Weld Aluminum Without A Welding Machine With This DIY.

If a project you’re working on requires a bit of metal work, you might want to use aluminum if possible. The reason is, you don’t need welding equipment to weld aluminum pieces together. You just need a propane torch.

Aluminum is lightweight and reasonably strong for light loads and strains. Working with aluminum is also easy because it is a soft metal so you can easily cut it. You can do a lot of things using aluminum that you can also do with other metallic materials.

Image source: Make Something

Continue to the Next Page and watch the video: How to “Weld” Aluminum Without a Welder.

Next Page

100 thoughts on “Weld Aluminum Without A Welding Machine With This DIY.

  • November 16, 2015 at 2:56 pm
    Permalink

    This comes up in my news feed once a week, wish you would stop deceiving people. This is not a welding process, which requires fusion of the base metals. It is an adhesion process much like soldering. I just don’t want to see someone injured because they decide to “braze” there aluminum trailer back together… Yours truly, a real welder

    Reply
    • August 6, 2016 at 8:42 am
      Permalink

      I was thinking the same thing

      Reply
    • August 6, 2016 at 8:43 am
      Permalink

      This is the first time I’ve seen this and I was thinking the same thing

      Reply
    • August 11, 2016 at 9:48 pm
      Permalink

      Thank you Jesse. I am a welding Instructor. I do teach Aluminum Brazing as well as GMAW and GTAW aluminum welding. I wish the creators of this site would state it is just weak brazing/soldering and should never be intended for load bearing applications! Including a lawn chair! lol

      Reply
      • August 24, 2016 at 2:38 pm
        Permalink

        Dear Instructure:
        I am sure your right, but just to let you understand why people try this I tried to get a class at Greenville Tech just to have something to do, the cost of the course at tech is $549

        Needless to say I will be amusing myself for free !

        Reply
        • October 16, 2016 at 3:00 am
          Permalink

          *you’re*

          Reply
        • January 7, 2017 at 4:01 am
          Permalink

          Penetration is not the same and will cause to crystallized their be lot of pocket from dirty atmosphere just not weld no tensile strength/great respect from my former instructor Micheal Walsh III RIP P.S. Stop teaching to weld in small circle stuff breaks at 20,000 mine never broke 220,000 psi

          Reply
        • February 1, 2017 at 10:35 am
          Permalink

          You still did not understand what you were just told

          Reply
      • October 7, 2016 at 9:14 pm
        Permalink

        It’s not even a form of forging! It’s basically glueing!!!

        Reply
      • January 8, 2017 at 5:05 pm
        Permalink

        Agreed, and it is brazing not welding. There is no melting of the base metal.

        Reply
    • August 16, 2016 at 10:02 pm
      Permalink

      Glad someone said it.

      Reply
    • September 18, 2016 at 3:20 pm
      Permalink

      Welding is a process of bonding two objects together

      Reply
      • November 24, 2016 at 4:12 pm
        Permalink

        With the use of a filler learn your definition this is not welding

        Reply
      • December 20, 2016 at 8:39 am
        Permalink

        There is fusion and non-fusion welding. This is NOT fusion welding!

        Reply
        • December 20, 2016 at 8:42 am
          Permalink

          I have been welding AL for 43 yrs now.

          Reply
      • January 3, 2017 at 11:09 pm
        Permalink

        Bonding is like gluing, welding involves fusion, mixing of molten metal to create connection of the parent materials, most times using filler material similar to that parent material!!

        Reply
    • October 23, 2016 at 4:15 pm
      Permalink

      Are you claiming brazing is a weaker bond than arc welding?

      Reply
      • January 11, 2017 at 12:17 pm
        Permalink

        Of course Jerome, ARC welding is ALWAYS stronger than brazing.

        Reply
    • October 26, 2016 at 3:16 pm
      Permalink

      Thank you Jesse! I built some shelving for my Garage and discovered the HARD way that this is a very poor process for even minimal strength!

