Sheldon wrote:

> On Oct 14, 1:57�pm, Dave > wrote:
>
>>Corey Richardson wrote:
>>
>>>On Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:12:23 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2
> wrote:
>>
>>>>On Oct 11, 5:50 pm, Corey Richardson >
>>>>wrote:
>>
>>>>>My potato ricer died tonight after 3 years when one of the welds on it
>>>>>broke
>>
>>>>>Can anyone here suggest a make of ricer that's of good quality, and
>>>>>preferably made of cast metal like a Zyliss garlic press, that won't
>>>>>break after such a short time?
>>
>>>>>Thank you.
>>
>>>>It probably can be mended by a local machine shop, no? �(re-welded).
>>
>>>Unfortunately not. It began to tear at the weld before it failed. Good
>>>suggestion though.
>>
>>Why do you say that it can't be welded? If it was done in the past it
>>can certainly be done now.
>>
>>Not all aluminium joints are welded, some are brazed. What can't be
>>welded can be invisibly riveted though. I worked in the aerospace
>>industry for 25 years and there was nothing the development lads
>>couldn't repair.
>
>
> Yeah, right... a small local weld shop will charge at least $100 to
> repair a $10 ricer, and no guarantees... when aluminum is heated to
> welding temperatures it loses all it's temper, becomes dead soft,
> would need to be retempered, a process that costs more than the weld
> job, much more, doesn't pay to temper aluminum one piece at a time,
> they'd do a truckload.

Aluminium can't be tempered unless it is something like L 72 or L 73.
These classes of the metal can not be welded, they just burn away from
the torch. softer aluminium can be welded and then spun to make them
hard. But never heat treated.

> Often a thingie can be put back together (often better than new) with
> bolts, rivets, fish plates, etc. but without seeing the actual break I
> can't begin to guess how to do a patch job. Anyway, potato ricers are
> cheap, if someone uses one often and/or is rough with tools then they
> really should buy one of better quality than chintzy cheapo cast
> aluminum,

Cast aluminium cant be welded either

> get a commercial type stainless steel ricer and it will last
> a lifetime.

That is the type I have had for many years now.

> I'm positive that the aluminum ricers on the market are
> not made of aircraft/marine grade aluminum...

If they were they would have to be spun to get the shape. Just how you
could get the handle on without welding escapes me right now.

Dave