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Birmabright


From: Andy Dingley (dingbat OF codesmth demon co uk)
Subject: Re: Right stick rod for sheetmetal?
Date: Wed, 01 Mar 1995 23:53:39 GMT
[ ... ]

Land Rovers aren't [pure] aluminium, they're BirmaBright, a proprietary alloy of aluminium and magnesium. For most practical purposes they're much the same, but it does make a difference for welding.

It's like aluminium, but even more so. It work hardens more easily, it's more important to anneal it when working it cold, it's more corrosion resistant, and it's harder to weld.

When working aluminium alloys, a useful annealing trick is to wipe the cleaned panel with liquid handwashing soap, then heat it with a gentle propane flame until the soap blackens. Don't over-anneal it -- this is called melting it, and is to be avoided!

You must use the right rods to gas weld it; either 5% Mg/Al (Sifalumin No.27) and either the Sifbronze flux for this rod, or a suitable acid flux. An alternative rod is a piece of spare Al bodywork! Use a small reducing flame, to avoid damaging the panel. After welding, scrub the panel with water to remove corrosive flux residues.

The officially recommended brand of flux (according to my Range Rover Repair Ops Manual) is The Midland Welding Supply Co.'s "Hari Kari" brand. I am not joking about the name!

-- Andy Dingley


Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 00:30:44 +0100
From: chris romer (chris romer At btinternet com)

Birmabright is merely a trade name of the old Birmetals Co. (located in Birmingham) for a British standard specification of sheet, ... (memory suggests it is actually NS4).
All the major aluminium rolling mills - Alcan, Pechiney, British Aluminium, High Duty Alloys, Alcoa etc. sold the same sheet either under their trade-name or under the relevant British specification ... (the alloying elements being roughly 2/3% the balance [99 1/3%] being Al2) ...

In other words -- there is nothing special about the word Birmabright. The sheet used in Land Rovers is common standard sheet obtainable from any stockist.

PS. Dural [is] again a trade name of High Duty Alloys for a standard spec. alloy ...

-- Chris Romer


HTML: L. Allison / 1995, 2004