      Reply
    • November 5, 2016 at 6:55 am
      Permalink

      Glad someone sod that! Also, if you are going to braze aluminum you need much more heat than he used. All he did was brush the aluminum on the surface more heat is needed to draw the brazing material between the joints which is still not a strong enough connection for things such as a table

      Reply
      • December 30, 2016 at 6:58 pm
        Permalink

        One thing he didn’t note that was in the table design (the process makes a little more sense as part of the table than a standalone welding video), most of the weight would be axial on the four legs without much load on the joints. Pretty much, the “welds” were mainly there to hold up the bars themselves (i.e add pretty cross members that don’t serve much purpose except for keeping the legs aligned). He did prop his legs on a bar, so his work in particular seemed to hold a little weight. I, personally, would prefer better joints even there; however, I am not your insurance agent. All that being said I agree with others that this would not be a solid way to suggest others”weld” in the general case.

        Reply
    • November 7, 2016 at 9:01 pm
      Permalink

      Thank you. The best way is to tig it. Bottom line

      Reply
    • November 8, 2016 at 10:00 am
      Permalink

      I would like to see what the butt strength, and shear strength, of this technique vs welding.

      Reply
    • November 29, 2016 at 11:41 am
      Permalink

      Well fk DAHhhhhh.. it doesn’t Say it’s Welding fool.. we know that.
      Weld Aluminum Without A Welding .
      Evidently you never learned reading comprehension mite be from Welders flash.. get checked

      Reply
      • December 9, 2016 at 8:13 am
        Permalink

        You just negated you’re whole argument…it says in the title “weld Aluminum without a welding machine”. And then you claim that is doesn’t say that it is welding….

        Reply
      • January 2, 2017 at 10:59 am
        Permalink

        Mite is a small flee like insect, i might be able to find info on line

        Reply
        • January 7, 2017 at 4:07 pm
          Permalink

          That would be flea…not flee!
          Even more “amused”!

          Reply
    • December 1, 2016 at 1:22 pm
      Permalink

      Hahaha I totally agree. …

      Reply
    • December 5, 2016 at 1:56 pm
      Permalink

      Jesse,

      I sold this stuff over 20 years ago, and have done extensive testing on it.. the bonds created ARE stronger than the just plain old aluminium. It is for real, the Navy used it on the aluminium frames of airplanes during WWII.

      Reply
      • December 13, 2016 at 5:00 pm
        Permalink

        Yes Jesse, and it was used to admirably repair holes in the skin of the planes, fast turnaround, back in action. Many want to nit pick the semantics and become a New York City expert after reading 10 lines of something in the Times. Of COURSE it’s not MELTING any of the 2 pieces being stuck together. It’s akin to soldering, lead/tin or silver – and a few even call “brazing” a type of soldering. WHO GIVES A DONKEY DUMPLING, the stuff WORKS – mending aluminum planes, boats, gas tanks, water tanks – even split water heater tanks – not to mention functioning prototype mockup. Yes, arc welding is stronger, and every backcountry sportsman totes a welder right? This kit can all fit in a canvas sack the size of a bread bag, including the torch & tank.

        Reply
      • January 9, 2017 at 4:57 pm
        Permalink

        I use this quite a bit and it IS stronger than aluminum welding. When I test a weld the parent metal always tears first. The problem is that people try to fusion weld with it and that won’t work.

        Reply
    • December 13, 2016 at 9:36 am
      Permalink

      I thought so and I am glad you said something. Thank you for you honesty as I was trying to get a crack in a rim fixed and I thought this didn’t look right.

      Reply
    • December 14, 2016 at 2:22 pm
      Permalink

      I’m a HVAC guy. He’s “sweating” the materials together much like we do.
      But with less heat . Like a plumber does with your copper water pipes.

      Reply
    • December 18, 2016 at 5:10 am
      Permalink

      JB Weld is stronger than this process!

      Reply
    • December 28, 2016 at 6:25 am
      Permalink

      Thank you. been in the pipe welding for over fifty years. No, that’s not “welding”. But, you can weld aluminum using a Oxy/Acet torch with the correct filler wire and the CORRECT flux. Check with a reliable welding supply company to get the correct flux though.

