Welding husqvarna case?

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

I have a 266se with the cover screw holes cracked out, not enough meat to just epoxy and helicoil like the other hole I think, so i was wondering about welding it. I'm worries the case looks like it might be magnesium due to the color, and I think that's a fire hazard to welds right? I have a TIG, I just only have used it for SS, but this would be a good first try at aluminum. It's not exactly a critical application

 

[HarleyT]

It should be magnesium. Drill a tiny hole somewhere insignificant, and then put a match to the shavings to see.

 

[Huskvarna hotellgäst]

It's alloy containing significant quantity of of magnesium.

 

[cranman1951]

I've repaired many cracked blocks in lawn tractors and snowblowers with JBWeld and have had great success,. On just a crack, I'll V it out with a dremel, clean all the grease ,oil, paint and dirt off and scuff it good around the crack, then layer on several coats of JB. On snowblower engines with the Tecumseh engines that are notorious for punching a large hole in the block when the rod lets go, I tap the pieces of aluminum inward towards the hole, clean and grind to clean metal, then smear the area with at least three coats of JB....Has always given me good results and a permanent fix. I don't know if this would work in your application, but I think it might.

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

Honestly I've always had terrible luck with jb weld, but I am probably usually using it in places it's not really meant for. That said I have nothing to lose trying it, so I'll give it a shot. Did a little research and it looks like welding magnesium is actually not too bad, but the filler rod is very expensive. Similar difficulty to welding aluminum.

I'll try jb weld, since I've never welded aluminum. I'll wait for the weather to get nicer before I try all that

 

[CIAmike11]

Lots of shielding gas, specific rod and the absolute perfect settings is the key.. it’s difficult but not impossible

 

[CIAmike11]

If my memory serves me correctly Sean Carr is the guy to talk to on the other site

 

[huskihl]

JB weld won’t hold with fine threads.

 

[grizz55chev]

JB weld won’t hold with fine threads.

JB Weld is a great product, but threads is not what it's made for.

 

[nwhunter]

I've had mag cases welded on both Husky bikes and saws. They turn out fine with an experienced welder doing it.

 

[catbuster]

Get it clean and degreased. Really clean. Then set your machine to AC, get some AZ92 TIG rod, use a small cup like you’d use for Aluminum and hold a super tight arc. It’s still going to be a nasty weld, Magnesium doesn’t weld clean, and cast magnesium is even worse. It’ll weld a lot like Aluminum, just nastier. I’m not a fan of welding Magnesium & don’t do much of it, but that’s how I’ve done it with success and others have as well. I haven’t had any problem with fire welding it, the TIG process doesn’t lend itself to fire, and if the weld is enveloped in Argon until it’s solid it’s not really a big deal.