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  #21  
Old 01-28-2022, 03:14 AM
Stretch Stretch is offline
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Thanks Kent - much appreciated 👌
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  #22  
Old 01-28-2022, 09:59 AM
Stretch Stretch is offline
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Hey Kent. Do you know anything about Comasec? They are a French company that made my other pair of cobalt blue welding glasses. These give unbelievable clarity. Just wondering if they have a UV rating?
Thanks



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Last edited by Stretch; 01-28-2022 at 10:10 AM.
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  #23  
Old 01-28-2022, 11:08 AM
skintkarter skintkarter is offline
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Many thanks for the detailed reply Matt.

Pretty sure that was my process, but the flux not sticking to the panel and balling up like water on a waxed car, is a definite pointer that I was being far to Yorkshire with the flux powder. Hence the only way I was getting it to adhere to the joint was by preheating slightly and then brushing it on.

The rest of my prep was pretty much word for word with your description.

I'll have another lash
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  #24  
Old 01-28-2022, 03:52 PM
crystallographic crystallographic is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skintkarter View Post
Many thanks for the detailed reply Matt.

Pretty sure that was my process, but the flux not sticking to the panel and balling up like water on a waxed car, is a definite pointer that I was being far to Yorkshire with the flux powder. Hence the only way I was getting it to adhere to the joint was by preheating slightly and then brushing it on.

The rest of my prep was pretty much word for word with your description.

I'll have another lash

Yo Richard -
One solution to the "slight oil film" issue, and seeing the wet flux bead up ...
comes from "aluminum bonded structure" in airplane mfg, to wit: "Solvent washing the aluminum surface should result in the complete surface passing a water-break test 100%."
- Hence, the rolling mill lubricant(s) and transient airborne oils will be thoroughly removed for proper bonding. (one common "airborne oil" source: com'l and .mil flights commonly dumping Jfuel (kerosene oils) to maintain alt to nearby airport).
Our own Benefit:
Ease of O/F aluminum welding, .
Of all solvents tried, in my shop and by others in aviation and fab shops scattered about the continent, 99% isopropyl is most 1)available (pints/qts/gallons), 2)non-toxic, 3)excellent solvent ratings by PhD rsrch chemists, + $4) non-costly.
= Wet flux beading stopped. + Weld quality /i\ .



Maybe .... Inspiration?
:
ALCOA image _early 1950's copy.jpg
P51 wingroot fairing, 1940's, copy.jpg
Steady hand copy.jpg



Gold Star to Matt .... excellent talent !!
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Last edited by crystallographic; 01-28-2022 at 04:47 PM.
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  #25  
Old 01-28-2022, 08:01 PM
skintkarter skintkarter is offline
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Thanks Kent.

Pretty much the prep process I've been using, is the same as my prep for Tig - wipe down with either Acetone or Isopropyl, quarantined stainless toothbrush and scrub both sides.

Would be great to see a short video of somebody mixing and applying the flux, just to make sure that I'm not missing something.

I have your Gas Welding Aluminum DVD, Kent but unfortunately don't have a CD player in the office at all now, so I can't go back and interrogate it. Danged progress...
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  #26  
Old 01-29-2022, 07:57 AM
dwmh dwmh is offline
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Matt's detailed description of his process is superb. Can I just add, don't use a steel container for the flux, also the brush must not have a steel ferrule. After a previous post on here, I now use meths instead of water with the flux. I believe it was what Aston Martin used (I think).
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  #27  
Old 01-29-2022, 09:00 AM
Stretch Stretch is offline
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Very valid points David 👍

I use a plastic aerosol can top for a mixing pot, but something plastic with a lid would be even better.

And yes, Geoff Moss uses meths as a mixer. He’s ex Aston Martin
I spent a week at his place and he’s definitely up there with the greats. I’ve tried meths for a day, but didn’t see any benefit over distilled or demineralised water.

Let’s keeping this conversation flowing, as I’m sure there are other useful tips and tricks 👍👍👍
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  #28  
Old 01-29-2022, 09:25 AM
Chris_Hamilton Chris_Hamilton is offline
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For those of you who don't speak British or Australian, the "meths" being referred to is denatured alcohol.
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  #29  
Old 01-29-2022, 06:37 PM
skintkarter skintkarter is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stretch View Post
Very valid points David 👍

I use a plastic aerosol can top for a mixing pot, but something plastic with a lid would be even better.
I bought a Melamine bowl (like a soy sauce dipping bowl) and a bag of brushes from Kent. The bowl is heavy enough to sit where you place it in use, indestructible should you drop it. The brushes come in a bag of 20 or so and are all alloy in the handles - an alloy tube crimped onto the bristles. Perfik!

I just see on Kent's site through that the brushes are flagged as 'temporarily discontinued'.
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  #30  
Old 01-29-2022, 10:41 PM
cliffrod cliffrod is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skintkarter View Post
I bought a Melamine bowl (like a soy sauce dipping bowl) and a bag of brushes from Kent. The bowl is heavy enough to sit where you place it in use, indestructible should you drop it. The brushes come in a bag of 20 or so and are all alloy in the handles - an alloy tube crimped onto the bristles. Perfik!

I just see on Kent's site through that the brushes are flagged as 'temporarily discontinued'.
When I was finally getting set up to do the oxy/hyd welding last summer, I found the same thing. The "good" brushes were out of stock. Not cool.

So I got a pack of a dozen good flux brushes with normal tinned handles, some ss MIG wire and a bag of ss drinking straws. Disassembled a couple of the flux brushes, replaced the crimping wire with known ss wire from two brushes and then crimped the bristles into a ss drinking straw. Problem solved.

Now I have flux brushes that are twice as long that I can rebuild over & over again. Very cool. It's easier (and probably cheaper) to order them ready made from Kent, but when they're out of stock this is a good stop-gap solution.
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