Welding Aluminium

[Old Dog]

After seeing the price of alloy arc rods and asking a couple of people what it's like to weld Aluminium with a stick welder, all of whom looked at me as if I'd sworn at them, I take it it's one of the harder welds to do. So has anybody on here welded Aluminium with a stick welder and if so what's it like

 

[zardoz]

I have no idea personally. But I will be following this thread with interest. All i know is the rods are run hot and fast, and you can't see much.

But thanks for mentioning it. A great idea!. It is something I will be trying as soon as I get hold of some of that money stuff. (unless someone wants to send me some 4043 rods. From what I can assertain, many that have tried it have given up after the first 10 minutes. Either its something you can do staight away or never in a thousand rods )

 

[rich r]

That's my understanding too - you have to move very quickly as the heat from even the smallest arc you can manage is easily sufficient to melt the work for several mm away from where it's actually touching. And as aluminium is quite reactive, it forms lots of smoke as it oxidises on contact with air.

I think if I tried it, I'd have a nice blob of molten aluminium on the floor, and not much left on the bench. Much easier to do with Mig and Tig due to the far smaller arc and lower currents they can manage.

 

[pedrobedro]

The original Maserati birdcage chassis was arc welded aluminium and when I saw pictures of it without any bodywork I thought it looked like it had been glued together with chewing gum and sprayed silver It doesn't look very pretty weld like mig or tig.

 

[piman]

Hello Pedrobedro,

I'm fairly certain the chassis was steel tube not aluminium, but can't comment on the welding, it's a long time since I've seen one.

Alec

 

[PTvor]

No, but one of my neighbours was a fabricator, and he says he hated arc welding aluminium. He always got burned, lots of rubbish and fumes coming off and it fell in holes at the drop of a hat.

Really only for thick stuff, and when MIG and TIG got cheaper it became a minority interest. Probably like welding thin steel with arc, it can be done, but it's so much easier with MIG that's the way you'd go.

What's more, I'm pretty sure the rods only work on DCEP, which is OK if you've got an inverter or an old industrial DC machine, but no good with a buzz-box or oil cooled welder.

 

[zardoz]

Whatever the Maseratti Birdcage frame was made of, you can see some of those welds look terrible.

 

[wyn]

I had a go with a couple of aluminium arc rods once.
As said, there was loads of smoke so had to guess a bit where the rod was.
The rods i had, got a bit damp and all the flux turned to mush.

I was trying it on a bit of 6mm 6082.

 

[zardoz]

what does the 4, 1, 2, 3 signify, is it power settings ?

 

[wyn]

what does the 4, 1, 2, 3 signify, is it power settings ?

I can't really remember now, it could have been that...it was a couple of years ago.

 

[mybuttssplit]

ali rods weld really nice. you just keep a close arc. as regards to blowing holes through i disagree its a very light weld pool so isnt just going to fall through. I have done a lot of repair work with them. the spatter will set fire to everything it touches though! you get many balls glowing white hot rolling around. wipe your welds down with 5% nitric acid soloution after

 

[Old Dog]

ali rods weld really nice. you just keep a close arc. as regards to blowing holes through i disagree its a very light weld pool so isnt just going to fall through. I have done a lot of repair work with them. the spatter will set fire to everything it touches though! you get many balls glowing white hot rolling around. wipe your welds down with 5% nitric acid soloution after

Thank's for that reply, might try having a go myself now, sucker for punishment and all that.