Aluminum Welding Rod Tests - Wayy better than anticipated

[slider2828]

Beading or putting together IC hot pipes and cold pipes. This seems to be fine!

Also I would probably use this for welding bungs to those IC pipes.... Better than JB Welding them!

What you guys think?

fKIKsDfRAcs

[S14rebuild]

Used this before on some flat bar and aluminum nuts. But Wouldnt trust it to do intercooler piping....

[slider2828]

Why not? You running what max 35 psi at any point... that is pretty much nothing....

[Kingtal0n]

Tig welding aluminum was always easier for me than steel. I made countless sets of intercooler plumbing over the years and wouldn't do it any other way. It doesn't take long if you have the right tools, bandsaw, carbide bit,... I've even seen a special tool for removing burrs quickly without the use of an air compressor tool. I'm no machinist yet plumbing was always very easy and quickly done, not sure how you can improve that, looking for a way to improve something that doesn't need to be improved.

[S14rebuild]

Why not? You running what max 35 psi at any point... that is pretty much nothing....


Figured between vibration and 25-30psi over the whole area wouldnt hold up.... always tig welded my pipes. Just didnt seem like the best way. Guess somone should try it.

(Ive seen iat bungs brazed and hold up)

[spooled240]

This guy tested these rods on pipe and looks like it would work well for intercooler pipes. This is a much cheaper alternative to welding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYzMHdedIeM

[S14rebuild]

I guess...but it looks like shit, n ur not getting penatration. Guessn jbweld would do the same

[SupaDoopa]

If you're justifying this instead of doing it the right way, god bless. That looks like dog shit, isn't going to hold as well as you think and has zero penetration.

[d9m13n]

Might be a good thing to stick in the toolbox for trackside fixes, but otherwise I'd rather have my piping done the right way

[S14rebuild]

Might be a good thing to stick in the toolbox for trackside fixes, but otherwise I'd rather have my piping done the right way

This is perfect....just a track/bandaid fix

[slider2828]

For me its an alternative to weld on an bund to some aluminum..... It would be stupid to buy a TIG welder to do bungs once maybe 5 years..... I have a crappy mig for car panels or something, but TIG is another level.

But agreed on full piping probably not, but track fix would be awesome!

[Abeo]

The problem with that stuff as a trackside fix is once you get the permanent repair done, you'll be battling weld contamination like crazy. Stick to quick epoxy for trackside repairs which can be removed easier later.

I've actually used that stuff a couple times on a motorcycle to fill in where a chain went awry... It's not easy to work with. It's basically like working with solder and not like welding.

[silviaks2nr]

The thing is once you have a TIG you will find a million uses for it and you can build your own cool shit. A good hobbyist AC/DC TIG setup can be had for under $1200 (including a 150 bottle of gas, nice foot pedal, torch, consumables etc.). The machine will pay for itself pretty quickly.

[TheRealSy90]

Or don't buy a whole damn tig to weld a bung and have your local friend that welds do it for you.

[slider2828]

Or don't buy a whole damn tig to weld a bung and have your local friend that welds do it for you.

Its tough to have welding friends close by actually in the SF Bay Area. Either they are full time fabricators that really don't have a lot of time or they are very far because shop rent / fabricators are really really hard to have prime real estate with so much high tech.....

Gotta go outskirts.... Then you think 5 mins to weld a bung and a 40 minute drive 1 way to get it done..... gotta have a few short cuts

[silviaks2nr]

If there's anything I've learned about cars it's that it's always better to do it yourself not rely on someone else... Even a friend. Put yourself in that friend's shoes too and you end up welding dirty little jobs as favors for everybody.

[slider2828]

Yup i agree. All my friends have jobs and families. And to do anything in SF bay area with fab, you either gotta be like matt field drift cave building 100k drift machines or not surviving.

I think its really becoming fact of life being older and owning a serious big boy toy.

But ima try this welding rode.

Hope you guys sat through the video, its always done well.

[Abeo]

Yup i agree. All my friends have jobs and families. And to do anything in SF bay area with fab, you either gotta be like matt field drift cave building 100k drift machines or not surviving.

I think its really becoming fact of life being older and owning a serious big boy toy.

But ima try this welding rode.

Hope you guys sat through the video, its always done well.

Sounds like you are set on using this stuff, so good luck...

If I were in your position, I'd be looking at a $100 flux core mig and mild steel pipe.

[slider2828]

Yea i have a mig and gas. But not pipe bending. So i just use my blitz pipes and put iat bung. I tapped and jbwelded thr bung before on my car and was fine on track duty. Figured this would be better than JB

[zombiewolf513]

works pretty well for fixing A/C tubing.

[ixfxi]

For me its an alternative to weld on an bund to some aluminum..... It would be stupid to buy a TIG welder to do bungs once maybe 5 years..... I have a crappy mig for car panels or something, but TIG is another level.

But agreed on full piping probably not, but track fix would be awesome!

no, for you its stupid because you're making excuses as why you shouldnt buy a proper welding machine. you're literally comparing a tool that has infinite uses, with a brazing procedure that has very limited uses.


The problem with that stuff as a trackside fix is once you get the permanent repair done, you'll be battling weld contamination like crazy. Stick to quick epoxy for trackside repairs which can be removed easier later.

I've actually used that stuff a couple times on a motorcycle to fill in where a chain went awry... It's not easy to work with. It's basically like working with solder and not like welding.

yeah, try explaining what you are saying here to non welders - they just dont get it. they dont know the challenges associated with welding, let alone contamination and good prep. the majority of people think stick welding is welding. well, i guess it is... if you work on ferrari chassis'


The thing is once you have a TIG you will find a million uses for it and you can build your own cool shit. A good hobbyist AC/DC TIG setup can be had for under $1200 (including a 150 bottle of gas, nice foot pedal, torch, consumables etc.). The machine will pay for itself pretty quickly.

I dont think this is in his interests. forget the investment costs which in my opinion are significant, most people dont have the space nor do they have 240V.

[spooled240]

I dont think this is in his interests. forget the investment costs which in my opinion are significant, most people dont have the space nor do they have 240V.

Some people don't even have workspace with 110V :hide:

#apartmentlyfe