From: Orintz (orintz@hal3000.cx)
Date: Mon Mar 29 2004 - 10:57:50 PST
oxy/hydrogen works well , you can use an o2 regulator with the nut
switched to a fuel nut for the hydrogen and save some $ on
regulators(some say this is an unsafe practice and you should by a
hydrogen regulator, I disagree, but you need to be informed and make
your own disision), meco aviator jet makes some nice nimble torches (or
rather made, victor bought em , although they still make the midget and
I think an aviator model of some sort). AntiBorax company makes some
nice flux...number 5 for 1100 aluminum and sheet if memory serves me
and number 8 for cast... superior flux & mfg has bought the anti borax
company and still makes #8, by the way it does work on 1100 sheet as
well. 5 was just specifically for sheet (I think I have a few #'s of 5
left) Talking with the gal from superior she wanted me to understand the
cost is $15 per lb but theres a $50 minimum order so if there is
interest it would be best if several guys got together...and btw a lb
lasts a while..you mix it with water. Pink or rose didymium glasses a
shade or two lighter than glass blowers glasses if you can get em
reduces the yellow glare, talking with mike at www.auralens.com, he
sugests that one would use a didymium glass with the AGW-186 filter and
says the green didymium is better as it redusecs IR radiation. He
expects delivery of new glass in two months and has some old glass in
stock..price for these is expensive at ~ $80 each but he says they do
allow for buying groups with a 10-15% discount. I may still have some of
the old pink glasses new in box as well. All in all...and all these
years later ox/hydrogen is still a valid and usefull method for welding
aluminum and is definetly not to be confused with a brazing technique ,
for instance using strips of 1100 sheared off the 1100 sheet we were
welding and getting a bead 2.5 x the size of the parent metal, also no
gap, spot weld every three inches (it likes to move) this is a butt weld
and one that many aerobatic aircraft tanks were welded with. Actually
the only approved method for welding aluminum by the faa and its
predicesor for many years. Of course electric welding has advanced
greatly and offers less distortion (in my opinion the only problem with
gas welding), but yet ox/hydrogen is so much cheaper even today, so I
still consider it usefull....back in the 70's and 80's I was involved
with bringing back this "lost art" at the Experimental Aircraft
Association anual fly-in...it seems it is nearly lost again, perhaps
there is interest in bringing it back??? If so feel free to email me off
list.
ox/hydrogen btw is much cleaner than oxy/acetelene and lots cooler so it
makes it far easier to weld with but I have used both.
John Paulding wrote:
>
> http://www.tinmantech.com Has all the Oxy/fuel
> supplies you'll need.
>
> John
>
> --- Vernon Tuck <vtuck@tucklings.com> wrote:
> > Sarge,
> >
> > Here's the definitive know-it-all answer from the
> > know-it-all who knows it all but has never done it:
> >
> > As others have said, you can MIG it. This requires a
> > special mig gun however.
> >
> > The commonly accepted way to do it is (as already
> > stated) with a TIG machine.
> >
> > The weapon of choice for this is the so called
> > "square wave" machines manufactured by Miller and
> > Lincoln, among others. The reason for high
> > frequency is to get an arc started so as to not
> > contaminate the weld with the tungsten. The reason
> > for the AC is to provide cleaning of the aluminum
> > during the electrode positive half cycle.
> >
> > Here's what nobody has stated yet, however (at least
> > I haven't seen it):
> >
> > You can stick weld aluminum. But it looks like
> > refried shit. This is a last resort.
> >
> > You can TIG aluminum with a regular (not square wave
> > and not AC) DC TIG machine by welding Electrode
> > Positive. However, in electrode positive most of
> > the heat goes into the tungsten (or electrode).
> > Also, since aluminum conducts heat away soooo fast,
> > the practical effect is: you have to use high
> > amperage and a big tungsten to successfully weld
> > very thin aluminum.
> >
> > For my grand finale, here is what the world has
> > forgotten. You can oxyacetylene weld aluminum quite
> > nicely by using the appropriate flux. This is how
> > aluminum USED TO BE WELDED. But it's been so long
> > ago most of the people who know how to do it are
> > dead...
> >
> > However, a word of caution. To gas weld aluminum
> > you have to use flux. This flux incandesces in the
> > flame and emits a wave length of yellow which is
> > very very bad for your eyes. You have to use some
> > special goggles which are DIFFERENT from the every
> > day cutting/welding goggles people normally use for
> > gas cutting and welding.
> >
> > Also, once the weld is finished you have to wash and
> > scrub the shit out of the flux to get it off.
> > Otherwise it plays havoc with paint.
> >
> > The upshot is: If you have a single weld to make
> > and don't have the experience and/or equipment, send
> > it out to a shop.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Vernon
>
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