darkside
Well-known member
I have a small crack on my basse pan of my four wheeler. Can I weld it? I used JB-Weld but don't really trust it to work for long
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Welding White Metal
- Thread starter darkside
- Start date
Could "white metal" be another name for Aluminum? If so, and it is not cast aluminum then yes it can be welded by someone with the right equipment.
If "white metal" is the name of an 80's rock band then welding is not recomended, the hairspray would cause a serious fire.
If "white metal" is the name of an 80's rock band then welding is not recomended, the hairspray would cause a serious fire.
Hackerbill
Member
darkside said:I have a small crack on my basse pan of my four wheeler. Can I weld it? I used JB-Weld but don't really trust it to work for long
If you need to ask then no...you can't personally do it with reliability. It requires some specialized equipment and practice.
If its aluminum then it can be welded easily by someone with skill. Check any ship repair places that are nearby or fab shops. (I'm not up on whats around out your way...)
"White Metal" is usually cast Zinc...but I would bet money your case is weldable Aluminium.
I can't weld it myself either...but I believe it will require a really good clean out to remove any leftover oil to get a high quality repair, as castings are usually somewhat porous and the oil will contaminate the weld.
Might save you some bucks if you do that yourself before you bring it in...
mike944
Well-known member
White metal, also known as "pot metal" is not weld repairable. There is a type of high-temperature solder that can fix it, but it's what i would call a "late-night TV tool" You know, the kind where they'll double your order, and throw in a free set of ginsu knives just for calling within the next 10 minutes. Operators are standing by... They call it welding, but it's not really welding, because the base metal does not melt.
You see people selling this stuff at swap meets, flea markets, state fairs, etc...
It does work to some degree, if it's done properly. Done improperly, it doesn't work at all.
Here's one of the companies that sells this stuff.
http://durafix.com/
Pot metal is a mixture of metals, with no specific alloy. It can be made from aluminum, tin, lead, zinc, and others. I believe it was named "pot metal" because the foundaries took all the leftover metal from various pours, what was left in the "pot" and mixed it all together.
Pot metal melts at a low temperature, pours easily, and is cheap. That's why it's popular. But, as you know, strength is low, and repairbility is poor.
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You see people selling this stuff at swap meets, flea markets, state fairs, etc...
It does work to some degree, if it's done properly. Done improperly, it doesn't work at all.
Here's one of the companies that sells this stuff.
http://durafix.com/
Pot metal is a mixture of metals, with no specific alloy. It can be made from aluminum, tin, lead, zinc, and others. I believe it was named "pot metal" because the foundaries took all the leftover metal from various pours, what was left in the "pot" and mixed it all together.
Pot metal melts at a low temperature, pours easily, and is cheap. That's why it's popular. But, as you know, strength is low, and repairbility is poor.
________
herbalaire reviews
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aaron51chevy
Member
Call around if you have hotrod/ classic car builders in your area. Or collision places that work on restorations. I know of one guy that can, actually, weld pot metal. I've seen some of his work. I also know it isn't easy and not everyone know it can be done or how to do it. Your other choice is hit ebay for a pan. Might be easier and cheaper. If you prep right the jb weld will hold up for some time as a quick fix. Just be sure to leave a catch pan under the bike...
bahamasair
Well-known member
aaron51chevy said:Call around if you have hotrod/ classic car builders in your area. Or collision places that work on restorations. I know of one guy that can, actually, weld pot metal. I've seen some of his work. I also know it isn't easy and not everyone know it can be done or how to do it. Your other choice is hit ebay for a pan. Might be easier and cheaper. If you prep right the jb weld will hold up for some time as a quick fix. Just be sure to leave a catch pan under the bike...
http://www.muggyweld.com/ this rod will do pot metal. Ive used it and it seems as strong as the origional metal.
sberry
Banned
Grind out the grack, clean it with brakleeen, maybe heat lightly with a torch, re-clean it and JB weld the thing and dont lose sleep. With a good job that is about as strong as the material. About the only thing it doesnt work on is cracks in pressure piping. Even that works with a patch overlaid on occasion. You could fill the crack and lay an overlapping patch of alum on the outside larger than the crack, this is very reliable. As for longevity we have several items from alum parts to engine blocks that have been in service for years some 20+ and never had a problem. Even have one memorable part I bought as a spare and never replaced it, it was some crummy cast alum bracket.
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sberry27 said:Grind out the grack, clean it with brakleeen, maybe heat lightly with a torch, re-clean it and JB weld the thing and dont lose sleep. With a good job that is about as strong as the material. About the only thing it doesnt work on is cracks in pressure piping. Even that works with a patch overlaid on occasion. You could fill the crack and lay an overlapping patch of alum on the outside larger than the crack, this is very reliable. As for longevity we have several items from alum parts to engine blocks that have been in service for years some 20+ and never had a problem. Even have one memorable part I bought as a spare and never replaced it, it was some crummy cast alum bracket.
Thank you very much. I did exactly that and it works great. Had to put two coats of JB weld but works like magic.