[TowerTalk] Aluminum...Soldering to..

[Pat Barthelow]

In an earlier discussion, someone said:

>Remember that when you look at a shiny piece of aluminum you are still
>looking at a layer of oxide.  Aluminum Oxide forms almost instantly and is 
>a
>means of protection.

AA6EG, Pat needs confirmation:

I have been told that if you need to solder to alumium, using ordinary 
solder, and rosin flux,  that it is possible to take an aluminum object, lay 
a small squeeze of  motor oil on it, keeping the surface away from oxygen, 
and aggressively burnish the aluminum with a scraper, file, or other 
scraping tool...through the oil, keeping the newly burnished surface from 
developing a micro oxide coating. Then, taking a large soldering iron and 
some solder, heating the aluminum through the oil, and simultaneously 
applying your solder through the  oil (which now, I am guessing is probably 
smoking (:-> )to the aluminum surface, and the solder will 'tin' the 
alumunum. Once tinned you can then solder to in conventionally.

Can anyone confirm this technique?

Tnx   Pat Barthelow    aaa6eg at hotmail.com