On 10/8/2011 10:35 AM, F Murtz wrote:
At various markets people set up stalls selling an aluminium soldering
(brazing) rod Which they demonstrate filling holes in aluminium cans,
also aluminium to bronze etc using LPG flame.It melts at a lot lower
temp than aluminium,they heat the can and sort of paint and puddle the
rod on and they do not use flux.
This rod looks like thin rudimentary solder sticks.
I think it is a zinc based alloy
I would like to know the formula as I think they make this alloy
themselves and pour it into sticks, I don't think it is a commercial
product.
can any one tell me which metals and the proportions it would be made from

What country are you in?

The aluminum solder rods in the US look like they're home-made (they're
kinda lumpy) but the rods are flux-core. I dunno how you'd do that
cheaply at home. ?

The stuff is all mostly zinc, it's not expensive. That doesn't stop at
least one company for vastly overcharging for it however.

Fourney, Muggyweld, HTS-2000 and Dura-Fix are the four most-common US
brands. Fourney and Dura-Fix are the cheapest, and local hardware stores
often sell them.



You have to play with it to see what it can and can't do. The
heat-dissipative nature of aluminum can make it difficult or impossible
to do multiple joins close to each other.

For small spot/hole repairs or for "spot welds" in thin aluminum it is
great--but for long cracks, long welds or lots of stress, it is not a
substitute for true welding.