Quick Fix in your tool box!

[ibdilbert01]

Sent: 3/18/2008

Was going down the highway when all of a sudden not to my surprise a clunk clunk clunk, grind grind grind..... Holy cow BOTH engine mounts came loose and my engine was rocking and rolling. The fan also got into the radiator and sprung many many leaks! How did I fix it? I pulled out Billy Mays Mighty Putty and drove all the way home from Alaska to Ohio, so impressed I don't think I'll even buy engine mounts! Not only did the putty hold my 340 in place, but also sealed the radiator!

Ah, ok, figured if Billy May can make crap up so can I. Now for the real story....

Had a minor leak behind my porch light, rain was coming in behind the light, following the wires down the the light switch and running inside the winnie.

I tried to use silicone, but the rain was too much, and we are expecting two more inches tonight, and another two tomorrow! So I went to the hardware store, couldn't find any epoxy putty, ended up going to walmart and bought "Mighty Putty". Goofy stuff actually worked in the rain, stopped the leak. I'll fix it right when the rain stops, but for now it was a pretty quick fix.

Point of my story? Well the first part of the story was for entertainment, but the second part was simply to say I think I'll keep a tube in my winnie for such emergency repairs, something to think about at least! I always keep a roll of ductape handy too!!!!

[ibdilbert01]

HTS 2000

I started to brainstorm on making the new screen door that I keep putting off for other repairs.    Found this brazing rod, I'm going to order a pound of it to play with in a few weeks, I'll report back and confirm how much money I wasted.    

http://www.aluminumrepair.com/video_new.asp

[angrybreadbox73]

i have got some of the aluminum repair rod at harbor freight and to braize it corectly the parts on my screen door must be removed
to prevent heat soaking

[mightybooboo]

love those epoxies,I live on the stuff!

[Chuck]

Dilbert, you are a mad man    I broke my favorite coffee cup handle off, think I'll try Mighty there... :-X

I bought some of those HTS rods.  They didn't work too well on my application (patio furniture, cast aluminum) but it could have been the welder also.  They say to use only a stainless steel brush to clean your surfaces.  BTW I noticed aluminum rods at either Home Depot or Lowes the other day (forget which, went to both places).  I don't know if they are as good, but anyway aluminum braising rods are becoming more available locally nowadays.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Aluminum brazing rods have been available for awhile.  My experience, which didn't work well, was trying to repair the RV Water heater (corrosion).   Not having any experience with aluminum brazing, I was getting the base material to hot and it melted.  I used a MAPP/OXY gas rig (can also be used to braze exhaust pipes; available at most hardware outlets).
Many hardware stores have a welding display and have steel and aluminum rods.
Key with alumium is the rod melting point (approx 735 deg F) which is lower than aluminum.  Watch the vidieos for pointers.
What would be a handy tool for this is the Tempilstik (http://www.tempil.com/thumbnail.asp?cid=22)  Getting a 700 and 750 Tempilstik would help keep you from overheating the base material. http://www.markingpendepot.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=268

There is more information on the web today than when I tried this so I think better results can be obtained today with a little bit of study.
http://www.aluminumrepair.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-cv3R4fWZc&feature=related
http://www.durafix.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jijW310xvp4&feature=related

The http://www.aluminumrepair.com/ also lists a steel brazing rod that implies it may be able to be used on steel and cast iron (like a exhaust manifold).  Requires 1400 deg F temperature which can be achieved with a MAPP/OXY rig.   The MAPP/OXY rig is handy however, the OXY cylinders are short lived.

[ibdilbert01]

Dave, thats the only experience I have as well with Aluminum brazing rods.  Just the over the counter ones you an get at the local tracter sold in the mapp/oxy gas area of the store.  I was kinda hoping the HTS rods worked as advertised, 500 times below the melting point of alunimum is what they keep preaching.   They recommend using just  a propane torch, and it looks as easy as melting solder.  But as the old rule goes, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. 

Thanks for the resourceful links!  Can't wait to go through them and learn what I can tonight when I get home.

And your right, the oxy cylindars don't last long, and at 8 bucks a crack, it can add up fast.   

[RayCameron]

Well about 3 weeks ago I was sure glad I had Mighty Putty " took the advice from this tread " in the tool cabinet in the RV.  We were going to Sam's Club which is a warehouse store and thought to visit Brownie " our 84 Elandan. Right away I smelt Gas... Errrrrr. 

   Looking under the back I saw a dripping leak and small 1/2' diameter puddle. I knew there was about half a tank " 30 Gal " so I had to do something but it was Saturday evening so there was no taking it to the shop right away.

  The leak was right on the bottom so I kneaded up some MP and put it on the area. Well it failed miserably... A crazy idea popped into my head. I put my wife and daughter to kneeding up two whole tubes of the stuff while I reacquainted myself with our Hydraulic Jack and a small block of flat wood. I put some wax paper on the wood " we had some in the camper " thank God ".

   Made a small disk of MP then put it onto the wax paper then on the wood block them placed the Jack under the leak and wood on top. Jacked it up and put just enough pressure to make the bottom of the tank bulge slightly. IT WORKED!!!! Left it there after checking it for some time and took it into the shop Monday. OYE... Thanks to this thread and thanks to Billy.