How to Weld at Home without a Welder – A Complete Guide

Are you having a hard time finding the right welder? Are you frustrated with fixing your old welder? Are you in need of an urgent weld but can’t seem to approach your welder? Say goodbye to your welder and adapt to the following nifty techniques to know how to weld at home with  a welder and get your job done in no time!
We bring you today a couple of effective alternatives for welding at home without your welder. So tag along and learn the magic!

Welding process

Welding, in general, is a process that is used for connecting or bonding two pieces of metal utilizing heat to form a strong bond. The process requires a high ampere current to produce enough heat for the metals to connect. To get this done, one requires a good welding machine, an expert who knows how to operate it, and the right supplies.
In case, any three of the above things go missing, you are at a loss to perform the process. What to do in such a case? Well, the answer is pretty simple. All you need to do is to opt for any of the following welding alternatives and have no interruptions or delays in your project.
Goodbye Welder, Hello Alternatives
These few techniques mentioned below will ensure that you get the bond between your metals in the absence of your welding machine.

These methods can provide a quick solution to your welding issue; however, each has its pros and cons, so choose the one that suits your requirements.

Nanoparticles in action

The process that makes use of nanomaterials to bond two metals is called nano-sculpting. Relevantly new in the field of advanced technology, this technique is still under review and is prone to improvement.
However, the task makes it easy for you to combine two metals. All you need to do is take help from 3D printing and etching. Okay, I think that makes it too geeky to understand. Let’s make it simple. The etching is a process in which you roughen up the metal surface, by dipping the metal into a chemical solution, usually ferric oxide. Using 3D printing, a nanostructure is formed like a small hook which is then used with adhesive to piece up the two metals you want.
The cool thing about this technique is that it requires no high temperature which allows it to be used on materials that are already coated without destroying the layer. It might be a bit hard to practice but once mastered, the technique will provide you with amazing benefits.

If you are up for some experiment, then you might as well try out this cool alternative and get your connections done in no time.

Brazing

If working at high temperatures is not an issue for you, then you might as well try brazing instead of welding. Pretty similar to welding, brazing requires the use of a filler material that melts and forms the bond between the two metals. This adhesive action of the filler material is a good alternative to welding.
You do not require temperature as high as welding, but pretty near to them, almost 800 degrees. Different metals including Aluminum, Silver, Copper alloys, Nickel, Cobalt, and Magnesium can be used as fillers for brazing. However, the choice mainly depends on the metals you need to bond and the application where they will be used.
The process allows you to make strong joints, and since it requires heat, therefore it also affects the metals that are to be bonded.

In case your welder needs a fix, you can always opt for this technique to get done with your urgent projects without delay.

Soldering

The next process that can be used to form joints is soldering. This, however, forms an electrical connection rather than a mechanical joint as in welding. If you are a circuit fanatic, you might have come across this technique several times while working on a PCB.
You will not get a strong bond since it’s electrical in nature. However, the process does require heat, not at a similar level as welding though. The filler material, in this case, is the solder wire with melts and forms the bond. The soldering gun is used to provide heat to melt the solder wire in this process.
The solder material is soft, usually alloy of various metals. So if you are someone who likes working with electrical components, this technique is definitely your best buddy. The solder can easily make an electrical connection between various components and can be removed too if the connection goes bad.

If you are up for some experiment, then you might as well try out this cool alternative and get your connections done in no time.

Riveting

Instead of using a welder, try using a rivet. This is a technique that forms a mechanical joint between metals by punching in holes via the rivet. If you have some muscle on and you don’t mind some hard-punching, then do try out this bonding technique.
Before you can use a rivet, you need to drill holes in the metals you need to be bonded. Once the holes have been punched in, then you can use the cylindrical rivet to bind the two metals employing an adhesive.
This process requires some practice before you can actually ensure a strong joint. However, it is not recommended for every type of metal joint. Only those tension loads, where there are opposing forces, is this technique recommended for use.
In other words, building sites that require bonding too large but lightweight materials can make use of this technique.

So all the DIY constructors out there, if you don’t feel like welding, might as well try riveting!
Glue them up!
If you are too lazy to try or learn any of the above techniques, simply glue the metals! As the name suggests, the process only requires you to apply some adhesive between the two metals to form a joint you require.
Of course, you cannot simply use the regular glue here, the adhesive used to bond metals has silicon and epoxy in them. And you can find a couple of other products which are under continuous experimentation. All you need to do is to apply a coat of these adhesives to your metal and place them together to form a strong bond.

Conclusion

Depending on your work requirements you can opt for the right technique and save yourself a lot of time and effort. Welding may give you a pretty strong bond but it may not be necessary in every case. So figure out your situation and select the appropriate method to achieve the best results effectively.