Blue Demon BDTP-125-01T Triple Play Low Temp Aluminum-Zinc Brazing Rod 1/8" x 18" 1 Lb Tube,

It works great! If you don't know how to weld, you might have trouble. The base metal needs to be at the right temperature to melt the rod and the surface needs to be cleaned using a Stainless steel wire brush. I preheat the aluminum then wire brush, then put the parts together, then use the aluminum rod. Gently scratch the aluminum with a stiff stainless steel wire while welding. Remember, the aluminum has impurities that come to the surface of the puddle that needs to be gently removed with the stiff stainless wire. I like to tin all the parts before I put them together just like soldering. I get very good results. Practice. You'll get good at it. It is fun!

This low-temperature aluminum brazing rod is economical, easy to use, and effective (IF you follow the directions). I used this rod to seam braze 75 aluminum joints (300 total brazes) that had broken on an aluminum pontoon boat canopy frame that had collapsed during a storm. Most of the joints were 1" x 1" aluminum square tube" with heavier duty/guage rectangular aluminum at the base of the frame. This fluxless aluminum rod worked well for this purpose, but only when the instructions were copiously followed, which, in essence, are: 1) Secure your joint (vice grips, clamps, etc.) and copiously clean all aluminum surfaces to be brazed with a large new stainless steel ("SS") brush (buy one large brush and 2 or 3 small brushes), 2) get a good "handheld" torch (I tried several and found "Mag – Torch" the best) with a hose (sold separately from the torch for about $20) that connects the torch to a "map gas" cylinder (hotter than propane and available in all home improvement stores), 3) frequently use your small stainless steel brush on the area to be brazed during the heating and brazing process to remove impurities ("oxides"). if you don't brush, your braze will be significantly weakened or may not adhere at all. 4) frequently test the heat of your metal by running the aluminum rod over the joint area. When the rod begins to easily melt (from the heat of the rod against the hot metal only- absolutely not from the direct heat of the torch) deflect the torch flame away from the joint and begin "tinning" the joint ( tinning = applying a light coat of melted aluminum from the rod to the surfaces you abraded with your small stainless steel brush). 5) Put the flame back on the joint for 3 to 5 seconds to be sure that the tinning adheres, then remove the torch to let the tinning coo/solidify for 5 to 10 seconds. 6) Use your stainless steel brush again to clean the oxides from the tinned area, 7) reheat the joint to where your aluminum will again melt the rod and apply a generous coat of melted aluminum to the tinned area of your joint, 8) finish the joint braze with about 4 or 5 seconds more heat from the torch to increase final adherence of the melted aluminum to the joint. 9) If you see impurities (oxides) in your braze, don't be afraid to run your small brush through your braze to clean out the impurities to strengthen your joint. This "brush through" may require you to melt a little more aluminum on your joint but the joint will be stronger for it. In sum, secure the work, use new stainless steel brushes to frequently clean work, metal not torch must melt aluminum brazing rod, "tin" all brushed areas, apply final braze coat, and always finish with more heat for adherence.Practice on a few joints before doing your finish work. Everything will seem very awkward at first as you juggle the torch, the brush, the rod, and the correct heat. Within about 5 to 10 joints you will feel like a professional. If you cut corners though and don't get the work hot enough or don't frequently keep your joint clean of the oxides with the brush your brazes will look pretty but won't hold and your time will be wasted. Good luck!

I used these zinc-alluminum alloy brazing rods when I had to make my own flashing around a skylight. I used regular galvanized flashing, and these alloy brazing rods did the trick. They will braze both aluminum & zinc. But aluminum flashing is too thin & melts too easily. Galvanized flashing works OK.Here are a few tips:Flux is unnecessary, but If the surface is dull or dirty, brush clean with a STAINLESS STEEL wire brush. Regular wire brushes won't work.Prepare each surface by "tinning," which means to melt a thin coating of brazing alloy on the surfaces PRIOR to actual brazing. This is critical for a good strong joint.A regular propane torch is sufficiently hot, but a broader flame works better than a pencil-tip flame.Always heat the metal & let the metal melt the brazing rod. Don't melt the brazing rod with the flame itself.The trick is to keep the temperature around 750 F. Too hot and the metal can scorch & warp. Too cool & the brazing rod will not melt or bond.Use clamps to hold surfaces together. This alloy material will fill small gaps, but it works best if the gaps are tight.Don't be in a hurry. Practice on scraps first.

I bought two other products before this one. Stuff made in china. Thin wire. Those didn’t work at all. I was trying to braze two pieces of aluminum with close to a quarter inch gap in the middle. Other wires didn’t work well. Then I watched some videos on YouTube about different types of wire. This seemed to work well in the video so I gave it a shot before abandoning my project. This ACTUALLY WORKED. It melted at the right temperature with a map torch. Was a little difficult to get used to if you’ve never done it before but if you’re trying to “weld” something together this gives you the ability to do so. I would suggest practicing on scrap pieces first. This seemed to be the only wire that worked.

I watched a few videos of this stuff and felt like it would be perfect to repair my motorcycle crankcase where the drain plug had busted out. To practice, I bought some alumiweld sticks from HF and some MAP gas from the Lowe’s. This stuff isn’t nearly as easy to use as the YouTube guys make it look. It’s a fine line between heat and voodoo magic to get decent results. It was a pain to get it to adhere to the crankcase and I was worried about damaging other items in what should have been a straight forward process.

Despite the package not sealed neat and proper, all 22 rods were there. I say the word were because within 20 minutes of receiving them I put 1 to work on a couple things to test, they work just fine.I'm not taking stars off because the package it came in doesn't mean anything, it's the fact the product is there and works. Good value for the money if you have a need for that many rods.Just a little edit and it doesn't look very good because my butane torch wouldn't settle down, but the rods are good enough to join 2 pieces of side can together so you know it's a good product...