# Soldering aluminum, please help!



## FNinjaP90 (Sep 14, 2004)

Will this stuff work?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11774&item=3838646557&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

I just found out and asked a question about it like 10 mintues ago, but I don't think the seller will be able to log on in time to reply to my question. Will this work? I need to solder wire to aluminum contacts.


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## detenebrator (Sep 14, 2004)

Aluminum solders work, but are difficult to get good results with - very narrow useful temperature range. Also, the flux used (at least on the older Al solders) was toxic - much more so than ordinary solder - so follow all manufacturer's safety instuctions.

I've never used the Aluminum solder from Multicore, but their ordinary (tin/lead) solders are great.
I've never used the Multicore


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## Ginseng (Sep 15, 2004)

I have a link to some aluminum solder and flux. It works but as det said, don't expect it to behave like tin/lead solder on copper. If you can wait until tonight I'll post a link.

Wilkey


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## FNinjaP90 (Sep 16, 2004)

Its ok. I've skipped the auction and bought some zinc/tin solder and some aluminum flux. So I'm good.


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## PEU (Sep 16, 2004)

That product looks like a low temp soldering solution. This kind of product does not weld the parts.

Soldering aluminum is no easy task, mainly because aluminum changes from solid to liquid without any warning, change of color or the likes.

I sell specialized welding products here in Argentina, our aluminum soldering rod is a 2 part solution:

1- the aluminum alloy rod and almost as important 
2- the flux, which has a double purpose: to clean and to warn you when the aluminum has the temperature to be welded. It becomes liquid about 80 degrees less than the aluminum melting point.

If you have an oxyacetylene torch, a must to WELD aluminum, look for an USA distributor of the products I sell: www.magnagroup.com and the specific link: Magna 55 

we also sell an electrode, but you need a DC welding machine Magna 505 

if you need any help regarding these products just ask /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Pablo


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## Mednanu (Oct 8, 2004)

You need Alumaloy ! 

http://www.alumaloy.net/

It works great, but might be tough to use if you have ultra small or very thin ( like metal-sheet-thin ) parts. You'll have to be careful to heat the aluminum just below the melting point if it's small or ultra thin, but this stuff really works. It's fairly easy to use if the parts are clean, too. Sort of like a cross between very easy welding and intermediate soldering.


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## Gman (Oct 8, 2004)

Soldering Al is not difficult as long as you remove the oxide and use the proper flux. As PEU stated, you need an alloy designed for this. There are many used in the repair of air conditioning equipment, search on that. Or brazing may be better depending on your part's application.

O/A fusion welding of Al is not for the inexperienced because as PEU pointed it has hot shortness. However, you certainly don't need O/A to braze or solder it, propane or Mapp will will work. As PEU said, you could use SMAW if the part is big enough. I'm not saying DC SMAW won't work on Al, it's just not the best way to do it. I'd use GMAW before I used SMAW.

Best solution is to GTAW it using AC current and argon if the part is thin or helium if it's thick. Nothing beats a good GTAW machine, especially a square wave inverter based unit. You can weld razor blades to railroad tracks with such a machine and the skill to use it. I often weld soft drink cans together just to stay proficent.

You also didn't state the alloy you're working with. There are many alloys of aluminum and a few shouldn't be fusion arc welded if they'll be used in structual or certain aerospace applications.


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