Aluminum Welding

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May 3, 2004 | 09:07 PM

#31

Sberry27

Tuned

Joined: Sep 2003

Posts: 483

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From what I have seen you can probably take anything Engloid says about this as gospel. I have never used a auto hood although would like to try one sometime but mine get rough treatment and that knd of scares me too. I can see some benifit in places where there may not be room to flip a hood but most of the guys here (not all by any means) but a lot are not going to have the ability to do satisfactory work in those positions anyway. At a nuke I was on it could have been handy as we were always making them from fireblanket and burning goggles for that type of work and even had to use mirrors on occasion.

May 3, 2004 | 11:41 PM

#32

68 351 bronc

Elder User

Joined: Jan 2004

Posts: 920

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From: Colville

Engoid says welding fast is far from the truth. Then you say you weld 2-3 times faster than most guys. Compared to mild steel you must move alot faster across aluminum.
You like flip hoods and I like to keep mine down.
Thats not truth, that is a matter of opinion.
Ed

May 4, 2004 | 04:17 AM

#33

Engloid

Junior User

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 61

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 68 351 bronc

You have got to have a good self darkening helmet for alum. with a new, clean sheild. you have to weld fast and to do that you have to see where your going.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 68 351 bronc

Engoid says welding fast is far from the truth.

You said it MUST be welded fast, and I said it CAN be welded slow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 68 351 bronc

Then you say you weld 2-3 times faster than most guys. Compared to mild steel you must move alot faster across aluminum.

That's a big statement. As big and blanketing as it is, it is not true. There have been many times that I've welded slower on aluminum than I have on steel.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 68 351 bronc

You like flip hoods and I like to keep mine down.
Thats not truth, that is a matter of opinion.
Ed

Yes, I agree. That's opinion.

May 4, 2004 | 05:44 AM

#34

66fdtrucknut

Posting Guru

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 1,671

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From: Eastern Shore, Md.

You really can't compare welding steel to welding aluminum. 2 completely different things. In alum. welding there is no set law saying how fast you have to go. If your welding 3/8 alum. There is no way your going weld it very fast even if you add a little helium, comparitively you can stick weld the same in mild steel faster. On the other hand if your welding 16 ga. alum you'd better run with it or you'll end up with mush. Plus It depends on your machine in alum. I have an old miller 330 abp mach, it's a good "old " technology mach. it welds completely different than my Miller synchrowave which is squarewave technology. I guess I'm a head nodder too. I just don't think the auto lenses are worth it. Plus I work on boats and have lost a couple overboard.

May 4, 2004 | 01:39 PM

#35

Mike W

Post Fiend

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 7,157

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From: Central Kali

I got a Jackson auto dark for about $120. I like it. It is real nice for tiny mig jobs. I recently tacked a washer on a sheared off 8-32 screw, no room for error. I made the washer out of hex stock so I could turn it with a wrench.

May 4, 2004 | 04:15 PM

#36

68 351 bronc

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Joined: Jan 2004

Posts: 920

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From: Colville

I would guess the hull on that old boat is closer to 16 gauge than it is to 3/8.
That is what this thread was about. If a guy was to try to patch it with a mig, he is going to have to be prepared to haul butt and back it with a thick piece of copper or somthing similar. As earlier stated.

May 4, 2004 | 07:59 PM

#37

Engloid

Junior User

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 61

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If you guys havn't and get the chance to TIG aluminum with DC, give it a shot. It's pretty neat, and if set with the right pulse, can put down a weld that looks like a robot did it. The biggest complaint I hear about it is that the wire will ball up before you get it to the puddle. You have to either feed wire constant or dab it in fast, then pull away from the puddle.

Either way, DC is definitely NOT the best thing to weld a boat hull with. It would be about as difficult as stick welding it.

May 4, 2004 | 10:11 PM

#38

66fdtrucknut

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Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 1,671

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From: Eastern Shore, Md.

The Thread started out started out wanting to repair a johnboat with stick welding then turned to fumes, How bad welding is on the eyes and the pros and cons of auto darkening lenses and your right a hull on a johnboat is roughly 16ga. to .120 thick. As I mentioned above if you are welding 16 ga. you will have to run with it. I was just merely stating the fact by comparing 3/8 to 16 ga. you don't always have to weld alum. fast. Plus I guess I didn't make myself clear, but I'm talking about Tig.