not so important which bit of the parts is heated. Might consider heating from the back side too.

[@Geniusthecat]

Wow you need to go back to shop class lady

[@wesschimpf5155]

That was fun to watch, thanks! I'm going to give it a try!

[@kudlaty9102]

But what with side effect of soldering aluminum, after soldering aluminium start being very soft and flexible. How to protect them from this?

[@oscartravis5740]

Perfect demo, thanks man 🙂

[@JeffinTD]

Yeah that’s more of a braze than weld, as it doesn’t melt the base metals. Quite strong result, though, likely due to good prep. For AC Tig aluminum welding it is critical to brush through the aluminum oxide, and not induce any contaminants. Stainless steel brush, cleaned either with isopropyl alcohol or acetone, and only used for prepping aluminum…

[@all-outoutdoors6762]

How would you use these on a crack in a large 3/16 aluminum boat. I have trouble getting the metal hot enough. The crack is only 3 inches.

[@MrFredsDIY]

I would use mapp gas and heat an area several inches around the crack as well as the crack. Heat will dissipate very quickly on a larger surface area like an aluminum boat.

[@paradiselost9946]

get friendly with a waterproofer., road worker, or similar... one of those guys with a BIG blowtorch, for working in certain waterproofing compounds... cus thats the biggest issue of aluminium, its sucking all teh heat away.... if you can prop a camp oven under it, a gas burner... then you run the issue of permanent warping as the area heated is so large and the hull buckles... pay someone with a TIG.

[@klroth025]

One question, I see the aluminum flat seemed to bend easily. My concern is the annealing the aluminum. The "weld" is strong, but now the base material has been weakened. Could you do a bend test (with lbs of force needed to bend the base material) before and after the braising?

[@MrFredsDIY]

Interesting perspective!

[@Enonymouse_]

It's brazing, welding involves fusion of the parent and host metal.

[@desolder75]

I’ve used these Alumiweld rods successfully for a few projects using 6063 AL extruded stock and can confirm the aluminum definitely gets annealed / softened. Over the course of a few days / weeks the aluminum will slowly reharden. If you don’t want to wait that long you can bake it in an oven for one to two hours at 380 to 400 degrees F.

[@MechInvent]

@@desolder75 thank you, it was hard to find that data

[@JMill77]

project farm did a video where he tests the strength of these rods, they're good

[@ryanjones4150]

So I googled how to weld aluminum without a tig welder, and discovered this method. A quick search on KZbin brought me to this vid. Very informative and to the point. What I am interested in welding is the joints in electronics chassis made of .08 aluminium sheet, if anybody has any thoughts on doing this would love to hear them.

[@MrFredsDIY]

That is some pretty thin material and I would imagine it might warp at the temps needed for this process. Perhaps if you used a micro torch it could work. What are you trying to build with your project?

[@ryanjones4150]

@@MrFredsDIY chassis to make guitar amplifiers in.

[@mattwarrensocal]

Thanks for the vid. Some of the similar products on Amazon say they can weld ice cubes to blocks of cheese they're so versatile. I tried brazing two pieces of steel together and no dice. But this stuff has been useful for a lot and no $1000 tig machine and all the trappings needed!

[@michaelc9507]

I had co worker convicted after I told him to go get me some concrete welding rods and I show you a thing or to.. dumb ass did my boss got wind of his search and was hot! Priceless moments 😁😁😁

[@wemcal]

Great video and great demonstration

[@dyzine1studios344]

Thanks for sharing Very educational appreciated 🤝

[@seahawksforever9504]

I've seen Indian people here on KZbin solder using some kind of tin and flux. But I want to try aluminum rods. Do you think adding flux on the radiator before burning the aluminum rod makes it stick better? I plan on repairing my tractor's radiator. Thanks.

[@utubeape]

3:30 Doing metal work while squatting down on the floor wearing flip flops - is this to appeal to the Asian market? I am hoping to make a bike trailer using this sort of weld, hope it holds up as good as yours

[@keithwarkentin]

Hello I really enjoyed your video and expect to try it out sometime! But I just can’t help myself your little Jerry can really needs to vent and I thought you must be a really tough guy to be wearing flip flops 😂😂But I was very impressed with how steady your hands are I have tremors so I always have to find a way to rest my hands on something but anyway Well done 😀🇨🇦

[@MrFredsDIY]

With some practice this technique will serve you well! Thank you for commenting.

