Aluminum boat weld question

[Pixguy]

Ok, it'll be obvious quickly that I have no experience in welding, never mind welding aluminum.

I stored my new pontoon in my 24X36 garage (I know, never big enough) along with my tractor this winter. Two weeks ago when I was grabbing my rake sitting on the tractor to go down and work along the road, the rake slipped and pressed the outrigger lever, without me knowing and while it lowered, it scraped the tube on the pontoon store along the side:mur:
I thought it was a dent and a small scratch but when I finally got my buddy's scissor trailer to get the boat in the lake today, pulled it out in the light and noticed it was almost through the tube.

Not sure why it's loading horizontal.

So, although it looks like the line is a cut through the surface, it is a deep scratch.
Finally my question: Is there an easy way to fill in that gouge without bringing it to a welder? A simple weld and grind?

I was hoping to get in the water ASAP and bring back his trailer.

 

[George2615]

IMO It isn't a hole so you should be good to go. If you want to fill in the gouge to make it look good take it to a Pro who can weld aluminum to repair.

 

[jaotguy]

use "marine" resin ... sand the surface to clean and give it a tooth , apply just enough resin to fill in the deepest part of the gouge ... put a piece of clear plastic wrap over the resin and smooth it out ... after it cures, remove the plastic ... go boating for the season

think about doing a full repair later, at the end of the season ....

 

[kenmac]

is there a hole ?? if not,, there you might try bondo or a similar product. you may have to build the area up by welding

 

[ray66v]

This is the perfect job for aluminum brazing rods.

You can fix a hole in a beer can with those, and a propane torch.

They sell them everywhere.

Here is one version: Aluminum Welding Rods - Pack of 8 Low Temperature Rods

There are lots of video's on how to use these on the internet, you should watch some of them before using.

 

[Pixguy]

Great ideas guys, thanks. Sorry for the long version, I just didn't want to have to answer further questions before getting some answers.
Whatever i do, I will readdress it in the fall before storing it again.

 

[Soundguy]

ditto this.

a plumbers torch and those aluma rods work fine. harbor freight even sells them. clean the area with a stainless steel brush ( harbor freight 4 pack, 2.99 ) and then heat and scratch.. heat and screatch. then it will puddle when the heat is correct.

This is the perfect job for aluminum brazing rods.

You can fix a hole in a beer can with those, and a propane torch.

They sell them everywhere.

Here is one version: Aluminum Welding Rods - Pack of 8 Low Temperature Rods

There are lots of video's on how to use these on the internet, you should watch some of them before using.

 

[Pixguy]

Ray66
This is the perfect job for aluminum brazing rods.

You can fix a hole in a beer can with those, and a propane torch.

They sell them everywhere.

Here is one version: Aluminum Welding Rods - Pack of 8 Low Temperature Rods

There are lots of video's on how to use these on the internet, you should watch some of them before using.

ditto this.

a plumbers torch and those aluma rods work fine. harbor freight even sells them. clean the area with a stainless steel brush ( harbor freight 4 pack, 2.99 ) and then heat and scratch.. heat and screatch. then it will puddle when the heat is correct.

Thanks Ray and Soundguy
Yup, I just watched a few YouTube videos and I will run to Home Depot tomorrow and pick up a pack of those aluminum rods to fill in that gouge in case it is thin and weak. Last thing I want to do is look out and see the boat leaning to the side, the pontoon half full of water.

 

[Soundguy]

just a tip.

DO cleant he area well as the rods state.. and use the scratch method.

most of these alloy rodsa are zinc, copper, aluminum composition. because of that they stick to aluminum WELL, and also because of that. you can solver solder OVER the patch.. if ever needed.

 

[Arc weld]

If other parts of the pontoon are welded , go for it. If the pontoons are riveted, I wouldn't apply heat to it as the aluminum is a specific grade with a specific heat treatment. I say this because I knew the owners of a specialty welding shop that did tons of aluminum welding. Occasionally they would get aluminum fishing boats in that were riveted construction. All they could do was tighten the rivets because welding would cause the aluminum to crack again. Some grades of aluminum aren't recommended for welding.

 

[texasjohn]

I tried welding aluminum once in a welding class...... I started out just trying to weld two pieces together. Too much heat completely melts the AL and you get a BIG HOLE IMMEDIATELY. Since you have no welding experience at all, I STRONGLY recommend you not apply heat to the area. You don't even know if there is a hole. I have had EXTREMELY GOOD luck applying a epoxy putty to holes in an aluminum tank..... prepare the surface well and mix the putty well and press it into place, smooth it out before it hardens in a couple of minutes. Sand if you feel a need to. It's even grey color, should look fine.

