Welding aluminum?

[orangecherokee]

Can you weld aluminum with a torch and the right rod?

Tad, can you field this one for me? :cool:

[cowboy_tech]

Yes you can weld aluminum but I don't know the rod you need. I know that some welding/gas supply stores can tell you what you need and the better one can demo it for you. Maybe one of the Guru's on this site could tell you more.

[Stuka]

Tad may correct me on this (crosses fingers), but from what I know, you need a Tig or a Mig. Tig is slower, but is better for smaller stuff. Also, you need pure argon, or an argon/helium mix for gas. If you use carbon dioxide (in a argon/CO2 mix or whatever), the weld will turn black.

[Lounorcal4x4]

You can go to a welding supply house and rent a small tig welder for cheep. if you know how to tig weld, the units they have do not have high frecrency start so they requier scratch starting a little tricky at first and best is a argon heleim mix, or you can rent a little mig welder with an aluminum spool and argon.. I would go with the mig for the first time. the 220 unit would be best if you got the hook up.

[yeep74]

Yep you can but it has its tricks to it. Renting a small tig will be your best bet. Make shure though your aluminum is uncantaminated.

[Lounorcal4x4]

You must wire brush the area you are going to weld pryor to welding, Aluminun has an oxide coating that melts at a higher tep then the aluminum under it so you must brush long and hard enough to get threw it. But don't wait to long after brushing due to the oxide coating reforming as fast as you can brush it off.
I was a welding/fab/con forman for 13 years. In school my teacher said no one can see pure aluminun untill the arc is formed because the oxide coating forms so fast.

[74chero]

A tig is the best to use I have never tryed to use a mig every one I have talk to said they said it dosent work that well

[tomd]

Okay, to get on topic, i don't believe you can weld alum w/ a torch, but i could be very wrong....

[Lounorcal4x4]

Tig will give you a cleaner and more sound weld. mig will give you a nice clean strong weld also but it was designed with production in mind.. If you can tig I would go that way. Make sure you have plenty of scrap to pratice on it takes some time to learn and fustrating at first. I would read up on the procedure first.

[74chero]

I can do how's that for a 16 year old.

[J20 project]

To sum it all up, Yes you can puddle aluminum together with a torch and what is called white metal rod, you can also stick/arc weld it. They do make a rod for it. At best they are a poor excuse for doing it correctly. Quality and style of the aluminum can affect which to use also. The best way to weld small/light guage alum is TIG, using straight Argon gas. From around 1/8in and thicker, a MIG typically is better in terms of speed. Again, using Argon. Any type of sand casting:ie, boat motors, etc, you will do better w/ the MIG. I grew up doing all of the above and the only aluminum equip I now own is the MIG gun piggybacked on my regular wire feed.
J20

[Al Johnson]

For what it's worth, I used an oxyacetylene torch and rod from my local welding supply place to make a rack for my old toyota pickup once. It was made from 2X4 hollow extrusion, alloy 6061, with andgle extrusion as a frame above the topper, and put plywood in that frame. It was kick-butt, looked good, strong as could be. So yeah, it can be done. It was a major PITA, too.

Al

[key]

Saw a product on tv - alumi-loy or something like that, its a rod you can weld aluminum with just a blow torch.
Have not tried it, do not know if it works as well as it does on their info mertial.

[Tad]

Don't have much to add to the above really except...

http://www.key-to-metals.com/Article12.htm

...I personally don't advocate renting equipment for one time deals, it's usually not cheaper than having someone fix it.

As to your question:
Yes, you can.
Should You?
I don't know, the learning curve is really high on that, I don't do it.

Since I'm not sure what you want to do (build, fab, fix, etc) it's hard to answer in other than general terms.

[ January 05, 2005, 03:41 AM: Message edited by: tadsal ]

[orangecherokee]

nice guys. thanks for the info :cool:

[stephen43]

what are you making with aluminum?