      Reply
    • January 2, 2017 at 11:41 am
      Permalink

      I used to work for JW Harris Welco. We sold this and called it Welco 52. It also had a flux so that you could use it on contaminated material. We sold this product for $5 #. Now you see about 5 companies selling it for $5 per stick. I’ll not say what the filler metal is made of but it’s not Aluminum. There is but 1 good use for this and it was very popular. Fixing bullet holes in irrigation pipe. It has almost no tensile strength. If you want to see what it is, Google MSDS sheet on Welco 52..You’ll be surprised.

      Reply
    • January 5, 2017 at 3:46 pm
      Permalink

      They should be prosecuted for telling this lie. Welding aluminum takes a Tig welding machine with aluminum filler rod and shield gas/ Yal are gonna get someone seriously hurt or killed.

      Reply
    • January 7, 2017 at 4:07 pm
      Permalink

      I worked at a major welding supplier in ft.Lauderdale for a few years I cant tell you how many salesmen came buy with the claim that they had the SECRET filler rods to do all sorts of processes’ to accomplish this. Fluxes ,Alloys and Gasses. Yes you can melt weldments together that look pretty good but the operative word here is SKILL.and that doesnt mean melding two pieces of aluminum together, there are many variables to take into account ! I have been around a couple of years:-) and there are(mostly English) “craftsmen” that can do it flawlessly with a flame, but these Blokes have been doing it for longer than I am old ! usually lighter gauge fender seams, radiators and the like! So if you want to be a coach builder start training tomorrow and in a few years you might get a little better!

      Reply
    • January 11, 2017 at 1:49 pm
      Permalink

      its called brazing

      Reply
    • January 30, 2017 at 10:28 am
      Permalink

      Thank you for saving me the time to explain the defanition of welding . Well done !

      Reply
  • August 5, 2016 at 7:43 pm
    Permalink

    Sorry this is not welding

    Reply
    • September 18, 2016 at 3:22 pm
      Permalink

      Welding is a process of bonding two objects together

      Reply
  • August 7, 2016 at 9:03 am
    Permalink

    Definitely not welding, and in no way as strong as welding!

    Reply
  • August 9, 2016 at 7:36 pm
    Permalink

    Nope not welding use with extreme caution!!!!!

    Reply
  • August 12, 2016 at 6:42 am
    Permalink

    that would be bonded together. not fused.

    Reply
  • August 12, 2016 at 10:05 am
    Permalink

    Why isn’t there someone screening these thing before being allowed on the facebook ?? I guess if you’re making a picture frame? But what the hell are you people thinking that made this?

    Reply
  • August 12, 2016 at 11:15 am
    Permalink

    Also try bubble gum, I use bazooka. And it works just as well.

    Reply
    • January 23, 2017 at 7:21 am
      Permalink

      My buddy jumped his dads Oldsmobile down dictionary hill when we were kids, bottomed out and put a hole in the gas tank. We used bubble tape. It’s a foot long comes in a roll. Chewed that up stuck it on there and it never leaked again.

      Reply
  • August 12, 2016 at 8:24 pm
    Permalink

    so would this work for handrails on a pontoon boat?

    Reply
    • August 13, 2016 at 3:02 pm
      Permalink

      No, as soon as you tripped and grabbed the rail you would go overboard.

      Reply
    • January 11, 2017 at 12:26 pm
      Permalink

      # ONLY if’n yuse nose how ta swim. LOL

      Reply
  • August 15, 2016 at 7:12 am
    Permalink

    If someone is going to do this they sell Connectors like aluminum 90 degree angle elbows. Using connectors with this would work great and be much stronger than a weld but confusing this brazen technique with welding is a big mistake and can cause an accident.. common sense is rare and stupidity is spreading people ask a pro or do your homework.

    Reply
  • August 18, 2016 at 4:26 am
    Permalink

    Welding melts objects and adds filler. Brazing is like using Elmers Glue

    Reply
    • October 24, 2016 at 7:12 pm
      Permalink

      You can brazen cast iron using brass Flux covered rods. I did it on 1 half inch cast iron. On the bend test the cast iron broke and inch away from my brazed joint. Pretty strong. But knowing the proper application makes a world of difference.

