Welding aluminium

At the last Ally Pally Model Engineering Exhibition I bought a small pack of a 'Techno-Weld' product for welding aluminium.

I have been restoring an old Villiers engine and discovered a previous 'engineer' had cracked the crankcase end casting and with very little effort the cracked part just came away!

Never used Techno Weld before but decided to give it a go on this casting so prepared both parts as suggested incorporating an area both sides to hold a fillet. Jigged it all up and using a large soft flame heated the parts. Didn't measure the temperature but 380c is recommended, must have been about right as the welding stick just flowed in, couldn't believe it!

Really impressed with the repair which has now been turned to finished size.

No connection with the company but very impressed with the product, so much so I emailed them to let them know - but the company was dissolved in October!

Such a shame.

Alan

I remember seeing the demonstration stand for that stuff as a kid in the mid 90's, I used to ride trials and went to the trials exhibition at Birmingham arena I think?

They used to do a little show at their stand, where they'd stick a couple of soda cans together.

Useful to keep a few sticks, as it is handy now n then.

If your melting temp is correct, it's soldering, definitely not welding.

My son's Renault Clio sport of which he had lowered too much. Hit a half brick on the M1 some years ago. After eventually getting his sump off, it had a spiders web cracks all over the alloy. I had some of that alloy rod, way before buying the Tig welder. So we gave it a go. Results were very good. There is this thing that you have to use a stainless steel wire brush on the work piece. I know the tensile strength is not the same , but for small repairs it is great.

Steve.

Hi Alan,

Technoweld is readily available from here.

I've not been to an exhibition for awhile, but I seem to recall that buying without the demo is cheaper

**LINK**

But you can watch video clips to remind you how to use it.

Regards

Keith

Thanks for the Link! I know it's not proper welding but I was most impressed.

Will certainly remember it for any future ally joining jobs!

Alan