Introduction: Weld a Cracked Engine Block/ Welding Cracked Aluminum Rims or Other Aluminum or Magnesium Casting

About: Bicycle fabricator with emphasis on utility bike technologies!

become a neighbor hood hero welding cracked aluminum rims and engine blocks like the Neanderthal I know you are.

Step 1: Cleaning, Caustics and Abrasives

Step 2: Oxides Are Your Enemy.

oxidides contain oxegen,

dont conduct,

dont alloy,

make you you look bad

you need to complete ly rid immediate heat affected area of these nasty insulators. caustics followed by solvents then onto dress passes works almost every time.


Step 3: How to Make a Cathode Ray Tube Without a Tube

preheat to 300 degrees, 600 is better. tun the welder up to max. 300 amps and a water cooled torch will make this a breeze. if you've got square wave do a dress pass balance d twards

electrons have mass, if you dony belive me, just try and tig weld next to an electo magnetic feild. the flow of elecrons will go wacky. thats all I know

but heres thed deal with ac and dirty aluminum castings. when the work is neg and the torch is poss, the flow of electons cleans the weldpool by dislodging oxides and other smutch, alowing the otherwise unweldable junck to, melt together

Step 4: Preheat

Step 5: Electrons Have Mass, I Can Prove It

cathode ray tube without the tube

AC arch welding takes place between the electrode and the work.

(remember to double ground as aluminum is a poor conductor and will scar and scab if you just set your work on the table and go to town. I clamp my clamps when I remember, when I forget, I hand in scabby work and usually miss out on pay, and have to endure the rumors that I'm loosing my touch)

Step 6: This Job Is Stupid But It Pays,

absurd tasks

absurd clients

absurd prices



It only needs done so so the mechanic doesn't have an excuse to mail it back

Step 7: Don't. Tag the Machine