      Reply
      • October 24, 2016 at 7:13 pm
        Permalink

        It said braze until spellchecker got ahold of it.

        Reply
      • December 7, 2016 at 12:12 pm
        Permalink

        actually the cast cracked before the braze because it’s a brittle material and brass brazing rod is more malleable. Not because your braze is stronger than a weld

        Reply
      • December 15, 2016 at 11:12 am
        Permalink

        I used some kinda aluminum brazing rod (I no longer recall the name). I bonded two huge wide angle aluminum pieces together to make a loading ramp for motorcycles. The two pieces were several feet long, maybe 7′ or 8′. The wide side of the material was about 10″, thickness was about 1/8″. I had trouble getting the material hot enough to bond well. That large mass of aluminum conducts the heat away very fast. Where I did get it right it was strong. I subsequently torn the two halves apart. The brazed areas torn the aluminum off the original material. I wouldn’t use this on an aircraft frame but it is useful just the same.

        Reply
  • August 24, 2016 at 1:38 am
    Permalink

    The chassis of a lotus is glued together aluminum,,, just saying… it CAN be strong if done correctly, but you need more surface area than this guy has.

    Reply
    • December 9, 2016 at 8:17 am
      Permalink

      Yes…glued with special adhesives and then clamped until cured. MUCH different than melting a little bit of aluminum between two pieces of aluminum! This “weld” barely has any filler material between the two pieces!

      Reply
  • September 5, 2016 at 1:21 am
    Permalink

    Watching him backfile is also annoying. They should add a disclaimer in the video stating what this would be good for……..nothing.

    Reply
  • September 5, 2016 at 4:18 pm
    Permalink

    Not a welding process! Use nuts and bolts if not a certified welder.

    Reply
    • September 10, 2016 at 12:12 pm
      Permalink

      No it’s not welding. But it’s fine for low stress applications. Also, I’m not certified as a welder, but I think I’ll keep my MIG setup, and my stick welder. Besides what would I do with all the 7018, 6011, and 6013 I have laying around.

      Reply
  • September 7, 2016 at 6:54 am
    Permalink

    The person the wrote this article could find themselves very liable for injury when using such words as welding in this case. Wow, caution here…..

    Reply
  • September 8, 2016 at 12:15 am
    Permalink

    You should stick to wood working. The title of your video is inaccurate to say the least. Saw blades intended for wood use can be highly dangerous when used to cut aluminum (depending on material thickness). An aluminum table with a made in China sticker on it has more structural integrity than what you have produced. I understand how you may feel clever in your newfound skill. However, brazing aluminum to create a load bearing object is not advised.

    Reply
    • October 8, 2016 at 5:51 am
      Permalink

      You can cut aluminum plate and pipe with a wood band saw blade, Bi-metal 1/4″ wide, 6 TPI. on a Delta/Rockwell 14″ Band Saw. With a new blade I have cut up to 1″ thick. I do it all the time where I work as a Welder/Custom Metal Fabricator.

      Reply
  • September 18, 2016 at 3:25 pm
    Permalink

    Ok people I keep seeing the post saying this is not welding Welding is a process of bonding two objects together research it

    Reply
    • October 11, 2016 at 8:14 pm
      Permalink

      Because it isnt welding its brazing or soldering. Theres a big difference. I braze daily both aluminum and copper. The temperatures are way different and not at all the same process.

      Reply
  • September 19, 2016 at 7:14 am
    Permalink

    Omg! All these geniuses posting! I sure don’t see any of you making a video with any helpful ideas! I tried it and it will work in a pinch! I guess next you’re going to say you can’t weld with a battery charger, because it’s not a welding machine! I hate people that never do anything productive themselves, but sit back and want to criticize everyone else when they try to share something!

    Reply
    • September 22, 2016 at 7:42 pm
      Permalink

      Yeah! I was just thinking the same thing!
      I’ve used it to fix hole in my duck boat 7 years ago! Still floating!
      Built a duck blind 3 years ago still as strong today!
      Definitely need to know what your doing!!

