[Boatanchors] Yoiks! A restorers worst nightmare

[mikea]

On Tue, Feb 06, 2007 at 09:03:52AM -0800, Glen Zook wrote:
> The problem with soldering aluminum is not with the
> heat.  It is the fact that aluminum oxides within
> microseconds of being exposed to the air and normal
> solder won't work without using some type of flux that
> keeps the air from the aluminum.
> 
> There are special fluxes available that allow aluminum
> to "take a tin" and then you can solder it without any
> problem.  Also, using plain old motor oil (i.e. SAE
> 30) will work.  You put on some oil and then use a
> soldering gun within the oil to heat the aluminum
> while applying the solder.  After the aluminum is
> "tinned" you can then solder to it in the "normal"
> way.  Of course clean off the oil when done.
> 
> Glen, K9STH
> 
> 
> > --- Dick KF4NS <kf4nsradio at verizon.net> wrote:
> > 
> > Why couldn't I have broken a part that was easily
> > replaceable? It is Heath part number 255-8 and is an
> > aluminum spacer 4 inches long with 7/16 inch of 6-32
> > threads on each end. Please check your parts boxes and
> > see if you have something like that. The only
> > alternative is to try to jury rig it with solder or
> > maybe even a metal based filler compound. I already
> > tried to solder it with the 140W gun but not enough
> > heat to hold the aluminum to the copper enclosure.
> > Hate to use a torch because, well you know why.

Dick, 

Know any machinists? That should take about 5 minutes to make, given
a lathe and a suitable piece of bar stock. Most of the time will go
to turning the ends down to something small enough to take the 6-32
die if the spacer ends are externally-threaded, or to boring a hole 
the right size for a 6-32 tap. It's a pretty trivial job for a lathe.

Call around to machine shops; maybe you can find one that'll take on
a piddly little job for $10 or so. Get the machinist to bore or turn 
down the ends on three or four pieces, so you'll have some spares in 
case you hose one or two while threading them. When threading, work 
slowly, use lots of lube, and back the tap or die 1/4 turn every half 
or full turn. But you know all that. 

Please let us know how this turns out. 

If I had my Unimat, I'd make you a few. Gotta get another one. 

-- 
Mike Andrews, W5EGO
mikea at mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin