An Aluminium welding task

[DIYspanner]

Got a 3 in 1 ladder with a split at one of the treads.

Not being an expert in this area, do MIG welders to do Alum welds with a suitable wire?

Here's the task

 

[Burnerman]

Sure, no problem with that one but I would recommend plenty of practice.....its so easy to blow metal away when it has a low melt temperature!
You need pure argon as a gas shield, too.
John

 

[Tigercubrider]

Presumably this is for home use?

We aren't allowed to fix even quite simple issues with our ladders. Even a build up of paint is enough to have them declared scrap.

 

[ericmark]

Welding aluminium is like wiping a lead joint, in both cases the metal does not change colour so very hard to judge when there is enough heat, also very easy to look as if welded but really only stuck together with flux.

For a ladder for me it would be in the scrap bin and a new one.

 

[EddieM]

Yeah, I have to agree, welding Ali, I'm told, is difficult, If it were me I'd scrap it.

 

[DIYspanner]

The ladders, this type, were in a neighbour's skip. They're doing a house clearance and they were happy for me to take them.

The crack is the only thing wrong with them so its worth a punt to try and repair them for odd jobbing around the house. If the repair doesn't work, back into a skip they go.

 

[Tigercubrider]

You could try lumiweld which is a home solder style alloy welding kit
But personally I'd skip it

 

[Brigadier]

I'd scrap it personally.

Failing that, I'd use a mechanical repair: bolt some steel bar across the break.

 

[Belle427]

I’d agree about putting it back in the skip, it’s bad practice to try and repair ladders like that.
It’s just not worth it.

 

[DIYspanner]

Comments noted Gents, thanks!

 

[Burnerman]

If its for yourself ( he said carefully) I guess you could repair this with some aluminium channel and long pop rivets.....
I had a set of fibre glass steps in with a similar issue, (repaired as above and stronger than original).
The fibreglass tubes were timber filled....Maybe they were designed for Sparkies originally.
John

 

[jj4091]

I would agree with John, using something like this would be much safer than welding https://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/aluminium-channel

 

[Peter.N.]

When I was doing diesel conversions I sometimes had to change the shape of a sump to fit the vehicle, what I used was one of those brazing attachments you can connect to your stick welder. It still wasn't easy as the alloy would suddenly turn to 'water' but I usually managed it. Warning though, cover your arms or you are likely to get 'sunburnt'.

Peter

 

[Burnerman]

You can still get them Peter - after a struggle although the carbons are still readily available.
I've done plenty of brazing with them, but never aluminium.
John

 

[Peter.N.]

I came across the hardware bit a while back John and found you could still get the carbon rods, so I got some, they will likely stay in the cupboard until I'm to old to use them but you never know.

Peter