[@exzygosis]

Mate, great tips but I'm not too sure that it's a good idea to be doing it so close to a gasoline can (that appears to be sitting on a car battery?)

[@Dyl_Cam]

I wanted to braze an aluminum box together for an air intake system, but I'm wondering how it will hold up with the engine vibrations over time.

[@MrFredsDIY]

That’s a fine question. Braze welds like these are not like an arc weld but they are strong. I have a spare tire mounting bracket that I brazed together about 4 years ago that shows no signs of weakening. Thanks for the comment!

[@Dyl_Cam]

@@MrFredsDIY Sweet, thank you!

[@QuestionEverythingLookDeeper]

Thanks man, answered my question whereas I don’t have a tig machine n have never tig welded 😅

[@eeroskylark6052]

Hi, I've got a project where I'm trying to braze large pieces, about 4' length. Every vid I see only shows about 2" to 4" of test. How long of an increment should I attempt at a time? I'm assuming I can't heat the entire 4 feet without one end cooling down again. Also, should I be worried about reheating the parts that have existing braze weld? Thanks for the insight. I need it, trying this for the first time with zero welding experience

[@MrFredsDIY]

I would clamp both sides if possible while making the braze weld. As one end cools the metal will definitely move. Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

[@markking4256]

will this hold up to making a kettle corn cooker? There will be constant heat inside the cooker.

[@MrFredsDIY]

I suppose, as long as the metal does not exceed the working temperature of the Aluma weld rods about 730°

[@williamgibble8361]

Did you use a stainless wire wheel.. you must use a non ferrous type. If not you impart iron to the aluminum. Embellishment.. you should mention what type you used..

[@paulkurilecz4209]

They call this an aluminum welding rod but in reality, it is a Zinc rich filler rod and the process is actually brazing. if you really want to test the weld, do a T joint and then do a face bend.

[@countryside8122]

don't they have a brass rod that is supposed to work like the aluminum rods???

[@pauloc4882]

Will this work just to fill holes on metal like running boards and I will cart

[@E3PS7910]

Will this fix a small hole in my radiator?

[@MrFredsDIY]

I tried to repair a radiator in a Trans Am. You might have better luckkzbin.info/www/bejne/bH3TmqRqoNCgqNEsi=8EjBy9nG3LZfzLs8

[@garymcmullin2292]

these rods don't work on magnesium alloys either so being able to ID the base metal is important. I know by experience trying to do repairs on chainsaw parts which are magnesium alloy except for the forward carry handle, which is aluminum and will repair nicely with this rod alloy.

[@wunfstsrt7716]

Can the welded area be polished just like the aluminum base its on?

[@MrFredsDIY]

Yes

[@sujeevanishanthakumara6171]

Is this suitable for motorcycle engine ?

[@brianhawkins866]

Please reply, I'm a basic diy guy and I have built a bicycle with a 2 stroke motor on it and the bike is aluminum, being a thick aluminum do u think these would work if I cut the bike to put a bigger motor on it and reweld the frame support with like aluminum sticks is doable and durable to hold up to daily riding....with out wrecking and impacts of course

[@MrFredsDIY]

I’m not sure this is the right application for that purpose…

[@bradstanek2304]

Thankyou will try ,but sandals that could hurt

[@hirukamusan9753]

Can i use it for my crank case hair-crack?

[@MrFredsDIY]

I don’t think you could get the crank case hot enough (730°f)

[@glennanderson3536]

Good to have safety glasses on. When was the last time you dropped molten metal or anything heavy or sharp on your uncovered Fred Flintstones?

[@paradiselost9946]

far less often than dropping molten metal that ALWAYS finds the ONE hole amongst all those layers of leather and kevlar... i got sick of undoing boots whilst ball bearings burnt through my toes, and just go bare-foot, pakistani "safety boot" style now.

[@chriss4365]

Can you use this to seal gutter seams?

[@MrFredsDIY]

Probably not. Most aluminum gutter has a coating and of course is painted so the heat would ruin the paint.

[@chriss4365]

@@MrFredsDIY this would be way better than gutter sealer.

[@lessmith99]

Because you are not melting the base metal it is brazing not welding.

[@johnnycash5456]

Angle grinder is a good investment

[@craigk965]

Are those osha approved steele toe flip flops you are wearing??

