[diggertodd]

Not even sure if it is potmetal,

I am starting a custom dash project using 3 large speedometer gauge pods from 59-60 Chevy Impalas, material seems to be "pot" aluminum, tested, non magnetic.

I ultimately want to weld the 3 together side by side but i sure don't want to ruin them. I am a decent tig welder with a good Miller tig, but I also have good friend that I consider expert tig welder if necessary.

any suggestions? thanks!

 

[OneMoreTime]

I myself would not want to go there...I would use a good 2 part adhesive such as an epoxy or one of the body panel adhesives such as is available from UPOL..

Sam

 

[cobalt327]

Moons ago, I bought a dozen sticks of this "solder" that is a low-heat-melting alloy that will allow pot metal (usually zinc when pertaining to automotive trim, etc.), aluminum, brass, copper, etc. to be joined together.

The guy hawking this stuff (at a flea market, no less) was demonstrating it by soldering drink cans together. Took it home and promptly did exactly nothing with it, ever. But if I were looking to join pot metal parts- it is what I would reach for!

I have no idea what the alloy is- guy claimed something like 11 different metals, which I immediately took as BS, unless he's talking about all the impurities present in lead-like alloys.

 

[speedfoos]

Personally I'd either braze them together with an acetylene torch and some brass rod or use JB Weld. That pot metal is probably so porous that as soon as you hit it with your TIG it will pop and wheeze all over the place. You run that risk with the torch as well, so cold weld products are probably your best bet.

 

[diggertodd]

I should have thought of zinc in my first post, I did see the stuff called Muggy weld ( ) but kind of gave me the impression of the old saying on universal parts. "If it says it fits everything, it usually fits nothing" same with welding everything.

If someoe has experience with one of the low melting point rods, I am definitely listening...

 

[redsdad]

Back when Lou was on MuscleCars, he did something with the taillight bezels on the 67 LeMans project I had never seen or thought of. He had the broken parts copper plated (first step in chrome plating). Then he soldered the parts together using multi-strand wire with the insulation removed. He also filled in any gaps with solder. File to shape and then back to the platers.

I have never seen anyone have success in welding it. And it won't solder. But you can plate it with copper. The copper will solder. You might try that.

 

[diggertodd]

I have seen body parts connected with the body shop 2 part body panel adhesive with the trigger dispenser - think I will go that route unless better ideas pop up here

 

[snorulz]

If you have to ask if it can be done then you can't do it. A master welder could do it but those are getting hard to find, it would be an extremely difficult weld. I would try one of the other approachs that was mentioned.

 

[Barn Owl]

I have used those "Alumalloy" rods that you can pick up at the car shows and they have worked great for me. Very simple to use and not much technical expertise needed. I have used it on pot metal, like a hot wheels car, and aluminum. They are pricey but you'd probably pay a welder just as much or more to do the same thing.

 

[mike the painter]

Moons ago, I bought a dozen sticks of this "solder" that is a low-heat-melting alloy that will allow pot metal (usually zinc when pertaining to automotive trim, etc.), aluminum, brass, copper, etc. to be joined together.

The guy hawking this stuff (at a flea market, no less) was demonstrating it by soldering drink cans together. Took it home and promptly did exactly nothing with it, ever. But if I were looking to join pot metal parts- it is what I would reach for!

I have no idea what the alloy is- guy claimed something like 11 different metals, which I immediately took as BS, unless he's talking about all the impurities present in lead-like alloys.

I bought some you need to use a stainless brush to clean the metal first the guy at my flea market was soldering carburators and such beer cans too ..I liked it ...Especialy emptying the beer cans for practice you also need propane for purity I never got as good as him because I always got pie eyed before I rememberd why I was emptying those beer cans. :drunk: Go with the welding glue ...just a little to much heat and everything melts...or have a pro do it...hahaha and if you weld a carb ,make sure you take it off the car first....LOL...The glues these days are ridiculosly good and foolproof,

 

[cobalt327]

I bought some you need to use a stainless brush to clean the metal first the guy at my flea market was soldering carburators and such beer cans too ..I liked it

I forgot about the SS brush deal.

In any event- for anyone worrying that the application of this low-melting point material will damage the parent material, the heat requirement is not such that you will melt anything except the rods.

The rods melt WAY before you will get anywhere near the temp needed to melt pot metal (zinc or Al alloys). I mean, you can use it to stick beer cans together- w/o melting through them, just by playing the flame gently across the surfaces.

To melt the bezel would mean that all of the rod material would have melted off long before- you'd need to be blind and a moron to screw it up, IMO.

If a two-part or "chemical" adhesive or glue is used, there needs to be a good amount of contact area. Butt joints are not the hot tip.

 

[fireboat]

I also used the alumalloy rods I got from the boat show. It worked well. I filled the holes on my automatic steering column housing which I converted to manual stick shift on the floor.

 

[mike the painter]

Quote: cobalt 327:To melt the bezel would mean that all of the rod material would have melted off long before- you'd need to be blind and a moron to screw it up, IMO......{Quote:... DBM....Hahahaha ....guilty as charged...LOL :drunk:.......http://www.alumiweld.com/

Here ya go