Hello all,
I know nothing about welding. Is aluminum weldable? Also, can aluminum be welded onto aluminum? I ask because I want to mount a billet aluminum Blue Oval onto a Carriage Works billet grille for my 96. Welding it in place is the only true way to do it in my mind. I guess I could fab up some sort of hidden bracketry system too.... Any ideas? Thanks


Rich

 

not easily you have to be a pro to weld aluminum if you know nothing about welding you will burn through it DONT TRY IT

here is a tip if you want to know what is weldable if a magnet is attracted to it it is weldable

 

Aluminum can be welded by tig or by a wire feeder (mig). You will have a bead of metal that can be ground down. I have the feeling that a good glue may be your best option.

 

Aluminum is tough. A TIG welder is the best way but I have never seen anyone with one in their personal shop. Go to a professional.

 

TIG welders are extremely expensive too. MIG welders would blow right through that grille.

 

I wouldnt attempt it myself. I was just wondering if it was possible before I start calling around. Thanks


Rich

 

Fab up a bracket with some stainless steel fasteners etc, normal steel etc will rust in aluminum. If it does not look right you can always remove it without ruining the grill.

 

The problem with aluminum is a very narrow "Transition State".

When enough heat is added, it becomes plastic, but it also corrodes faster than anything, and along with that it also burns - very little extra energy and it flashes beyond a certain point.

By comparison, steel is very forgiving. There is a fairly wide "Working Temperature Range" after the metal achieves the 'plastic' state, so you can overdo it a little and still get away with it. It won't burn holes unless it's very thin stock...

Aluminum can be welded with a wire feed/inert gas welder because the gas prevents oxygenation of the metal and also helps to maintain the temperature but it's one hell of a balancing act!

People spend months getting certified for that kind of metal work.

The upside is that aluminum is also very workable within limits, and light - so most glues will bond it without any trouble provided the surfaces are clean and corrosion free.

Use a sparing amount of epoxy after doing a little surface prep work and it should be attached forever. - Or as close to it as necessary...


Umm, I kind of wondered here - because a standard blue oval has two mounting pegs on it. It seems to me all you should do is drill two holes in the right place and use the usual fasteners.

 

Greywolf, I think that you are thinking of magnesium. Aluminum will not burn. If you get aluminum too hot, it will fall apart.

I have a low dollar tig setup at home and I have welded some .020 thick pieces of aluminum with it. It does take some practice. The key is to get the metal very clean before you start.

 

Ever hear of aluminum oxide, the stuff they use in SRB's (solid fuel rocket boosters). Aluminum does burn. What is actually critical is the strength of the weld. Which is why most aluminum is forged instead of welded.

 

Aluminum is hard to burn in it's pure form. Aluminum oxide is a compound. Compounds can have compleatly diffrent properties than their parts. Look at hydrogen and oxygen. Mix them with a spark in their pure form and whoosh! Make 'em into water and you got one of the best extingushing agents around (not for electrical or oils though!) Sorry for the chemistry lesson. Crap, school stats on wednesday.

 

Aluminum oxide is what must be cleaned off before welding. Aluminum melts at about 1150 degrees F. Aluminum will also easily oxidize at higher temperatures. One way to keep the aluminum clean while welding is to use a high frequency voltage on top of the main welding current.

You can actually see the metal being cleaned by the HF. Aluminum welds can be made that are just as strong and ductile as the original metal. You must support the aluminum as it is being welded. It will melt before it changes color. It does not burn.

Forged aluminum is good just as forged steel is. Just depends on the application. The next time you are near one of those big tanker trucks with the aluminum tank, check out the welds that put it together.

 

True. I have yet to ask the manufacturer if these have the stock style mounting pins. Either way, I could always grind them off to mount flush.


Rich

 

Same thing with Sodium Chloride - Sodium burns like mad when exposed to air and Chlorine is a hella poisonous (and corrosive, too - I think) gas, yet Sodium Chloride is table salt. Great on french fries!

XXL

 

Find out what type and grade the aluminum is before you even consider welding on it or to it. Also, you have to consider the metal you are welding it to. Heliarc is a good all-round method for standard aluminum (3003-H14, 2042, 6061T-6 for example).

Also, ever wonder why the steel spark plugs don't react well with these aluminum heads? Like Torque1st said, "Fab up a bracket with some stainless steel fasteners etc, normal steel etc will rust in aluminum." Steel contaminates aluminum unless you apply some sort of insulating material - like anti-seize when you replace the plugs.