randyinaloha
Basic Poster
Posts:185
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| 05-10-2010 01:00 PM |
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Am looking for a wire feed welder for shop.
Flux core wire looks easier for light duty.
Wonder if I can also weld aluminum with the proper wire?
Randy
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| A Man Cave is a personal thing
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Horace Puckey
Veteran Poster
Posts:2062
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| 05-10-2010 05:25 PM |
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Randy years ago I had some aluminum motorcycle cases Mig welded. Mig stands for some kind of Inert gas -- so I don't think just wire would work -- don't ask why I think that because I really have no clue( what the hell kind of font do we have that makes a "d" out of "c l"?) except they must use gas for a reason. ??? You could try it and let us all know |
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| Bill So Cal |
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Racer
Veteran Poster
Posts:1034
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| 05-10-2010 06:18 PM |
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MIG stands for Metal Inert Gas. If you want to weld Aluminum you must use gas - 100% Argon. While you can weld aluminum with a mig welder, you are much better off welding aluminum with TIG - Tungsten Inert Gas. |
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cedar
Veteran Poster
Posts:1990
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| 05-10-2010 07:33 PM |
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Aluminum can be welded using MIG, but it requires a radical change in the technique used. Argon gas is a must, and the wire feed is very much more rapid. If you are using a machine with a hand held spool, the results can be very satisfactory. The large spool with a welding lead thru which the wire feeds generally can present problems with wire jams. A real nuisance. The welding technique requires that you face your nozzle in the direction of travel as opposed to the drag technique with steel. |
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| Any job not worth taking the time to do right the first time,isn't worth the time to do it at all.
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EZgoing
Veteran Poster
Posts:1988
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| 05-10-2010 10:51 PM |
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I would also recommend you use TIG instead of MIG for welding aluminum, unless your going to do some sort of higher production product welding with it..
I've welded miles of aluminum.. all at 36" of filler rod at a time.. LOL
I used thoriated tungsten electrode rod and the argon as a shielding gas with a water cooled torch head... I will say that it is a skill all it's own.. Although the process of welding is pretty much the same for aluminum, if you take steel welding skills to bear, they usually don't work well with aluminum..
I can't tell you how many professional steel welders picked up my rig and totally blew it.. when it came to welding aluminum.. Actually, it was pretty fun to watch.. LOL
BUT, with welding so much aluminum like I have, I am a very crappy stick welder when it comes to steel... and I'm the first to admit it. Some beads I can lay down and would feel fine if they were x-rayed.. the next bead I lay down and it's full of slag inclusions and looks like some beginner did it.. LOL Give me a heli-arc welder any day..
Ez
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| Remember, there is no handyman problem that a judicious application of money can't fix. Bradford Co. Pa.
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jdeere
Veteran Poster
Posts:1305
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| 05-11-2010 09:15 AM |
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A year or so ago, a welder I know bought a new MIG welder. He said that it was the first one he had that he could weld aluminum with. I would check the instruction manual or with the manufactuer to see if the MIG you are looking at can weld aluminum. |
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| Bart from Saskatchewan, Canada |
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cedar
Veteran Poster
Posts:1990
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| 05-11-2010 11:41 AM |
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I agree with EZ, that TIG is the best way to go. There are big differences in the equipment used though. First, for welding Aluminum, you must use AC current, and have a unit to provide High Frequency current in order to maintaln an arc. The welding can be done using argon gas, but when I worked in the shipyard, we used a mix of argon and helium. This actually provided a cleaner atmosphere around the arc and the ionized gas produced a hotter arc at the tip of the tungsten. This allowed for very fine control in welding. After leaving the shipyard, I worked as a welder, assembler. My machine was an old Hobart which allowed welding using AC , DC straight polarity or DC reverse polarity. And it included High Frequency current. With this machine,and the right accessories, I was able to hook up for Tig, MIG, or stick welding. Most of our work was aluminum, but we did get a lot of stainless steel to do, using a variety of alloys, along with steel. Heli-arc does produce the finest quality weld, but it is also the most expensive process in equipment and in man hours. |
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| Any job not worth taking the time to do right the first time,isn't worth the time to do it at all.
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WFREDERICK
Basic Poster
Posts:401
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| 05-11-2010 12:26 PM |
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The liner,wire have to be changed when welding aluminum with a mig.Make sure you do tons of practice when welding aluminum with the tig and use scrap pieces for this. |
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eeyore
Basic Poster
Posts:420
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| 05-26-2010 12:56 AM |
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I weld quite a bit of aluminum with my MIG welder, I use a spool gun, argon, and stainless brush to keep the area CLEAN. I use spray-arc technique also, it's a bit hotter and the wire just barely clears the tip before getting "sprayed" onto the work. I think it makes for a better weld (IMHO)
My welder is a MIGMASTER 250 by ESAB exactly the same as a MILLER 250 I use a TWEKO spool gun with 30' lead/hose
welds mild, high carbon, stainless, aluminum, copper. It won't weld cast as far as I know, but I don't know all either LOL
I would not recommend a little 110 volt mig for any type production work.
