Re: [MV] Aluminum Welding 101

From: Vernon Tuck (vtuck@tucklings.com)
Date: Sat Mar 27 2004 - 10:26:19 PST


Sarge,

Here's the definitive know-it-all answer from the know-it-all who knows it all but has never done it:

As others have said, you can MIG it. This requires a special mig gun however.

The commonly accepted way to do it is (as already stated) with a TIG machine.

The weapon of choice for this is the so called "square wave" machines manufactured by Miller and Lincoln, among others. The reason for high frequency is to get an arc started so as to not contaminate the weld with the tungsten. The reason for the AC is to provide cleaning of the aluminum during the electrode positive half cycle.

Here's what nobody has stated yet, however (at least I haven't seen it):

You can stick weld aluminum. But it looks like refried shit. This is a last resort.

You can TIG aluminum with a regular (not square wave and not AC) DC TIG machine by welding Electrode Positive. However, in electrode positive most of the heat goes into the tungsten (or electrode). Also, since aluminum conducts heat away soooo fast, the practical effect is: you have to use high amperage and a big tungsten to successfully weld very thin aluminum.

For my grand finale, here is what the world has forgotten. You can oxyacetylene weld aluminum quite nicely by using the appropriate flux. This is how aluminum USED TO BE WELDED. But it's been so long ago most of the people who know how to do it are dead...

However, a word of caution. To gas weld aluminum you have to use flux. This flux incandesces in the flame and emits a wave length of yellow which is very very bad for your eyes. You have to use some special goggles which are DIFFERENT from the every day cutting/welding goggles people normally use for gas cutting and welding.

Also, once the weld is finished you have to wash and scrub the shit out of the flux to get it off. Otherwise it plays havoc with paint.

The upshot is: If you have a single weld to make and don't have the experience and/or equipment, send it out to a shop.

Regards,
Vernon

However
---- John Stewart-Smith <micdunn@ev1.net> wrote:
>
> Once again, the list came through for me.
> I got a lot of great answers and for once, no sarcastic ones.
> I will be using the GI Bill to take welding classes in the fall, but I
> needed some info now.
> I did search the web and found a lot of info, but it was mostly highly
> technical and used a lot of terminology that I am unfamiliar with.
> It sounds like welding aluminum is a lot tougher than steel.
> Thanks to everyone who replied, especially je and Dick.
> For my particular purpose, I am going to try the cheap route and have
> purchased low-temperature filling rods from
> http://durafix.com/
> This list is great!
> -Sarge
>
>
>
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