[@Donald-r5o]

There. I did it. I was the 666th person to like this video. Now y'all can press the like button again. You're welcome Mr. Fred.

[@Mauro-ts3nx]

That rods are rich in zinc. So you can braze on zinc plated iron /steel, as well as you do on aluminum.

[@Kj16V]

How long do these brazed joints tend to last? Will it crack after a few months or years of vibration? Wondering if I can use it to make reliable car intake manifolds or intercooler tubing.

[@ScrapDaddy968]

I wouldnt use it for an intake or any application that has a lot heating and cooling cycles.

[@newellweeks2759]

Thanks bro that really helped

[@steveking1053]

Good demo and test. Thx for sharing.

[@MrFredsDIY]

Thanks and and you are welcome!

[@Jason-rs6co]

make sure you use a stainless steel wire brush

[@johncmitchell4941]

.. that is new or clean of use on other metals, rust, etc. I have one labelled 'Alum Only' and keep it sheathed to keep it clean.

[@obedb093]

can you use that rod for copper to copper and copper to aluminum?

[@MrFredsDIY]

I don’t think that copper is one of the metals listed on the label. Thanks for commenting!

[@BasementEngineer]

Use SILFOS for copper and copper alloys. Do not use in applications where this joint comes in contact with combustion products.

[@kevinmullins4919]

This guy welds in the same outfit I do shorts and flipflops!!!!

[@rolandjacques649]

Is there hotter map torches? My BernzOmatic 4000 with Map gas won't get my thicker aluminium base plate hot enough make this rod stick.😢 I think it 6061 alloy

[@shannoncarrier7122]

Add a insulator (welding blanket, silicon hot pad, etc) between the aluminum and whatever's holding it to minimize heat transfer between the two. Aluminum is already a excellent heat sink, stick it on top of a piece of steel or in a vice with no insulator and you'll never get it heated up to the required temperature.

[@Love2FlyKAP]

The base metal is bending because you annealed the aluminum by heating it up. You need to re-temper the aluminum after brazing.

[@DanCycles]

re-temper? What do you mean by that?

[@thebuckster101]

@DanCycles quench the hot part in water afterwards to harden it, or anneal it in an oven

[@twinkbidlake1126]

I'd love to keep dreaming of what I can build but I cant find where to get metal without paying 200 alone in shipping

[@knowmater]

Nice video. Looks like it works.

[@tuxnoel]

Will Butane gas work?

[@MrFredsDIY]

Yes, butane burns hot enough to achieve the 720° necessary to melt the rods. Great question!

[@jdr03272]

Can these be used on leaking gutter seams?!

[@MrFredsDIY]

I suppose it’s possible! I have used these rods to braze similar material in this video▶️kzbin.info/www/bejne/imnSopqlj56Zr6csi=QHUBAsO5yREGTmYH

[@Lando1020]

Hi guys and gals. Does the melted rod material go towards heat kinda like solder does when soldering copper?

[@MrFredsDIY]

What I noticed is that the rod melts and seems to just pool with gravity.

[@paradiselost9946]

nope. its zinc, doesnt seem to flow or run... its not under flux. you gotta sort of scrape it under the surface of the aluminium oxide layer as it is. spent years silver soldering/brazing... i only noticed the "flow towards/away from heat" as rather subtle, and definitely not anything to really consider at all. generally, "flow to where-ever is hot enough to tin, clean enough to tin, and has sufficient flux" was more the deal...

[@Lando1020]

@@paradiselost9946 thank you for taking the time to reply! Much appreciated.

[@ArdoMurro]

ok..aluminum and iron don't close that easily...but iron and tin solder together? It's probably not the best solution, but I suggest that there is a slightly stronger joint than aluminum ?

[@paradiselost9946]

these are zinc. with the right flux and surface prep, they will "tin" steel, just like galvanising...

[@johnstanke8679]

I tried this. The rod just turned into a blob. Never stuck to the work.

[@MrFredsDIY]

Don’t give up! Surface preparation and temperature are the big factors. Try preparing the surface with a dedicated stainless steel brush that has never been used on iron or steel. Clean the surface with acetone or alcohol. Getting the temperature right can be tricky, you are looking for 730 degrees so be patient heating the aluminum. Apply the rod to the metal, if the temp is 730 the rod will melt. Avoid using the flame to melt the rod. Good luck!