A MIG/TIG is probably the best, but you've got to get what the wallet can allow! Good luck
eeyore |
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| ( : LIFE MEMBER : )
>< "everything's just HO-HUM"
>< ><"Thanks for noticing"><
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WFREDERICK
Basic Poster
Posts:401
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| 05-26-2010 03:01 PM |
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Tig is better than mig,much cleaner and less splatter.Some models you can get a kit to add the spool gun on a mig welder and all you do is flip a switch.Lincoln Electric is one you can do this to. |
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dclark7288
New Poster
Posts:1
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| 05-28-2010 10:10 AM |
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Randy, TIG is rather hard to master (and expensive). MIG will work but you need a unit with a lot of output (amps). Spool guns work very well but are costly additions. If you go with a tradtional gun use a teflon liner and keep the cable feeding the gun as straight as possible. Since they don't make flux cored aluminum you'll need a unit with gas capibities (100% argon). I would use 5356 Aluminum it's a little striffer and will be compatiable with most aluminum alloys. |
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Landfillwizard
Advanced Poster
Posts:755
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| 05-29-2010 07:39 AM |
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Randy,
I have used a product called Alumiweld. It works similar to brazing. If the part is small and thin, you can use a propane torch. I bought the kit at a car show. It comes with (ss) stainless steel wire brush, ss tools to use to work the welding rod, and the aluminum welding rod. It takes a little practice but I was able to weld aluminum cans together, and I welded a aluminum valve cover (need ox. acetylene jewelers torch for thicker aluminum but practice first). |
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jdeere
Veteran Poster
Posts:1305
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| 05-29-2010 08:04 AM |
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Posted By Landfillwizard on 05-29-2010 08:39 AM
Randy,
I have used a product called Alumiweld. It works similar to brazing. If the part is small and thin, you can use a propane torch. I bought the kit at a car show. It comes with (ss) stainless steel wire brush, ss tools to use to work the welding rod, and the aluminum welding rod. It takes a little practice but I was able to weld aluminum cans together, and I welded a aluminum valve cover (need ox. acetylene jewelers torch for thicker aluminum but practice first).
If that is the same product that was being sold here at trade shows (sorry, can't remember the name of it), it only works on clean aluminum (i guess that would translate into high quality aluminum). Guys here were buying kits to fix shovels and other aluminum parts. They could weld real good at the trade shows but couldn't get it to work at home. A lot of the stuff they were trying to weld was lower quality aluminum.
Someone took a broken shovel to their booth once and asked them to show how to weld it. The salesman refused to even try. He kept wanting to just weld his own material. I haven't seen anyone selling it since at the farm trade shows. |
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| Bart from Saskatchewan, Canada |
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Landfillwizard
Advanced Poster
Posts:755
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| 05-30-2010 07:44 AM |
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I found that a secret to using the Alumiweld is to use the stainless steel brush and get as much of the aluminum oxide off before heating the piece. Then use the stainless steel tool to bring up the oxide before adding the Aumiweld. It takes practice to get it just right. But the stuff does work.
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cedar
Veteran Poster
Posts:1990
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| 05-30-2010 06:09 PM |
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I can easily understand why removing the aluminum oxide would help. THe actual melting temperature of the aluminum oxide is 1000 degrees hotter than the aluminum. Working with very thin material causes this oxide to form on the surface of the melted aluminum and makes it extremely difficult to control. |
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| Any job not worth taking the time to do right the first time,isn't worth the time to do it at all.
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eeyore
Basic Poster
Posts:420
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| 05-30-2010 06:17 PM |
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Whether "welding" or "soldering" aluminum, one of THE most important things is, CLEAN. Stainless brushes work best.
eeyore |
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| ( : LIFE MEMBER : )
>< "everything's just HO-HUM"
>< ><"Thanks for noticing"><
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WFREDERICK
Basic Poster
Posts:401
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| 05-30-2010 06:58 PM |
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Have one wire brush for aluminum only and mark it for aluminum only.This inclucludes wire wheels on bench grinders.Use one for steel,you will contimante the welds.Tig welding is acually strong than mig too. |
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DJONES
Basic Poster
Posts:131
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| 05-31-2010 08:32 AM |
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Use only ss brush for alum. Mild steel brushes contaminate the alum. |
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| I had rather be remembered for my actions than my reactions, from Amarillo ,Texas , Darel |
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WFREDERICK
Basic Poster
Posts:401
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| 05-31-2010 06:54 PM |
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It includes grinding wheels with the tips for tig welders,most shops have them for welding aluminum only. |
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randyinaloha
Basic Poster
Posts:185
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| 06-01-2010 02:46 AM |
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Well I gave up on the alum. welding for now. Can't afford the tank type.
Did find my old stick welder though and will "stick" to steel.
Randy
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| A Man Cave is a personal thing
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