[ATM] ATM: aluminum mirror cell

["The Alarm Co." <tac@i1.net>]

I recommend doing away with the glue and "welding" your cell.  Strictly
speaking, I am talking about brazing.  There are rods available for brazing
aluminum that melt at low temperatures and form bonds stronger than the
aluminum without welding equipment.  An ordinary hardware-store propane
torch costing maybe $20 is all that is necessary.  Brazing aluminum this way
is not much trickier than soldering copper water pipe.  It takes a little
practice, since the propane torch gets plenty hot enough to melt the
aluminum.  The joint must be carefully cleaned and then brazed very quickly.
Otherwise, the surface oxidizes and prevents the brazing rod from wetting
the metal.  Then, the whole thing collapses in molten blob.  A few practice
joints will get you the right touch.  I made my cell this way, using
rectangular aluminum tubing about 3/4" x 2".  I made a couple of test joints
first and tested them to destruction.  I only had about 75% adhesion on the
worse of the two, and that was still enough that the tubing tore before any
of the braze broke!  The stuff is available from many sources - I think one
is J.C. Whitney.  They're online and of course an online search will turn up
many others.

 *  Best regards, Bob
*
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