Cleaning dirty aluminum

[JohnT]

I'm gonna try tig repairing an old pair of shrubbery clippers. The cast aluminum anvil portion broke.
My question is: Should I use my dedicated SS brush to clean this piece or will that just contaminate my brush?
I realize I could buy a new clipper for less trouble and possibly less money but hey..... i have a tig welder and Im gonna use it😜

[Rambozo]

First scrub it with some cleaner and a scrub brush to get all the plant material off, then give a once over with your SS brush and an acetone wipe. Depending on the alloy, it might be no problem or virtually unweldable.

[JohnT]

Thanks Ram Ill take pics

[JohnT]

Well, no pics, sorry... it was a total failure. I don't know if it was because of contamination, alloy, technique or all 3.
Lighting up on this thing produced all kinds of red colored lightning that looked like Northern lights.
The only time I could get any kind of focused arc was when it attached to the filler rod. No puddle, just small explosions.
I guess its time for a new shrubbery clipper.....unless I fabricate a whole new part. Was it on this forum someone said "Why buy a new part for $10 when I can make it for $100"?

[Blaster]

Could it have been Magnesium maybe?

[JohnT]

I dunno, Blaster . Just a cheap clipper I bought from Big Lots a long time ago.... Probably $5 brand new.

[Rambozo]

Could it have been Magnesium maybe?

More likely pot metal, if it was mag the arc would be stable.

[everlastsupport]

Probably pot metal. I did have a heck of a time welding a security barrier arm. Turned out it was magnesium. Unstable and worse (visual) than aluminum when it would melt.

Ended up patching it up with slits and hose clamps until the new one arrived.