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[geoffr70]

Greetings all, does anyone know a good method of joining aluminium to aluminium?

The problem is I have recently acquired a caravan. Unfortunately there is a small amount of rot around the internal wood chassis next to the door, which today I repaired (tried to), so the door shuts well.

The wood that the bottom hinge screws screw into, has all but disappeared, so now I can't get the hinges attached properly, which means the door doesn't hang right, or close properly (wish i'd left the bloody thing now).

Short of taking loads of units out, then the big panel to access this, I thought about somehow joining the ally hinge to the frame.

My welder would blast it to pieces, would a blow torch heat it enough to fuse the two? It's only an old caravan.

Ideas welcome, thanks.

[tidla]

its got to be the chemical solution method of jb weld or similar. no nails doesnt work on cold stuff, pk screws?

some would suggest welding only because they want to see another "brainiac ed" off the roads.

[Entwood]

I doubt any method will work ... the hinge needs to take the weight of the door, and the thin aluminium skin just won't handle it.

You need to replace the rotten wood with good wood, then you can screw the skin and the hinge as designed.

The bad wood needs to be cut back until good, you can then join the new wood to it .. in the past I used a ^ cut in the old wood so the new did not slide around .. secure with a really decent wood adhesive if you can't get in to screw it.

[bigegg]

pop rivets?

or (on topic) what's the stuff that is used to bond the inner wing to the bulkhead on an omega (carlton?) some sort of adhesive resin?

I fix most things with expanding foam and epoxy putty   

[geoffr70]

Thanks all, some good suggestions. I need to join the hinge to the trim that goes around the door frame, not the skin, and it's proving difficult! It looks like I'll have to take aload of units out to do it the proper way, doh. Things are never simple! It's only a 2 berth I've just got for £150. When it gets even more shabby I'll recycle it and use the chassis for my teardrop caravan! I'm getting quite attached to my little caravan now!

Caravans rule!

[Seth]

pop rivets?

or (on topic) what's the stuff that is used to bond the inner wing to the bulkhead on an omega (carlton?) some sort of adhesive resin?

I fix most things with expanding foam and epoxy putty   

These should work - so long as the aluminium extrusion is itself securely attached to the frame/outer skin.