Welding Magnesium

Question from reader about welding magnesium

Need info on welding older Volkswagen engine cases. They have a high magnesium content in them. Is there a special technique, rod type, etc?

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welding tips and tricks

more from reader

I have seen the cases catch fire and flame up when water was applied. That's why the Charleston Naval Shipyard requiredPurple K (PKP) fire extinguishers to be on hand when we had to machine Magnesium.

I'm not in the repair business so to speak. I have 2 lathes, milling machine and a couple welders just try to help friends and neighbors with their welding needs and I own a trike, as do some friends, with a VW motor.

I'm not doing this for profit, just fun.

welding tips and tricks

It sounds like you are up to speed on the safety tips for welding magnesium. so I will only talk about welding tips:

* clean as good as you can with acetone and a carbide burr.... a coarse burr that wont load up.

* use az101 filler rod

* preheat to around 300f

* use same tig machine settings as for aluminum

* light up and increase amperage until it barely puddles. if it does not puddle clean, stop, burr, wire brush, repeat as many times as necessary to get it to puddle clean

* oil gets into the pores of this stuff and it takes a while sometimes to get enough out to weld clean

* use a much closer arc length than for aluminum...like so close that you think its too close.

* weld small beads and clean in between with your small 90 air grinder and a carbide burr and then a stainless wire brush.