      Reply
    • October 11, 2016 at 8:22 pm
      Permalink

      Its not that theyre attacking anybody over this but they are correct. I braze daily. . I braze aluminum with a a z1 brazing rod. And copper with 15% silfos blend. The temperatures between brazing and welding are completely different. The reaction process is different and the structural integrity is different. The reason they are in this like that ,is because it can get people seriously just when it comes apart. However. I do brass aluminum daily I can brass aluminum tubing capable of withstanding 150 -250 psi. At portions of a system it may even withstand 450-500 psi however everything has its limits .. aluminum isn’t exactly exempt from this. Especially when you trying to structure something that carries a load.

      Reply
  • September 19, 2016 at 9:50 am
    Permalink

    Has anyone else noticed that even a brain surgeon isn’t as proud as a welder? I realize welding is a skill and a good welder is very skilled. However, I love learning how to weld just for fun so I watch a lot of how to video’s. I can’t find one welding video that dozens of other welders didn’t leave nasty comments about how stupid and wrong the guy who made the video is. Look for yourself!

    Reply
    • October 24, 2016 at 7:18 pm
      Permalink

      The difference between a welder and a two year old? You can give a two year old a bottle and they stop crying.

      Reply
  • September 21, 2016 at 8:20 am
    Permalink

    I’ll tell you what’s nice for aluminum is that Miller Synchro wave 350 on alternating current in the tungsten inert gas switch position. The filler rod is so pure that the weld just looks beautiful. It gunks up the electrode a little and you gotta have the purge around 30 but the beads are beautiful. Aluminum can be kinda dirty but the rods are super pure.

    Reply
  • September 27, 2016 at 5:38 pm
    Permalink

    anyone who is a welder, brazer should know the difference. geez

    Reply
  • October 4, 2016 at 5:20 am
    Permalink

    so………..you big bad welders ever try using a flux coated brass rod in a stick welder……………..try that and see what you think…get the temp right and you are WELDING..smoothly………….

    Reply
  • October 17, 2016 at 2:11 pm
    Permalink

    Typical welder snobs. Too busy thinking about how awesome they are instead of researching aluminum bonded strengths and applications. That’s why you guys aren’t engineers ;). They bond and adhere vehicles with aluminum. The more you know…..the more you don’t

    Reply
  • October 17, 2016 at 9:42 pm
    Permalink

    To the guy that keeps saying “Welding is just a way of bonding two objects together – research it!” you are correct – but this is still not welding.
    This is like calling a sparrow a hawk, because a sparrow is just a bird, just like a hawk. Just because a sparrow is a bird and a hawk is a bird does not make a sparrow a hawk. By your logic, double-sided taping is just as much welding as SMAW, MIG, or TIG.

    Research this – Welding is, by definition, when you melt areas of two pieces of base metal to a liquid state, and typically melt some filler rod or wire of similar metal to liquid, and have the liquid metal from all three flow together and then re-freeze into literally one piece of metal.
    Brazing is when the base metals do NOT melt, but the filler rod does. The liquefied filler rod will form a relatively strong bond with the base metals (assuming the correct rod is used and the surfaces are prepared correctly), but the two base pieces of metal are NOT fused into one piece of metal as they are when welding. The joint is not, and cannot be, as strong because there exists a demarcation line between the metals involved.
    Is it strong enough? That depends on the application and how well the joint is planned and executed, but regardless, it is not, nor will it ever be as strong as a welded joint of similar structure.

    As for the application in the video, to compensate for the relative fragility of the bond due to the very low surface area of the brazed areas, he could have made tabs that overlaid the joint and brazed them all the way around to both pieces being bonded. I understand he may not have been able to do it on all surfaces of each joint because of what he was building, but doing it on the surfaces that he COULD do it on would help tremendously.

    Reply
    • November 23, 2016 at 8:46 am
      Permalink

      Hmmm, so welding requires liguid state of metal? … not true! Fricton stir welding of Al, steel and other metals does NOT liquify the welded marerials.

