Cool Trick! Welding A Cast Aluminum Bolt Hole without Damaging the Threads

Cast aluminum weld repairs are difficult. Welding around a bolt hole without damaging the threads is even more difficult. Knowing this quick trick will probably save you on your next repair job!
Tools & Gear We Use and Recommend
www.amazon.com...
Learn to TIG Weld in Our Class!
thefabricatorse...
Subscribe to The Fabrication Series for MORE!
Check out the website: www.TheFabricat...
Like: / thefabricato. .
Follow: IG @The.Fabricator / the.fabricator

[@kennethclifford1863]

The mark of a good craftsman is when he worries about the fit and finish of a part that no one else will ever see.

[@LogiForce86]

Amen to that!

[@RetiredRhetoricalWarhorse]

The difference between an artisan and a businessman.

[@michaelslee4336]

Personal piss off is those that don’t de-burr. Even if it’s hidden I do it anyway, pure and simple laziness from some.

[@tabcreedence6553]

Except for the 300K people that saw it on video

[@violent_Vin]

@@michaelslee4336 it's taught in school for so long its just automated😄. those who don't deburr and skip other basics usualy or always show in the rest of their work too. sloppyness or untrained, incompetence or i dont know 😄😂😎

[@tonytully4943]

In the middle of a build and you still take the time to show everyone something good!👍👍

[@cdrive5757]

Kenneth said it with fewer words than I could but it boils down to pride in one's own work. It "was" once the American NORM! Chris

[@wcmwfab935]

Finally, someone else that know's how to use a carbide. Good vid.

[@troyd-motorsport9933]

if you do gunk up your carbide bit, just put it in drain cleaner and the aluminium dissolves straight off it ;) (old machinists trick)

[@mattmoilanen3813]

@@troyd-motorsport9933 Ya that's what anodizers do when they de smut aluminum. Or just rub chalk on the burr as well.

[@gibill16]

Beeswax works amazing on any aluminum grinding and cutting 👍

[@Reis4four]

Dip it in WD40 will help keep it clear also.

[@firstmkb]

In a pinch, aluminum burns off at a lower temperature than carbide. * Just thought of this, because I wanted to add a tip too. Let me know if it works?

[@philipershler420]

Well you know, the first thing every person that looks at your finished project is going to climb underneath and look at that transmission bolt. Quit being so hard on yourself. That looks like a fine repair to me.

[@carlblaser3320]

The devil is in the details. This is just a possibility but if that bolt holes had split while being romped on he could've been looking for a new transmission case

[@philipershler420]

No doubt that the repair had to be done. And I thought the final result looked pretty damn good. I was just trying to tell him there was no reason to apologize for the final appearance.

[@aaronyoung8028]

@@philipershler420 couldn't agree more Philip, a 'fit for purpose' repair, is all that is needed! No need to get out dial calipers to check perfect restoration the outside of the casting! Cheers Aaron.

[@carlblaser3320]

@@aaronyoung8028 yeah but have you met the guy? Even his dreams are perfectly laid out

[@8power0]

AND THIS IS WHY I AM GLUED TO THIS CHANNEL ,,, COULD THERE BE A VIDEO ON WHAT TOOLS WOULD I NEED FOR A MECHANIC TO COMPLETE HIS JOBS THAT ONE WOULD RUN INTO LIKE THREADS REPAIRS , CUTTING AND VERY LIGHT WELDING. I THINK THIS CHANNEL IS THE GREATEST !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@grexdex6913]

Im not a welder or doing any repairs like this but these welding videos are so therapeutic and relaxing.

[@davidparker9676]

Nice Job. I enjoy your videos. Great tip using the SS bolt. It's been a few years since I've done any TIG welding but I would do something similar. I would use the carbide burr to remove the outer layer of metal that forms after boiling all the bubbles and contaminants out of the aluminum. When I went to weld over it again it turned out perfect and clean.

[@teckeleddie]

Nice Job man. Always nice to know it is possible to repair a cast Aluminium motor block.

[@imranemokhtari5433]

why do you only have 300k subscribers, ur videos are awesome and i have been watching all your vids for ther past years. i think you are one of the many great teachers on youtube

[@dasfette]

Absolute craftsman! Matching the finish was top notch!

[@MKChase-uj9vx]

Lots of skill there fella. All the best from across the pond.

[@andrel3]

Thanks Justin! Love this new series, nice to see welding apply to actual jobs.

[@shakdidagalimal]

That was some awesome camera work on the welding pool.

[@robloxgamingjustforfun9072]

TFS as always your videos are always very educational. greetings from the Philippines

[@jamiegerman8021]

Superb work, loving the video!

[@brookfab_5188]

Love seeing real world repairs, having to persevere with a fked up tungsten from all the porosity and the imperfect but more than serviceable results. Cheers dude.

[@ericchevalier6260]

Always like to see people’s different techniques for welding cast.

[@micjr21]

That's awesome, wouldn't have thought that you could weld around that bolt without the aluminum fusing to it or shrinking around it to the point of damaging it. Great video!

[@AndrewBoundy]

Great skills - nice!

