Repairing/Reweld Alum Cover Frame

[larrybr45]

My 79 Harris has a folddown aluminum frame that holds the sun cover. Upon pulling out from the winter, I broke one of the bendable frames joints.

I was thinking of using JB Weld to join the top aluminum piece to the piece that connects to the boat railing.

Is this effective (appears you can drill through the final weld when done) or is there something else someone would recommend to reweld aluminum that does not require getting a professional welder involved?

thanks

 

[J JACKSON]

Re: Repairing/Reweld Alum Cover Frame

try getting some pictures. but one idea is to find a pice of tube the will fit inside the old one and bolt it on

 

[takirb]

Re: Repairing/Reweld Alum Cover Frame

got pics? I split my bimini top frame in half the other week on both sides (left it up when towing, wind caught the top, nuff said). I used copper tubing from Lowes that fit tightly on the inside of the frame tubes, drilled holes through 'em for bolts, and saved myself a few hundred bucks. I've had no issues with it since. I can post pics if needed.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Repairing/Reweld Alum Cover Frame

Ya, without welding you are going to have to have some type of insert to hold that.

A bimini top takes alot of load especially under way, I really doubt JB weld would hold that for long, I don't know that a real weld would hold it without an insert, so go with that and then drill and through bolt it and that should do it.

Extrusion actually gets harder as it ages so the older stuff like you have is super strong but it gets brittle.