Shopsmith Forums

frank81 wrote:Depends on the welder. There are a couple hundred guys and 2 million pounds of aluminum on the other side of my office wall that would beg to differ!

So how many of them are outside that building in the 'hinterlands'(the welders, not the building)?:D

Yes a competent welder with experience in aluminum could likely repair this(alloy unknown so it may be a lost cause however).

And what would their hourly rate be including overhead?

$27.80 looks more attractive as well as the final 'result'.





Now as a DIY, it might be 'repairable'/weldable).


Oh and I do not see this as 'structure'.


I think copius JB-Weld underneath and depression fill on top then sand flush on top and paint/wax will 'get r done'. JMHO

JPG40504 wrote:So how many of them are outside that building in the 'hinterlands'(the welders, not the building)?:D

Yes a competent welder with experience in aluminum could likely repair this(alloy unknown so it may be a lost cause however).

And what would their hourly rate be including overhead?

$27.80 looks more attractive as well as the final 'result'.





Now as a DIY, it might be 'repairable'/weldable).


Oh and I do not see this as 'structure'.


I think copius JB-Weld underneath and depression fill on top then sand flush on top and paint/wax will 'get r done'. JMHO

Just to play Devil's advocate, there really are quite a few experienced aluminum welders out there they just aren't in the places you would think to look. And they usually would so something like this on the side for lunch money.

But yes, for a $27 part that isn't structural I would replace. I usually only get NLA stuff welded. The only place I differ is I have used JB Weld as a filler (as opposed to epoxy/adhesive i nthe crack) and I nearly warped the part from sanding for so long! I decided Bondo isn't so bad afterall.

db5 wrote:I feared as much. I thought heat, hammer or something would work. My wife said that if we we packed it and took it on a cruise to Bermuda that it would fix it. So, before I make a final decision, what do your wives say about the Bermuda Cruise Fix?

I just asked and my wife said she's afraid your wife may be underestimating the damage. My wife seems sure that damage that extensive requires Hawaii.

I'd weld that without a second thought. Then put it on the mill and be done with it. But for most, $27 is cheaper than the oxy acetylene kit, rods and a hss cutter but its also far less fun.

Picked this up from eBay

Even if I had a big stick - couldn't beat that!:)

One dollar beats all kinds of fixit scenarios.

charlese wrote:Even if I had a big stick - couldn't beat that!:)

One dollar beats all kinds of fixit scenarios.

+ S&H:D





Some folks have all the 'luck'! Atta boy!!!!

holsgo wrote:I'd weld that without a second thought. Then put it on the mill and be done with it. But for most, $27 is cheaper than the oxy acetylene kit, rods and a hss cutter but its also far less fun.

You would weld aluminum with oxy acetylene?

dgale wrote:You would weld aluminum with oxy acetylene?

Think hot flame, not cutting.


May be too hot!:D

I have no great welding expertise but it's always been my understanding that TIG welding or MIG welding with an aluminum spool feed was the only way you could weld aluminum...I always understood other approaches (Oxy Ace, Arc etc.) were way too hot for aluminum and you'ld basically just eat a hole through it...again, just my likely naive understanding of aluminum welding .

Either way, I guess there's the question of "if" you can fix this, which I presume the answer is yes, and the question of if it's cost or time effective to fix it...not only are new ones fairly cheap from SS, these things are a dime-a-dozen on E-Bay (well, not literally, but they're listed on there all the time and I would imagine could be bought for <=$10 w/shipping used).