I have done this type of soldering of aluminum for last two or three years and it has done a good job on what I have done. It's not been on aluminum tanks but on other parts for my KR. I have tig welded and soldered the various parts. Both methods require some skill and practice to get a good finish. One thing about solder that is good, is you can reheat it vary easily and repair/resoloder it with a propane torch. Note: Expect some distortion when soldering sheetmetal but riviting should minimize it.
---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: "Dana Overall" <bo12...@hotmail.com> Reply-To: KR builders and pilots <kr...@mylist.net> List-Post: krnet@list.krnet.org Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 22:46:32 -0400 >>From: "Ron Eason" <r...@jrl-engineering.com> >>If I may offer a alternate for sealing aluminum tanks it would be to solder >>the seams with aluminum solder using a propane torch. There is a vender at >>Oshkosh that offers a kit for about $85. Rivets and solder seam like a >>alternate > >I originally signed back on in an attempt to find any builders in >Switzerland that I could drop in on, on my trip there shortly, so I really >don't want to start anything but I tried this alternate method. > >In this picture I used the aluminum solder from the guy at SNF that I bought >several years ago. The guy solders alum coke cans with it, >but..............I made up this test piece using the same methods I used for >Mark's tanks. > >http://rvflying.tripod.com/leak1.jpg > >This second picture shows the corner with a heavy aluminum solder buildup >and the sides with a nice bead along the floor and side wall. I really >tried to make a nice leak proof bond as I scuffed up both surfaces prior to >soldering and dropped a bead on the rivet heads. > >http://rvflying.tripod.com/leak2.jpg > >This is about 20 minutes later > >http://rvflying.tripod.com/leak3.jpg > >I could go back in and try and find the leak but the original beading took >me at least 20 minutes. In that time I could have used Proseal and totally >riveting in a real leak proof tank bottom. I know it's builders mentality >to try and come up with different ways to do things but for goodness sakes >try it before you throw it out there for someone to use. In this >application, one would have to individually solder each and every rivet head >and along with seam lines. I'll take a flux brush and smear around a rivet >while someone else solders and lets see how many leak free ones I do >compared to the alternate method. I'll bet is over 10-1. Remember, I >totally Prosealed and riveted together Mark's second tank in 3.5 hours. > >It's experimental, for goodness sakes do what you want to your own airplane. > It's just my opinion that before one offers something as an alternative, >you should have at least researched it properly or have tried it on a scale >deemed appropriate to it's full scale application. This method may work for >someone else, but it didn't for me......heck, I'm probably so far off base >it ridiculous though........ > >Happy builder gang. > > >Dana Overall >1999 & 2000 National KR Gathering host >Richmond, KY >RV-7 slider/fuselage >http://rvflying.tripod.com >do not archive > >_________________________________________________________________ >Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. >http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail > > >_______________________________________________ >see KRnet list details at http://www.krnet.org/instructions.html > -- Ronald R. Eason Sr. Pres. & CEO, KCMO Office J.R.L. Engineering Consortium Ltd. 816-468-4091, Kansas City, MO. Jim Eason V.P, 770-446-1291, Atlanta, Georgia Web Page: www.jrl-engineering.com --
