On Sun, 9 Oct 2011 15:12:08 -0400, "Wild_Bill"
wrote:

There likely isn't any real savings to be attained by making your own, even
if you had a perfect formula.
These rods are a commercial product, available at many hardware retailers
and welding suppliers here in the US.
Patching old roof flashing, for example, isn't really a good way to repair a
leaking roof IMO, but I suppose some would feel a great sense of
accomplishment from doing something like that.

The real value is in being able to repair non-ferrous parts instead of
buying new parts if/when they're still available.
Obviously there isn't much value in repairing mum's pie pans with these
rods, but real savings can be realized by repairing machine parts or various
fittings which would require parts searches and ordering, or custom
assemblies which aren't commonly available.

I've saved many hundreds of dollars worth of aluminum parts with these types
of rods, having started using them about 30 years ago.

I've also been able to fabricate a lot of items with stock aluminum shapes
which would have needed to have been riveted or screwed together with
fasteners.
Very handy stuff for fabricating outdoor or boat hardware items.

Some holes can be patched with plastic/epoxy products, but the fix is often
inferior to actually making a metal repair.

I've found MAPP gas and a MAPP torch (not an ordinary propane torch) to be
much more effective for using these types of rods, since aluminum can
dissipate heat fairly rapidly.
Actual use requires proper shaping and cleaning of the joint, heating to the
correct range, and using a stirring/scratching motion of the rod to keep the
oxides afloat and maintaining the proper heat range while adding more rod to
fill any voids.. scratching the rod into the workpiece material to attain an
alloying of the rod with the workpiece.

I dunno what Doug's seen, but I've never seen the rods with flux core.


Repaired the old Springbok Aluminum canoe several times with the alloy
rods, and made both canoe carrier for van rooftop and bike carrier for
trailer hitch using the stuff - no problems. Also used to repair
motorcycle engine side covers etc, and even repaired crankcase of lawn
mower engine where con-rod came out through.

I do also have aluminum solder, in wire form, which IS flux cored. I
wouldn't use it on anything large, but it is available - and it
apparently works. I have about 5 lbs of it - have not used it yet but
it was used by NCR (National Cash Register) in production at their
Waterloo Ontario plant = where I bought it at a surplus sale a number
of years back.