Cast aluminium garden furniture repair

SheroP

Hi there
Looking for advice on how to repair a cast aluminium garden table that has cracked at one side
Any ideas would be helpful, particularly in the area of whether it could be welded
I currently have a piece of timber wedged between the leg frame and the table top but would like something more aesthetically pleasing and permanent
Hopefully pics make sense

You sure its Alu?
Try a magnet against it.
If its alu anyone with a Tig welder could do it !

ted1

BrownFinger wrote: »

You sure its Alu?
Try a magnet against it.
If its alu anyone with a Tig welder could do it !

I’d put a metal brace on it, something like this:

Heavy Duty Galvanised Steel Flat Mending Plate Bracket Repair Various Sizes (100 x 200 mm) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B083QVLJY6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_byo6EbP7D3EZG

Then, spray it to match

SheroP

Thanks for replies
I’ll check the magnet trick
I think bracing is a good idea
However I reckon there’s a design flaw
Not that I know too much but there’s insufficient support over the 2.2 m length to hold it so I was thinking of getting something substantial welded down both sides to support it ?
Does that make sense ??
Perfect otherwise and she was expensive from the outset so anxious to hold onto it
Thanks sgsin

SheroP

And magnet doesn’t stick

Calahonda52

do the supporting runners that are at right angles to the long side where the break is come out all the way to touch the drop leg of the outside angle.
If so the long brace will need to be on the outside of the table.
Easy enough to do, I would drill it and bolt it with high tensile cup head bolts, drilled with no clearance, when you have all the prep done and the crack jacked up to close it, use epoxy glue in between.

jack of all

I think the brace/ mending plate suggested is the best idea- a good stout piece of mild steel 25x 3mm or so, neatly fixed in under the table with 4 rivets or nuts and bolts. Plate could be epoxied in position first, before rivetting/ bolting. Small bit of touch up paint and the job is done. No guarantee a TIG weld would hold there, some of these castings can be porous enough and metal composition is anyone's guess.

SheroP

That’s great , plenty to go on , I’m guessing 4 slim coach bolts should do the job ??? I’ve no rivets

Thanks to all for advice

jack of all

SheroP wrote: »

That’s great , plenty to go on , I’m guessing 4 slim coach bolts should do the job ??? I’ve no rivets

Thanks to all for advice

Coach bolts would work, little bit of filing work required to shape the holes into a "square" to receive them, but gutter bolts could also work, just torque them up good and snug.

SheroP

Fair play,every day is a school day , that what I thought I was describing , at least now I’ll know what to ask for in hardware without appearing like a complete plonker, gutter bolts have a smooth shaft I’m guessing ?rather than the coach bolts with the square under the head ?