i have a idea!!!!

[silencestorms]

Ok i have a older aluminum flat bottom jon boat(not sure of make or model). and the problem i have is the last person that had the boat used self taping sheet metal screws to secure the 3/4' reject board. (im not kidding i work at a plywood mill and when i pulled the plywood off it had reject stamped on the back of it and Coastal plywood the company where i work) aparently he got the wood from work for $2.00 a sheet and used it to create the transom so my thought is this. can i braise(sp) the holes on the transome? i have a 3/8 piece of aluminum going in for the new transom and i am braising it in to the sides but i can not get the bottom very well so i am thinking i can braise through the holes the self tapping screws made and make a very strong repair that way. any thoughts?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: i have a idea!!!!

NO. You can have an aluminum welder repair it but do not try to braise aluminum. Forget the fix it yourself products too since no one has has any luck with them.

Aluminum has a low melting point and you will do more damage then good.

Reject plywood is okay as long as it is not a rejected section and it had exterior glue.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: i have a idea!!!!

If you know how to braze, go ahead.

I'd personally use some of the cheap "aluminum fix" or "Dura fix" low temp zinc/aluminum rods to do this. It's not brazing, but it's cheap and relatively easy to do.

Or if I was feeling lazy I'd plug the holes (assuming they're just 3/8) with some fasteel type epoxy putty. It comes in a tube and there's an aluminum variant, it'd stick in place and probably be as tough as the metal around it.

If I was feeling ambitious, I'd TIG weld it, and probably melt the rest of the boat trying to get it right I'm not that good at TIG on Al yet...

Erik

 

[silencestorms]

Re: i have a idea!!!!

well i can weld aluminum and i have a tig welder but its at my shop and our forklift is down and i have no place to take the boat to work to fix it so untill we get the forklift fixed i cant use it there (second job at auto body shop) i can braiz but i was currious ho well it would hold up. looks like its time for jb weld and glove it lol atleast for a temp fix. im getttin antsy on goin fishin and the bank just aint cuttin it anymorei am suprised how much more rigid the transom is with the 3/8 sheet of aluminum on it it has almost no flex at allthe biggest hole is mabye 3/16 of an inch and thats why i was currious i can get to where the transom is flat (leaning it up against a tree and sitting on a branch at the top where the transom is so i will not have to work on a verticle surface but thanks for the input and the suggestions! i guess it may be back to the drawin boards lol