Solution to soldering to Aluminum...

[John Lyons]

I ran across this in a metal working forum. Gotta try it.


"I am an electrical engineering backgrounded personal, have a problem to bond
copper claded printed circuit board on one inch square size of Aluminum
base. Do you have any experience to share with me?"

Tin the aluminum under oil, then solder as normal.

Aluminum normally won't accept regular solder. That's because
of the oxide coating on its surface. By covering the surface with
oil, you can scrape away the oxide coating while preventing oxygen
getting to the surface and reforming it. You can then tin the surface
with an iron, through the oil coating, and get a proper bond. Then
you can clean the oil off and solder as usual.

This is a home shop technique. There are probably better solutions
in a production environment.

Here's the link
http://yarchive.net/metal/aluminum_solder.html

[John Lyons]

There is also a bunch of cool info on a myriad of subjects if you go to the main index. Even electronics stuff. Ahh the internet!

John

[petemoore]

  Soldering through oil to aluminum...I gotta see it !
  I always avoid all things greasy or oily when soldering, as it seems to prevent sticking..this makes it even more interesting.

[jrc4558]

I ran across this in a metal working forum. Gotta try it.


"I am an electrical engineering backgrounded personal, have a problem to bond
copper claded printed circuit board on one inch square size of Aluminum
base. Do you have any experience to share with me?"

Tin the aluminum under oil, then solder as normal.

Aluminum normally won't accept regular solder. That's because
of the oxide coating on its surface. By covering the surface with
oil, you can scrape away the oxide coating while preventing oxygen
getting to the surface and reforming it. You can then tin the surface
with an iron, through the oil coating, and get a proper bond. Then
you can clean the oil off and solder as usual.

This is a home shop technique. There are probably better solutions
in a production environment.

Here's the link
http://yarchive.net/metal/aluminum_solder.html

Thank you thank you thank you!!!
I didn't thinks its possible...

[brett]

HoHo! Mama, where's your aluminium foil?  I got me some shielding to do.

[Jaicen_solo]

I suspect there may be another stumbling block with regards to soldering to Alu, and that is the temperatures required. You have to heat Alu to very high temps before you can solder to it, i'm sure the average 14w Iron won't cut it

[John Lyons]

There is an addition to the post and the guy said that he used meral oil as it didn't smoke as much as motor oil.
To solder to anything substansial you probably do need a larger wattage iron or a gun.

John

[Eb7+9]

good info !

[gez]

the guy said that he used meral oil as it didn't smoke as much as motor oil.

Is 'meral oil' Olive/Cooking Oil?

[The Tone God]

The instructions are alittle unspecific as to the the type of aluminium this technique can be used for. It should be pointed out that if you are thinking of the die cast enclosures many of us use the material they are made of is not just aluminium. It is an alloy with other metals in in the mix which could hinder soldering greatly.

Andrew

[JonFrum]

The instructions are alittle unspecific as to the the type of aluminium this technique can be used for. It should be pointed out that if you are thinking of the die cast enclosures many of us use the material they are made of is not just aluminium. It is an alloy with other metals in in the mix which could hinder soldering greatly.

Andrew

Silicon and copper in small amounts. I'm not sure why that would affect soldering to any great degree.

[The Tone God]

Silicon and copper in small amounts. I'm not sure why that would affect soldering to any great degree.

I forget the particular alloy name for the hammond case but I thought there was some iron in there too. Anyways my concern is that the metals added to change various characteristics of the main metal in the alloy would become impurities that could hinder the process. Just voicing a concern is all. Mind you I have seen old cast iron welded with the proper techniques and equipment.

Andrew

[petemoore]

  For the time being I'll stick with gouge-ey washers and threaded ground lug screws.

[John Lyons]

Yes, the jury is still out on this one...
I also meant to say Mineral oil  not "Meral oil"...
I'll try to get to this test soon.

John

[rockgardenlove]

Try some acid flux solder or a separate thing of acid flux.
I have an 80 watt iron for use on amp chassis and stuff like that too.