I agree - and you're right, it is solder. I've found it mildly useful but not enough so to bother with. I've found it to be a PITA to use well - the proper cleaning of the joint is critical for a good mechanical bond and cleaned aluminum IMMEDIATELY starts getting ucky with a protective film of aluminum oxide, so don't get distracted.

JB Weld is great stuff and if you're impatient like me a 165 - 200 deg-F toaster oven is miraculous in accelerating the cure time to just a few minutes. (immersing a part in a ziplok in boiling water works, too, so this tip works OK in the field as well) For common off-the-shelf 2 part epoxies, JB Weld is superior to anything else I have used.

There are some other concoctions that are useful, like Brownell's Accru glass line and some unusual one part metal-filled offerings aimed at automotive repairs (high temp stuff) that I've found actually work as-advertised, but JB Weld is very widely available.

Epoxy putty is also very handy for that sort of thing - it's like playing with plasticene modeling clay and it takes a cure fairly quickly. It tools very well but is not as bomb proof as JB Weld. However, it's cheap and really easy to use. And while I have that thought in my mind... I've carried a "scrap" of epoxy putty in my repair kit for many years and it has really saved the day a few times. Just cut off a piece and wrap it up (I just used cling wrap most of the time, although I get fancy every so often and seal a bit up in a mylar bag.) Not as problematic to carry as tubes of resin and hardener.

Alcohol cleans off partially cured epoxy from your fingers very readily after molding the putty. Ethyl (denatured) works best IME, but even common rubbing alcohol works. You can also use alcohol to clean-up epoxy "overruns" from your parts before it is fully cured, but don't hose it on - dampen a cotton swab or corner of a rag with alcohol and scrub with it.

Pete, looking forward to hearing how your soldering project turns out! Post pictures if you can, please.

Regards,

Tom