--- title: Aluminum Welding and Repair in Reno | Wolf Machine url: https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/aluminum-welding/ business: Wolf Machine & Fabrication, Inc. address: 4812 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502 phone: (775) 359-5570 hours: Shop Monday-Friday 7:00 am-3:30 pm; closed Saturday and Sunday type: Metal and plastic fabrication and machining (custom and CNC machining, welding, metal and plastic fabrication, gearbox and part repair, align boring, metal spray) --- [Photo: Stock photo: TIG (gas tungsten arc) welding, close up] - [Home](https://wolfmachinenv.com/) - [Services](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/) - Aluminum welding # Aluminum welding and repair We weld and repair aluminum at our Reno shop as part of our welding, all types: cracked housings, tanks and other aluminum parts, plus welded aluminum assemblies. The process takes more care than steel because of the oxide skin, the way aluminum pulls heat away and how easily thin walls distort. Stock photo: TIG (gas tungsten arc) welding, close up Aluminum welds well when it is clean and the heat is controlled, and it spoils quickly when it is not. This page is about the joint and the process. If you want to know how aluminum cuts and what grades are used, the aluminum material page covers that. ## At a glance - Oxide removed from the joint before welding - Filler matched to the alloy family - Heat managed to limit distortion and burn-through - Repairs to cast and wrought aluminum parts - Welding, all types, with machining in the same shop Love working with these guys, and gal. Great customer service and knowledgeable skill base. They have helped with many big projects and have always pulled though when our machines went down. JoHannah W. ยท Google review, March 2017 [Leave us a Google review](https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJVWVOfCI_mYARibcFMPsDEKc) ## The oxide skin and why cleaning comes first Bare aluminum is covered by a thin oxide layer that melts at a much higher temperature than the metal underneath. If it is left in the joint, the weld pool cannot flow together cleanly and the weld ends up porous or weak. So the joint is cleaned right before welding: degreased, then the oxide is brushed or cut away with tools used only on aluminum. Oil, paint and moisture trapped in a crack cause the same trouble, which is why a dirty repair on an old housing takes extra prep. ## Heat goes somewhere else in aluminum Aluminum carries heat away from the weld quickly, so it takes more heat to start a weld, and then the part holds that heat and can sag or burn through. Thin walls are the hardest case. The usual answers are tight fit-up, backing and clamps, and short, controlled welds that let the part cool. Distortion is the other side of the same coin. On a machined housing, a weld that pulls the part out of flat can ruin a fit, so the plan often leaves extra material to machine after welding. ## Filler depends on the alloy family Aluminum is sold in families, and the filler wire has to suit the base metal. Common 6xxx wrought alloys and 5xxx alloys weld with different fillers, and some high-strength alloys are poor candidates for fusion welding at all. Cast aluminum often has porosity and trapped oil that make repairs more delicate. If you know the alloy, say so. If you do not, a photo of the part, its use and any stamped markings give us a starting point, and we can look at the part before promising a repair. ## Why cast aluminum parts crack and what to send Cast aluminum parts usually crack at sharp corners, thin sections, mounting bosses and places that see vibration or impact. A repair that does not address the stress will crack again beside the weld. For a quote, send the following and we will review it during shop hours at 4812 Longley Ln, Reno. - Photos of the crack from two sides, with a ruler in the shot - Whether the part is cast or machined from bar, if you know - What the part does and what loads or heat it sees - The machine or equipment it came from ### Sources - [The Aluminum Association](https://www.aluminum.org/) (2026-10-18) - [OSHA 29 CFR 1910.252, Welding, cutting and brazing: general requirements](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.252) (2026-10-18) ### Aluminum repairs people bring - Cracked cast housings and covers - Broken brackets and mounting ears - Tanks and enclosures with split seams - Frames that need a weld repair - Welded aluminum assemblies built to a drawing ### Typical parts - Cast housings - Brackets - Tanks - Frames - Cast housings ### Materials [Aluminum](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/aluminum/) [All materials we machine](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/) ### How to send us the job Send a drawing (PDF, DWG, DXF, STEP or IGES), a sketch with sizes, or photos of the part with a tape or scale in the shot. A sample works too: bring it to the shop. [Request a quote](#quote) [What to put on a drawing](https://wolfmachinenv.com/guides/what-to-put-on-a-drawing/) ### Talk to the shop [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570) | Monday to Friday | 7:00 am - 3:30 pm | |---|---| | Saturday and Sunday | Closed | [Request a quote](#quote) ### Related - [Welding, all types](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/welding/) - [Aluminum](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/aluminum/) - [Can you weld aluminum?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/can-you-weld-aluminum/) - [Metal fabrication](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/metal-fabrication/) - [Custom machining](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/custom-machining/) ### Questions about this service - [Can you weld aluminum?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/can-you-weld-aluminum/) ## Work from the shop [Photo: Looking into a perforated strainer basket: six welded flat-bar spokes meeting at a welded center hub] Job 05 Looking into a perforated strainer basket: six welded flat-bar spokes meeting at a welded center hub. [Photo: A tall conical strainer of perforated sheet, seam-welded and welded to a flat ring flange] Job 06 A tall conical strainer of perforated sheet, seam-welded and welded to a flat ring flange. [Photo: A custom-fabricated steel tank with a domed head, a bolted mid-body flange and nozzles, installed in a plant] Job 04 A custom-fabricated steel tank with a domed head, a bolted mid-body flange and nozzles, installed in a plant. [See all our work](https://wolfmachinenv.com/gallery/) ## Related services - [Welding, all types](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/welding/) - [Stainless steel welding](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/stainless-steel-welding/) - [Cast iron welding repair](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/cast-iron-welding/) - [Metal fabrication](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/metal-fabrication/) - [Plastic fabrication and machining](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/plastic-fabrication-and-machining/) - [Automated machines and fixtures](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/automated-machines-and-fixtures/) ## Aluminum welding questions Still have a question? Call [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570), Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. ### Can aluminum always be welded? Most common aluminum alloys can be welded, but some high-strength alloys and heavily oil-soaked castings are difficult. We look at the part first and tell you what is realistic. ### Do you weld aluminum and then machine it? Yes. A welded boss or housing can be milled or bored back to size after welding, which is why we leave extra material when the plan calls for it. [Photo: Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying] ## Request a quote Tell us what you need, attach a drawing or photos of the part, and we will get back to you during shop hours. Free consultations; prompt estimates. [Call (775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570) - From your specifications, drawings or samples. We can also assist you in designing your product or part. - Free consultations and prompt estimates - Stands behind the work: Our rates are very competitive and our quality is second-to-none. Wolf Machine stands behind the work we perform. - Company accounts: all major credit cards, or we can open an account for your company Shop hours Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. Send your request any time and we will get back to you during shop hours. Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying