On Wed, 25 Nov 2015 11:29:55 -0600, Tim Wescott
wrote:

On Tue, 24 Nov 2015 21:08:57 -0800, Larry Jaques wrote:

On Tue, 24 Nov 2015 12:50:48 -0800 (PST), wrote:

On Tuesday, November 24, 2015 at 1:29:25 PM UTC-5, Tim Wescott wrote:
On Tue, 24 Nov 2015 07:08:58 -0800, ggherold wrote:

On Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 6:50:14 PM UTC-5, Tim Wescott
wrote:
This is probably going to stay on my wish list for a good long
time, but I've been lusting after TIG welding capabilities for a
while now.

Nearly all the projects that I have in mind at the momet involve
welding .03" to .06" aluminum sheet to itself and to 1/8" or 3/16"
bosses, so it looks like this thing is heavy-duty enough.

Knowing next to nothing about welding, Can you solder the aluminum
pieces together? Or do you need more strength?

I've tried soldering without a lot of success. I've also tried
aluminum brazing, which rapidly turned into half-assed aluminum
welding, and then a puddle on my bench.

I suppose I should try epoxy, but it's for a model airplane muffler
and I have visions of the thing just falling apart in the air.

Did you have the right flux? (La-co Aluminum flux paste)
I haven't done a lot but I soldered Al pieces to circuit board and
pieces of copper wire to aluminum foil. (like right off the roll in the
kitchen)
I've never tried it for joining Al bits together, but I bet I could do
it.

I don't know about mufflers, how hot do those things get?
There are epoxies that claim 500 F. That seem cheaper than a new
welder.. unless you mostly are looking for an excuse to buy one.

vbg Um, pretty warm.
http://eng.fsu.edu/me/senior_design/...haust_temp.JPG
http://assets.bankspower.com/prod_in...pipe-chart.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...owing+bmw+m+v8
+headers1197176043.jpg

I recommend against epoxy.

Those are for gasoline or diesel four-strokes, and you're mostly quoting
temperatures that would melt an aluminum muffler off of the engine -- and
in model airplane service, if a muffler isn't aluminum, there's a good
chance that it's carbon fiber.

That'll teach me to read only the last part of the message...

--
The most powerful factors in the world are clear
ideas in the minds of energetic men of good will.
-- J. Arthur Thomson