      Reply
  • October 17, 2016 at 11:36 pm
    Permalink

    I’ve been Welding for 65 years. Stick, gas, stitch, MIG, TIG. Yet, I’m not calling Myself a welder. At least not in the sense that true, artistically gifted welders are. And there are more than a few. Welding is joining, brazing is sticking together. The point I feel that was missed in this video, if any points were missed, is that steel wire, not stainless-steel wire, will leave a coating of iron on Aluminum that won’t let it bond to shit. I bought a lot of “special” aluminum welding rod from charlatans at swap meets, and none of them worked at all. Finally, one of them said use a SS brush. Problem solved. Maybe grinding Al with something that won’t deposit anything on it might work great. It’s kinda finicky. I’ll have to try it. Slow speed, no-heat grinding.

    Reply
  • October 22, 2016 at 7:09 am
    Permalink

    I read through many of the comments and find their semantics game to be quite tedious and serving little practical purpose. Maybe terms have changed since I took Vocational Ag classes back in the early 60’s but castigating the author seems to be time wasted. Like M Wilhelm, I have purchased from the ‘charlatans’, but the particular one from whom I made my purchase did mention the mandated stainless steel brush.

    I can’t attest to the efficacy as my purchase was at a time of surplus funds from a softball tournament held at the Oregon State Fair grounds. Operating a small farm it was always a good idea to have repair materials on hand. The cost of fuel to drive to a supply to complete an emergency repair was compensation enough for the immediate cash outlay. Mileage to the tournament was deductible, but if the fusion material was purchased, mileage was deductible against the farm rather than my officiating self employment.

    I appreciate the instructive nature of this video and will check back to creator’s site because of it.

    Reply
  • November 14, 2016 at 9:02 pm
    Permalink

    Interesting video. FYI – the word is ‘PATRON’ – pronounced “PAY-trun’, (two syllables)’ and not “PAY-tree-unh”….

    Reply
  • November 18, 2016 at 5:43 pm
    Permalink

    I’d like to see some aluminum friction stir welding.

    Reply
  • November 21, 2016 at 9:27 pm
    Permalink

    Guarantee ya if you hit it with a hammer its coming off….aluminum welding hahahabahahaha its brazing a step away from soldering surely not welding!!! I would would trust my life with the connections on that aluminum if it was welded I wouldn’t even hang a rope from aluminum that was braised

    Reply
    • January 9, 2017 at 5:06 pm
      Permalink

      NOT

      Reply
  • December 1, 2016 at 10:31 am
    Permalink

    Also, you cannot melt aluminum with a propane torch. It only reaches 750-800 degrees.

    Reply
    • January 3, 2017 at 7:46 pm
      Permalink

      He’s using Mapp gas. He doesn’t know the difference.

      Reply
  • December 17, 2016 at 3:32 pm
    Permalink

    Ok so i just fixed that hairline crack in the aluminum Alcoa 22.5″ steering axel rim on my 479 eh. Right from the lug nut to the bead she all “welded” up and good to roll. I got 45000 lbs on the deck and scaling 81000 lbs. Now you be the one in the prius stopped in the blind curve at the bottom of hawks nest on Route 60 in WVA.

    Reply
  • January 2, 2017 at 8:27 pm
    Permalink

    I have used this on refrigerant lines for a liquid chiller and it works great. It is a lot cheaper than $3800.00 for a new condenser coil. I have done six different coil repairs this year (2016),,,, saving tax payers around $3800.00 per coil,,, plus labor to change the coils out.,,,, Your welcome

    Reply
  • January 9, 2017 at 5:04 pm
    Permalink

    There are a lot of EXPERTS here that haven’t tried this and have no idea what they are talking about. Learn to use it and test it for strength and then critic t if it doesn’t prove itself. IT WORKS!!!

    Reply
  • January 21, 2017 at 12:52 pm
    Permalink

    I fixed a hole in a freezer evaporator with that stuff not good for anything that requires strength

    Reply
  • February 10, 2017 at 5:03 am
    Permalink

    Would be nice if the video was easy to find,,,,,, still haven’t found it????????????

    Reply
  • February 10, 2017 at 4:44 pm
    Permalink

    Aren’t those clamp jaws made of plastic?

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pin It on Pinterest