[@zhivkonenov6702]

Excuse my ignorance, but isn't this soldering, not welding?

[@slallrounder9391]

What is this welding rod

[@BillySBC]

This is not really welding, this is soldering. It's strong enough for a lot of things but it's more like gluing than welding.

[@nolansmith8572]

At least if it's being used on a low strength aluminum alloy, and the heat is high enough, there's a chance of a metallurgical bond or even a partial one. There's no chance of that with steel and that's not what soldering or brazing attempts to do either. Clearly not for industrial applications but a weekend warrior/DIY'er can surely make good use of this like they would a JB Weld.

[@RekySai]

So it makes a bond that is stronger then the metal itself.

[@RekySai]

Oh I didn't watch the video first. Instructions on use of these is never put in direct flame. Only use the heat of the piece to melt the base

[@morningcoffee1111]

It’s brazing, which is stronger than soldering, and weaker than welding.

[@WillieBeard]

Pffft…

[@michaelferguson7985]

just a safety concern, don't use the same wire wheels to clean aluminum as you do steel, It could cause the wheel to explode, I've seen it happen in welding shop, same with grinder wheels too, stay safe

[@HowNotToHomestead]

I used these rods to patch an aluminum RV water heater tanks. The tank froze and burst.

[@freddaniali]

Do it Fred, DO IT!!!

[@la2123]

How long does it usually take to completely cool? Do I need to remove or clean anything such as flux after the weld? Thanks.

[@MrFredsDIY]

My project took about 15 minutes to cool down. There is no flux in this process so no special cleaning needed! Thanks for the question!

[@la2123]

@@MrFredsDIY Thanks clarifying.

[@paradiselost9946]

these arent actually aluminium. theyre zinc. i got a massive box years ago, and whilst ive only "welded" with them... three times, i HAVE used a fair few dissolved in HCL to make soldering flux!

[@grantottaviano7445]

Nice Echo PB-2520

[@cosmicsunbeams]

Cool ❤, now I know!

[@majnumoral4667]

এই এসটিক ঢাকায় পাওয়া যাবে জানতে চাই

[@RobertWallace-j8d]

Excellent, however that gas can in the background might send a careless message. Oh, and the outboard motor? But you are very detailed in the presentation. Thanks

[@anthonywindsor4277]

Not supposed to use wire wheel if stainless not good

[@geoffg46]

The only experience I have had with taking a blowtorch to aluminium is to watch the piece disappear before my eyes

[@mr.tomraypaz6085]

Had a feeling it wouldn’t work on the steel.

[@Useruserusername790]

TIG is the "steel brazing". Yes you can braze steel with a torch but that's just a waste of time and money. Brazing is better for softer metals, but Brazing is actual welding compared to Soldering.

[@redgum1340]

The weld might be OK but the heat anneals the surrounding aluminum and the whole thing falls in a heap, so to speak. Most of the strength is gone.

[@johnstanke8679]

No one ever instructed on preparing the surface. Ok so it works. 👍

[@vivianwarran8804]

Thank you for your video. Is there a way to sandwich two pieces of aluminum instead of standing one up and brazing the edges? I would like to add flat pieces of metal on top of another metal.

[@nynut518]

try with aluminum and copper mix copper

[@dyzine1studios344]

BRILLIANT 🤝🇬🇧

[@CharlesMatheson-w1z]

It would have been a better show if it didn't sound like a harbor freight advertisement.

[@Floutlaw87]

Could you imagine a CWI showing up in flip flops holding a claw hammer

[@michaelangelo8001]

You can't braze without brass.

[@luciusirving5926]

You're really going to need to stainless mesh to get stronger, pseudo butt joints.

[@nhojcam]

soldering vs welding. i don't think you are getting hot enough to weld, technically speaking. aluminum welding temp is above 1200˚F, and you are not getting close to that. so, really this should be considered soldering.

[@TeakWoodIsHard]

I don’t think it’s a good idea to have your gas can on top of the car battery. A small amount of moisture on the bottom of that plastic can you could see your garage go up and poof of flame

[@draincctv8659]

Absolutely the wrong video title - Whilst it gives a reasonable bond if done correctly, this is brazing, not welding for those non welding folks out there.

[@aticktko1]

Thanks

[@jamespacheco1370]

Welding is danger