aluminum welding

[gamegetter]

Honestly? No matter what you do, that joint will always be compromised. It would take a very skilled welder to be able to weld that and it doesn't look like there is any room for reinforcement.

Can you just replace it with new tubing?

i'll have to explore that option this evening.

 

[Robb]

you mean with no weld? so there is no likely hood of heat damage to anything that may be underneath that area?

No need to over-complicate a relatively simple fix. The overall length of the antenna is the real issue. Putting a sleeve on it will make it stronger than original.

 

[GnG8d]

No need to over-complicate a relatively simple fix. The overall length of the antenna is the real issue. Putting a sleeve on it will make it stronger than original.

Your still going to need at least a rosette weld.

 

[Robb]

Your still going to need at least a rosette weld.

Yeah.
Or 6-8 well-placed sheet metal screws will also work too.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

anytime you put a screw through the wall of tubing you create a place that can potentially crack and weaken the wall at that point . sometimes it just has to be done though . id suggest using no more holes/screws than is absolutely necessary .

 

[Robb]

anytime you put a screw through the wall of tubing you create a place that can potentially crack and weaken the wall at that point . sometimes it just has to be done though . id suggest using no more holes/screws than is absolutely necessary .

Except that with an outer sleeve (say 1 ft long) - which has now become the main source of vertical support. Thicker wall aluminum would be advised. The screws are more of a means to mechanically attach the two broken pieces - and no longer supports any more horizontal stress. Should be considerably stronger - like a cast on your arm or leg would do.

One could also use a piece of solid aluminum rod on the inside diameter. Pre-drilling and locating would make this stronger; but more time-consuming to accomplish.

I would pre-drill the outer sleeve with four holes slightly larger than the sheet metal screw threads along the length of the sleeve on two opposite sides. A total of four in the lower section and four in the upper section. Then using self-tapping screws finish the job. Eight sheet metal screws - total. It doesn't need to be any more difficult than that - IMO . . .

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

"I would pre-drill the sleeve with holes slightly larger than the sheet metal screw threads along the length of the sleeve on two opposite sides. Then using self-tapping screws finish the job. It doesn't need to be any more difficult than that - IMO . . ."


how do you get the screws to hold if you "pre-drill the sleeve with holes slightly larger than the sheet metal screw threads" ?

 

[Robb]

"I would pre-drill the sleeve with holes slightly larger than the sheet metal screw threads along the length of the sleeve on two opposite sides. Then using self-tapping screws finish the job. It doesn't need to be any more difficult than that - IMO . . ."


how do you get the screws to hold if you "pre-drill the sleeve with holes slightly larger than the sheet metal screw threads" ?

The sleeve is a 'cast' - so to speak. It is the antenna section that needs to be attached and mechanically able to handle wind stress. You don't need to have the sleeve to interfere with the screw threads into the broken aluminum. You might do one or two to ensure electrical continuity between the upper and lower portions; but that is about it.

 

[GnG8d]

I would use 1/8" aluminum rivets before I used screws personally. But in all honesty, no more than the cost of a piece of tubing, I'd still be looking at just replacing it.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

ill be sticking with using compression for securing tubing sections . i may be wrong , but i feel it gives more surface area for friction to hold the tubing in place . most hose-clamps suck , but its not to difficult to make something better . wobbling from just securing it with fasteners is what causes the area around the hole to potentially crack FWIU .

 

[Robb]

I think those last two posts are right too. Just wouldn't TIG weld such a thin piece of tubing - unless it is to a sleeve first. Surely wouldn't use those propane aluminum welding rods - especially. Too much oxygen in that kind of welding - it will have a crack and fall apart too soon due to that kind of weld.

As far as I can see - we all agree on a sleeve for the repair. We don't agree on the method of fastening; but many of the fastener suggestions already made should work out fine . . .

 

[gamegetter]

a lot of good points to ponder here. i will take a look and see if i can replace the whole section first, but if i remember right that section of vertical goes all the way down to the coil transformer which is "permanently" encased by the housing according to the vintage advertising on cbtricks.

i believe sleeving may be the only way if i can't replace section entirely. Question is, is there anything underneath the bolt(that thingy sticking up at center) that i would damage by driving screws in that area.

What about using some jbweld or quick steel on the screws that will not be used for the electrical conductivity.
I don't believe that stuff is conductive that is why i suggest using it only on say two screws on bottom and two on top.

 

[Robb]

Forget JBWeld.

If that is the section we are talking about - the one in the picture above - then that section has the tuning coil in it. Drilling this part will need to be done with a lot of care; you wouldn't just want to accidentally drill into the tuning coil and possibly damage it either. Which means that you would need to put pop rivets in that part with the sleeve over it - and then join the upper part with either screws or more pop rivets. Screws in the tuning coil section might go in too far and ground it out.

That is how I would do it . . .

 

[gamegetter]

Forget JBWeld.

If that is the section we are talking about - the one in the picture above - then that section has the tuning coil in it. Drilling this part will need to be done with a lot of care; you wouldn't just want to accidentally drill into the tuning coil and possibly damage it either. Which means that you would need to put pop rivets in that part with the sleeve over it - and then join the upper part with either screws or more pop rivets. Screws in the tuning coil section might go in too far and ground it out.

That is how I would do it . . .

Does the coil extend that far past the red plastic cover?

 

[C2]

I would not drill it.

I would get a tight fitting tube to go on the outside. I would cut a slot in each end of the tube (lengthwise) so I could (hose) clamp the sleeve tight.

The sleeve should not need be too long, about 10 diameters should be long enough.

Any welding could damage the matching device in some way, if distorting insulators or flowing any soldered joints, etc. But, I'm sure the whole thing would come apart, if you were so inclined.

I would take the pieces to the welder anyway and get their professional input. It couldn't hurt to have an exspurt actually look at the pieces. They may say that a small collar inside to back the joint and a good TIG weld to be stronger than before, and they may feel they could control the heat well enough.

I've seem some very impressive TIG/MIG welding on aluminum.