Try this first....cheap, fast, may last forever

WaterWeld | Specially Formulated Epoxy Putty

 

[Reverser]

I've never had any experience with that particular application, but I'm wondering if putting heat on an air tight aluminum pontoon would expand the air inside enough to cause it to split or burst in that weakened area.
I really doubt it since there isn't a large area to heat, and also I don't know if pontoons are actually air tight. They may have a vent along the top somewhere.
This is only a remote speculation, but maybe something to consider.

 

[cormier]

I weld aluminum at work a few times a week. Its not a hard process but you need to know what your doing, i tig weld my aluminum. Do yourself a favor and roll it down to your local welding shop one hr labor and its fixed the right way. You can try patching it but later on when you do bring it to get welded it will take twice the time to clean the patch you did before and will end up costing you more money on the long run. My self i see that as a 1hr job start to finish. Surface prep cleaning with scotch bright pads and washing it clean with alcohol. I would pull the dent out with studs and slid hammer and fill the little stud holes with weld and fill the thin spot with weld. Or leave the dent and just weld the thin spots up. Grind smooth and clean it up with a flap wheel on a die grinder. If you want it polished add another 1 hr. Any welding shop can do this its simple. Shops in my area charge 75$ per hr.

 

[Bird]

Do yourself a favor and roll it down to your local welding shop one hr labor and its fixed the right way.

I agree. I have a cousin who has a 28' pontoon boat, and one January he and I were fishing under a bridge when I noticed we were sinking on one side. And naturally, that was the time he couldn't get the motor started. I sure thought we were going swimming in some cold water, but fortunately another fisherman showed up in a bass boat and towed us to the boat ramp where we'd launched the boat. I was sure glad we were close to that ramp. And do you have any idea how hard it is to get one of those things onto the trailer when one of the pontoons is nearly full of water?:laughing: I'm not sure what it cost, but he took it to a professional and got it welded.

 

[Soundguy]

If other parts of the pontoon are welded , go for it. If the pontoons are riveted, I wouldn't apply heat to it as the aluminum is a specific grade with a specific heat treatment. I say this because I knew the owners of a specialty welding shop that did tons of aluminum welding. Occasionally they would get aluminum fishing boats in that were riveted construction. All they could do was tighten the rivets because welding would cause the aluminum to crack again. Some grades of aluminum aren't recommended for welding.

that's why soldering was mentioned as a safer alternative..

 

[olllotj]

If the solder attempt does not go well, then the pro has a real mess on his hands cleaning up whatever is in the "aluminum welding rod" before he can properly fix it.

I have seen pro welders have trouble with dirty aluminum.

Do it once, and take it to a welder.

 

[Pixguy]

Hi guys, before I read any of the late sat night or today's posts, I ran to e Depot and bought the blazing rods Ray spoke of. You can see the photo below what it looked like before I started.
I brushed it clean an started to what it up using my plumbers torch. It was taking what seemed like 4-5 minutes to get the area hot enough to start to melt the rod and then because it was a vertical area, the material wanted to run down and puddling below the gouge. I used about 2/3s of the stick and then started grinding it down, see below. I got it fairly smooth and will reacess it in the fall when I pull it out for the winter.
Thanks for all your suggestions and if it looks like it needs a pro's touch, I'll hope that what I did will not make it tougher to repair.


I'm still ticked at myself for doing this to a less than a year old boat.

 

[Soundguy]

If the solder attempt does not go well, then the pro has a real mess on his hands cleaning up whatever is in the "aluminum welding rod" before he can properly fix it.

I have seen pro welders have trouble with dirty aluminum.

Do it once, and take it to a welder.

if the pro can't grind some zinc off.. he needs better tools and a new job title... ... just sayin...

 

[/pine]

I am not familiar with aluminum pontoon vessels...is there vents or flood and drain plugs in the pontoons?
Is there a way to induce positive pressure (i.e., shrader valve etc.) ?

 

[Pixguy]

I am not familiar with aluminum pontoon vessels...is there vents or flood and drain plugs in the pontoons?
Is there a way to induce positive pressure (i.e., shrader valve etc.) ?

I looked and couldn't find any vents. I'm sure each mfr may be different. No drain plugs.