Subject: Re: soldering to aluminum

From: David Allen <[email-masked]>
Date: 8 Feb 1995 17:07:25 GMT

[email-masked] (John VerBurg) wrote:
>
> Hi. I've been trying  to solder a coil to an aluminum base and have had  
> absolutely no luck at all. I understand it's a large heat sink and have 
> 
you can't use lead/tin solder to join aluminum.  it won't wet the surface.
there are special aluminum solder materials out there, but, they're 
pricey.  If you can't use a mechanical attachment, try a reactive 
resin on a roughened surface.

da

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From: [email-masked] (Edward Keating)
Date: 11 Feb 95 04:10:56 GMT

>resin on a roughened surface.

Perhaps I should send you a piece of Aluminum that I soldered a copper wire
with Kester 44 (60/40) solder!

I used a 150w Keller gun for the heat source, but it's the technique you're
after. Make your bead of solder on the aluminum and then using a stainless
steel pick, scratch the aluminum through the bead of solder. When you have
scratched enough oxide away, the solder will 'wet' on the aluminum and then
you can add your wire/core/etc.

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