[sdiy] Aluminium Solder

[Tom Arnold]

On Fri, Sep 27, 2002 at 12:25:15PM +0930, Batz Goodfortune wrote:
>          This may seem a bizarre thing to contemplate but is it possible to 
> get an alloy & flux that would allow one to solder aluminium? I've never 
> heard of such a thing but since jewelers have all kinds of ways of joining 
> various metals I'm wondering if it were possible. Particularly at 
> reasonable cost.

Certainly.

Easiest to find are the Radiator Repair soldering fluxes for Aluminum,
but there are lots of others out there.  Seems like it shouldnt work but
it does.  The flux cleans off the oxidation and prevents more oxygen from
reaching the bare aluminum before you apply solder.  I wouldnt want to 
use it alot but for small jobs ( and radiators ) works fine.

Wire Feed welders are not as expensive as one might think.  I got one
refurb for $200 and got a small helium tank for it for $15 used and
refills are $10 at Praxair.  

One warning about buying a Welder... You will suddenly have to weld
EVERYTHING.  Making that nifty octagonal case out of two stopsigns and some
scrap for your sequencer suddenly happens.  Ducttape loses its popularity.
You start thinking of ways to weld down SMT parts.   Its quite frightening.

-- 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 - Tom Arnold -       When I was small, I was in love,                  - 
 - Sysabend   -       In love with everything.                          -
 - CareTaker  -       And now there's only you...                       - 
 --------------         -- Thomas Dolby, "Cloudburst At Shingle Street" -