[@guzmangil5476]

I wouldn't be able to stress enough how grateful I am for this video. I was thinking about fixing a glow plug hole (pretty much broken alike this) with this method and didn't know if would work. Now I know. Thanks a lot!

[@adambergendorff2702]

thanks again!

[@Brother2Jis_27s4]

I've done these repairs with hts-2000, works great on things under 700 degrees. I've had some fantastic results with that stuff

[@psyolent.]

work of art. love it.

[@EliteTruckRepairs]

Finally a new trick from youtube I didn't already know! Thanks man!

[@chrisstromberg6527]

That has got to be so satisfying getting something that damaged back to its original shape! Wish I could learn to do this!

[@20havenfun08]

Thank you... I use marker chalk on my files and grinding tools to keep the alum from building up... wire brush them. And keep adding as needed.

[@danb1185]

I love how you always take the time to help others learn new tricks!! Thankyou so much!

[@ericv4152]

True professional...thanks for sharing at times like this

[@slamurai8080]

looks clean as hell bro!

[@victoryfirst2878]

I have to say thank you for confirming my faith in other welders in the field that have mastered this secret art form. Everything you said is bang on. I can add that using a quality ruler would help you get total flatness on all the bosses. Keep up the great work fella too.

[@Drakir72]

I welded aluminum for a year and didn’t understand the premise of the percentage and hz rate until now thanks for that little tidbit!

[@johnw4590]

Nice tip! 👍I found if you use your double cut burr in a lower speed drill. Won't clog as easy

[@OzGecko]

Nice work. The only concern I would have is ensuring that the flat face around the repaired hole is in the right place so that things still bolt up flat and square. Perhaps run a straight edge across from some of the other mounting holes to ensure that?

[@terryspencer9258]

I used to repair Transmissions for the junk yard all the time , always used that trick for the threads . Always worked good, then the yard would ship it out 😎

[@pitstopmotorsports2381]

great video! couldn't have done it better my self.

[@CrazyCat229]

Gotta say love your channel and your willingness to show tips and tricks!

[@aukanmeister]

Good looking job right there! I've tried this with building up around stainless. It really makes it a whole lot easier.

[@beewon1553]

Thank you so much for this. I bought an engine with AL oil pan that had a bolt hole ear broke half-way off. I bought a stainless steel bolt in anticipation I could use that to rebuild the tab around the bolt hole, but became unsure since I never had to do this before. Thank you for confirming this works.. SUBBED!

[@edgarcorrea7866]

Wow this is probably one of the most useful tips I’ve ever seen 🙏🏽 thank you so much

[@tomherd4179]

A LOT of new tips I have never seen before - and will now remember. Thanks - good job!!

[@SteadArcFab_Ministries]

Sweet repair Justin thanks for the short vid!!!

[@sonydroid2253]

I am loving this channel! Awesome content

[@StupidFastJohn]

I hope to one day achieve the same level of control you have with a tig 🤙

[@spartacus09ful]

Awesome job, Looks great after!

[@boltonky]

Morale of the story, Good equipment + right tools makes things easy.....crap equipment and no training give up. Thanks for video :)

[@Jurrvooren]

I often use welding spray to prevent the dremel get clogged with aluminium. Also works with other tools, like a saw

[@Pgcmoore]

outstanding!!!

[@TheNicko773]

I don't have a question, just a comment. Great work!! Thanks for sharing. !

[@richardfuerst5286]

Thanks for the tip on frequency and balance. I do mobile welding on pontoon boats. They have a lot of crud. As always, great video!👍

[@davidmizak4642]

You provide such great material to your viewers. I appreciate all of your hard work. I truly appreciate it!

[@dhanwatiesukhai2524]

Hi Justin this is Andrew. Thanks for sharing the video of that repair. Very neat trick to save the threads.

[@spelunkerd]

Wow, that's excellent. When I see those bubbles you had at the beginning, I usually fail, and it seems to get worse the longer I stick with it. What I hear you say is, heat it up, let those gasses escape before adding filler, take time and only later add new metal.

[@alekrudy5993]

Bubbles... Occasionally, I MIG-welded galvanized pieces to a thin sheet metal, onto metal doors. Depending mostly on my mood in that day, I used two ways of dealing with it: sometimes cold weld, then all the bubbles from galvanized metal would not even reach the surface; and sometimes hot weld (insufficient wire feed), so most of the bubbles would get to the surface and leave the weld. Then I would run the second “polishing” hot pass, almost right away, before it cools too much. The result did not look too bad, just weld metal had strange colour. We were required to run a grinder with a buffing disk over it anyway; most of times it would not open any new pores which I would have to repair. Of cause, there is a third (proper) way to do those welds: to grind off all the zinc around future welds. It would improve welding, but not fully eliminate zinc bubbles; and save me from fumes, but again, not completely. Also grinding off all coating on uneven surfaces is terribly time consuming...

[@tonyhillyard1613]

Beautiful work on a real job. Thanks for taking the trouble.

[@That_one-guy192]

An old mechanic friend of my grandpas showed me a pretty cool trick for carbide. Dip it in ATF before you use it. They don’t pack up as bad and it seems to help prolong their life.

