Welders- W1 to 6061 aluminium ???

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Welders

Is there a process that I can use to join W1 drill rod, to 6061 aluminium?

I am considering Loctite bearing and sleeve retaining compound, but I would prefer a better fusion.



I have a DC arc welder and oxy torch available.

What I have in mind is solder or brazing and relatively low temp to avoid a heat affected zone on the drill rod.
 
If there is a solder or brazing rod that would work, it would suit my application best.

Loctite would probably do the job, but an extra step beyond would suit me best.


I'm also considering, pinning, tapered pins, spring pins, set screws,


Threading is possible, but much more involved.
I'm not good at lathe single point threading & I don't feel that die threading would be straight enough.

I'm trying to keep this as simple as possible & within the scope of as many people as possible.
If it works out well I was thinking of WIP-ing it.

Threading is a whole level of complexity I was trying to avoid.
 
Are you trying to attach the rod to a plate, billet, or what? Surface attaching an option? If you ground a narrow section into the rod and welded over the steel it would be a pretty sturdy. You could also heat the aluminum to a liquid state and stick the rod in and let it cool around the rod.
 
There's probably a solder alloy that would work, but since you mention a lathe...

I was shown a trick once by an "old" machinist (at least compared to me at the time) when I was trying to thread a 1/2" steel rod with a hex die and having trouble getting the threads started straight. The rod was chucked up in the headstock of a metal lathe (with the power off) and he brought the empty tailstock up and rested the die on the face and started turning the die with a wrench. As the die started cutting threads onto the rod he kept indexing the tailstock in to keep pressure on the die. All the work was done by hand, the lathe was really just a big jig. The tailstock held the face of the die perpendicular to the rod and the threads came out pretty straight to the axis of the rod. I've used this trick many times with a wood lathe to cut threads on aluminium and plastic rods. It works even better with a proper split die and a diestock.
 
I do that to cut threads a lot. Once started you can turn the lathe on (SLOW SPEED) and hold the die with the wrench. Piece of wood between wrench and bed. Finger on switch to shut it off when close to the end.
 
Yes I've done that lathe trick too

I've also thought of making one of these die holders - less juggling.

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die_holder_MT2_1.jpg
 
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