Arcing aluminium

[Bsmith]

Wondering how aluminium welds with arc please? I have always used O/A. Thanks guys, Brian.

 

[rtbcomp]

Google "aluminium arc welding" loads of stuff.

 

[Omniata]

It was done by arc welding it the very early days before the production/collection of Helium for HeliArc or TIG as it's now known...

Unfortunately it's only really ideal for thick castings of Aluminium on account of the heat and amperage required and the general mess it makes...


There are Aluminium arc rods available from the US and some UK companies and they are pretty helpful...

There are some other rods sold as "brazing" arc rods, although I've no experience I probably wouldn't recommend them...


Jim.

 

[asmeix6g]

"Unfortunately it's only really ideal for thick castings of Aluminium on account of the heat and amperage required and the general mess it makes..."

Iv done quite a bit of work with ali stick rods. they are awful!! like really bad to use but we didnt use many amps it was about the same as u wud have with a normal 6013 rod. we were welding fillets in all positions on 3mm plate and some single v butts in channel.
when welding you cant see the pool for the slag so you kind of have to get a feel for them if you get what i mean? either way they are S***!!

 

[busa]

I'll second what asmeix6g says, I haven't used ali sticks since the early eighties (thankfully), they have a mind of their own and are virtually uncontrollable, we used to use them for welding ali chequer plate decking in trailer floors.

 

[Bsmith]

Thanks very much. Brian.

 

[wyn]

I found some in work last year and had to have a go with them.

A few pics in this thread

As asmeix6g and busa said they were a nightmare...couldn't see a thing with all the smoke.