[@TristanDurandBuilds]

Great result Justin! I wish my cast aluminum welding would be as controlled as yours (I'll go back to practice)

[@213BRANDONP]

That $7000 welder makes it easier but he looks like he could probably do it regardless

[@davidduff9871]

I like what you did. Welding over the screw to capture the threads was great. You said at the start of the welding you were working at a light level and would go back and apply more force. I didn’t see that. Can you explain that part?

[@donsmith9797]

Nice job

[@CobraDBlade]

TFS: ...You don't run a risk of ruining your hole. Me: Laughs like Beavis and Butthead

[@jb_bmwrepairlyfe4704]

CobraDBlade hehe hehe you said hole!

[@Turbogto_guy]

I came straight to the comments about this.

[@guillermonieri4203]

Great lesson. Thank you.

[@israelnieves2817]

Man you are good! Thanks for suring your knowledge.

[@patrickbuildsalot5348]

Very impressive. Can’t wait to get my rig up and running

[@PawnSacrifice]

That's been a great how to for working with cast aluminium, top work.

[@mr.renovator4859]

Thanks for showing! Did a job for a friend on his Landrover alu coolant tubings! Lots of dirt and I should have done your tip on preheating as lots of old dirt could have vapourated...... 😊👍🏻

[@edgargutierrez9872]

This is awesome. Just had a repair done on some cast aluminum part on my truck and it loos awful. Congrats on such a clean job.

[@Buck1954]

That was great!

[@lourias]

Nice quick informative. I appreciate that you got to your point without a bunch of superfluous ranting.

[@dustinlewis4521]

Dude! Amazing work. Making it look easy!

[@St0RM33]

Nice trick. I'm assuming this just bolts to a bracket however in a different case you'll probably have to reface the face of the hole front so it sits parallel to whatever it mounts to

[@expediter99]

and at the original height

[@richiemag22]

Nice Job!!

[@axelzanelli6475]

great video, keep them coming!

[@tomthumb3085]

Top work and several useful tips.

[@lipton6996]

Excellent job on that repair

[@ondrejkluc8760]

In Czech Republic we pave on very fine gravel. It works great as well.

[@AlessioSangalli]

I'll be attempting this to my "new" 02J tranny tomorrow. Wish me luck.

[@johngrepo9976]

I enjoy your skills! In my next life I hope to be as good as you.

[@philmay3848]

Excellent job Justin, thanks for taking the time and showing us how to fix a casting. I now have 4943 filler would that work better?

[@oh8wingman]

To keep a fine carbide burr from clogging when cutting aluminium you can give it a liberal coating of grease from time to time. The grease acts as a coolant and a lube and keeps the alloy from welding to the burr. You can also use a piece if threaded carbon rod in lieu of a stainless bolt to preserve threads.

[@Mike44460]

Very nice, excellent in fact.

[@michaelpeace716]

Definitely keeping this trick in my back pocket! Nice!

[@19672701]

Great video! Been trying to repair a crack on a aluminum bellhousing,and just frustrated on it ,you have some great tips I'm going to try.just so dirty,I think I need more patience heating the impurities out.

[@southjerseysound7340]

I've found that using a heat lamp or heat gun on the area of a really dirty part helps. I'll leave it for a while and really cook the crap out of it before using a torch and it really seems to help.

[@Okipouros]

There is an aluminum cast wheel cleaner called "eagle one etching mag cleaner" that works like magic to remove oxidised aluminum. Attacks oxidisation, doesnt attack non-oxidised aluminum. Might be of some use to you for hard to reach spots

[@MartinTeerly]

My bike fork developed a crack where you attach brake caliper. It's magnesium casting. Crack is 3mm long but it will get bigger.

[@rjuarez4913]

So cool. I thought the bolt would get stuck to the molten aluminum. I wish I could do this when needed. Very envious.

[@kwik440]

VERY NICE !!

[@snowgorilla9789]

An excellent result on a tough job

[@chemically__disturbed9936]

Clean!!!

[@btwenzel05]

Sweet job! Dude, you have a radio voice!

[@PeterFeltersnatch852]

A true Art ist! 👌

[@alansmall9071]

Great top tip 👍🏻 thanks from over the pond hope your keeping safe and well

[@tempest411]

Wow, that's nice work! Ny only experience trying to weld aluminum at all was pitiful. I don't know what I was doing wrong. Every time I would get it hot enough to get a pool going, the scrap I was working with would just fall apart:(

[@genaroromanjr4977]

Refreshing repair show

[@offbeatwarble]

Really good commentary and explanation 👍

[@1970chevelle396]

That turned out great. You can't even tell that was messed up.

[@davecross5317]

Nice trick! Will file that one away for future use

[@mt8149]

Really nice job.

[@Stingerrray]

That was Freaking awesome. Thanks for the vid!

[@martinblackburn2723]

great job i love watching your fix

[@sblack48]

what a great trick. Very nice work. What amperage?

[@matthewfox3760]

Getting it done and looking fine - I would have been happy to pay full price for the repair. I most likely would’ve run it as is 🤫