Alumaloy Brazing Rods...

[Basenjib123]

So this guy at the boat ramp and I start chit chatting about leaky boats, when he says ..."I would never go through the trouble of re-riveting when I can use a torch and some Almaloy Brazing Rods to stop my leaks"... Now, I admit that I know nothing about this so I didn't debate the point with him. Can somebody give me the "low down" on this technique? Thanks, Joe.

 

[jbcurt00]

Its just like it sounds, brazing w an aluminum rod, just like old school brass brazing.

Some loose rivets are near seams, I wouldnt do it anywhere.

IMO, rivetted boats should het rivetted repairs. Welded boats, weld repairs (incl aluminum brazing)

A few here in the Starcraft forum tried it for holes &/or loose rivets w the whole range of results: worst idea ever ~ worked great love 'em.

At least 1 member admitted that some of the problem was operator error....

You heat the rivet/hole w MAPP gass until the rivet/area around the rivet or hole is hot enough to melt the rod. Then feed the rod into the repair until its filled, heating as needed to keep surface hot enough to melt rod. You do not heat the rod.

Google/youtube has plenty of hits for reference

 

[Basenjib123]

Its just like it sounds, brazing w an aluminum rod, just like old school brass brazing.

Some loose rivets are near seams, I wouldnt do it anywhere.

IMO, rivetted boats should het rivetted repairs. Welded boats, weld repairs (incl aluminum brazing)

A few here in the Starcraft forum tried it for holes &/or loose rivets w the whole range of results: worst idea ever ~ worked great love 'em.

At least 1 member admitted that some of the problem was operator error....

You heat the rivet/hole w MAPP gass until the rivet/area around the rivet or hole is hot enough to melt the rod. Then feed the rod into the repair until its filled, heating as needed to keep surface hot enough to melt rod. You do not heat the rod.

Google/youtube has plenty of hits for reference

Yeah, my spidey sense told me "not so fast" ... thanks for the reply.

 

[jbcurt00]

To be clear, others here differ on welding repairs on rivetted boats

@Scott Danforth IIRC does.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I have a pile of the alumaloy brazing rods. never could get them to work right.

the rods need to be pristine and clean. as in never opened clean

the surface needs to be extremely clean, as in freshly sanded clean

the torch needs to be hot. and then you have a fine line between a so-so repair and a big melted hole

I had the best luck paying my radiator guy to weld aluminum (he was less expensive than most aluminum shops.

 

[racerone]

There is more than one name attached to these rods.-----I bought 10 " lumiweld "rods and my friend bought 10 rods at antique car parts flea market-----We were skeptical.------I bought the 10 rods off my friend.----Bought 150 rods the next time I saw this vendor.----They work very well.

 

[matt167]

There is a plastic stick that one of the big box sporting goods places sells, which you heat the rivit with a torch and then press the stick into it, and it seals it..

The aluminum welding rods DO work and they are very cool, however I would not weld/ braze a rivit

 

[Commander_47]

I just take the boat down and have a welder do it right. Not that expensive. I have never been able to get those alumiweld rods to work right.