Aluminium or magnesium?

[kerryg]

Its not Magnesium... and what Motu said,MPW can repair anything . (fwiw)

Thanks for that

[laRIKin]

If I can remember correctly and I am sure I have.
If you put a weak acid on the part, like Duzall the part will go black.
And if you have a flame near it the gas that comes off the part will burn or go pop.
Welding magnesium is not to bad, but if you get it to hot, or to hot for to long it will burn or explode.

[SixPackBack]

I'd go to Machine Part Welding in Penrose - repairing castings is their job,and a lot of places who say they will repair it for you just send it there anyway.

Would second this, ask for Bruce Legg. This gentleman is a specialist in welding alloys, and takes on job's no one else will touch, he is well known in the toolmaking industry as 'the man'

[Teflon]

Thanks. I've got Taylor Automotive lined up to do it up (who were strongly recommended by a bike shop as being good at this sort of work) so we'll see. But when I called them to organise it they said "it's not magnesium, is it?" in a manner which implied it might be a problem if it was, which set me to worrying that it might be magnesium....hence my seeking wisdom from others on this forum. However the consensus seems to be that magnesium is unlikely so I'll press on based on the assumption that it's an aluminium alloy.

If it's pure Magnesium it wont have any strength. It would be a group of alloy's like: Aluminum, Zinc, Magnesium etc.

It's not that hard to weld with the correct heat and filler wire. When you weld a ferrous or non-ferrous metal you burn elemets out of the material, so it's important to get the right filler wire.

There's a mechanical engineer on KB, i was talking to him the other night, can't remember his name ( to pissed, like i am now) but he would the man to ask.

[What?]

Seeing as Hitcher does not seem to have been here...
Aluminium, magnesium and zinc are metals, not alloys. They can be formed into alloys, though, as can any metal. As a word, "alloy" is not interchangable with "aluminium". Steel is an alloy (or, more correctly, a group of alloys)

Unless you have a megabuck aftermarket front end, the casting will not be magnesium alloy.

[Motu]

A friend of mine's father owns a non ferros foundry,and one of his pet hates is the word aluminium - no such thing he reckons,well,maybe pots and pans,everything we call aluminium is an alloy.Magnesium hubs and engine cases are common,but on the forks? Doubt it....

[Teflon]

Seeing as Hitcher does not seem to have been here...
Aluminium, magnesium and zinc are metals, not alloys. They can be formed into alloys, though, as can any metal. As a word, "alloy" is not interchangable with "aluminium". Steel is an alloy (or, more correctly, a group of alloys)

Unless you have a megabuck aftermarket front end, the casting will not be magnesium alloy.

Ok, you're right. What i meant was, Magnesium is normally alloyd with: Aluminium, Zinc (strength), Maganeses (corrosion resistance) etc.

What does "interchangable" mean?

[kerryg]

Ok, you're right. What i meant was, Magnesium is normally alloyd with: Aluminium, Zinc (strength), Maganeses (corrosion resistance) etc.

What does "interchangable" mean?

He means not "synonymous", in which regard he is entirely correct

[kerryg]

Would second this, ask for Bruce Legg. This gentleman is a specialist in welding alloys, and takes on job's no one else will touch, he is well known in the toolmaking industry as 'the man'

Thanks, I'm going to give him a call today