Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 23

Thread: Arc welding alloy tube.

  1. 24th July 2015, 03:59 PM #1
    benji's Avatar
    benji
    benji is offline Wizard Supporter
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Bendigo
    Posts
    1,643
    Total Downloaded
    0

    Arc welding alloy tube.

    I'm scoping out the idea of making my own roof rack from alloy tube.

    I've a cheap arc welder and can weld mild steel down to 1.5mm quite well.

    What I'm wondering is, is it possible to weld alluminium on an arc, and how tricky is it?

    Obviously a mig would be better, but i don't have access to one.



    Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  2. 24th July 2015, 05:17 PM #2
    oldyella 76
    oldyella 76 is offline Master Subscriber
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Huntly via Bendigo
    Posts
    443
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Benxi, I am in Kunnurra at the moment but if you are not in a hurry I can do it when I get home, as we can mig it for you or teach you and you can use our gear. But I will not be home for another 6 weeks.
    Lindsay.
    P.S will be bush for 2 weeks till Broome.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  3. 24th July 2015, 05:17 PM #3
    weeds's Avatar
    weeds
    weeds is offline Swaggie
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Bracken Ridge - Brisbane - QLD
    Posts
    14,276
    Total Downloaded
    0
    I haven't heard of arc welding aluminum......TIG is another option if your power source allows
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  4. 24th July 2015, 05:24 PM #4
    rick130's Avatar
    rick130
    rick130 is offline Moderator Gold Subscriber
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    NSW far north coast
    Posts
    17,285
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by weeds View Post
    I haven't heard of arc welding aluminum......TIG is another option if your power source allows
    Except you need an AC TIG and a lot of power, an inverter DC TIG won't do it.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  5. 24th July 2015, 06:07 PM #5
    incisor's Avatar
    incisor
    incisor is offline SysAdmin (Owner) Vendor
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Godwin Beach 4511
    Posts
    20,688
    Total Downloaded
    32.38 MB
    Quote Originally Posted by rick130 View Post
    Except you need an AC TIG and a lot of power, an inverter DC TIG won't do it.
    god bless the old motor driven dc..




    can hear it whining in my sleep
    2007 Discovery 3 SE7 TDV6 2.7
    2012 SZ Territory TX 2.7 TDCi

    "Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it." -- a warning from Adolf Hitler
    "If you don't have a sense of humour, you probably don't have any sense at all!" -- a wise observation by someone else
    'If everyone colludes in believing that war is the norm, nobody will recognize the imperative of peace." -- Anne Deveson
    “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” - Pericles
    "We can ignore reality, but we cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.” – Ayn Rand
    "The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts." Marcus Aurelius
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  6. 24th July 2015, 06:18 PM #6
    rick130's Avatar
    rick130
    rick130 is offline Moderator Gold Subscriber
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    NSW far north coast
    Posts
    17,285
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by incisor View Post
    god bless the old motor driven dc..




    can hear it whining in my sleep Arc welding alloy tube.
    Geez, that's older than me !
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  7. 24th July 2015, 06:18 PM #7
    bee utey's Avatar
    bee utey
    bee utey is offline AT REST
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Crafers West South Australia
    Posts
    11,732
    Total Downloaded
    0
    As a young lad I once worked in a shop that fabricated aluminium fire truck bodies and they used MIG quite extensively for materials 6mm thick and over. I used one of these machines to build prototype sorting machines and it was quite difficult to achieve the fine balance between the weld bead just falling off and the entire joint turn into a puddle. The dedicated ally MIGs were pretty powerful machines too and never did anything else. Cleanliness was absolutely essential.

    Anything thinner, say 3-4mm, was done with a TIG welder with a foot pedal for current control. This was quite easy to use as you could ramp the current up and down as your weld changed orientation. I wouldn't like to do a roof rack as my first project with anything less than a top quality TIG after using that machine. It was great. No idea now what brand it was.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  8. 24th July 2015, 08:50 PM #8
    Toxic_Avenger's Avatar
    Toxic_Avenger
    Toxic_Avenger is offline TopicToaster Subscriber
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Tamworth NSW
    Posts
    4,295
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Pro weld do a 4043 aluminium rod, I've not had first hand experience with them, but know they're out there.
    MMA process for aluminium is not a common process, as others say best to get a mig setup for aluminum, or an ac tig.
    -Mitch
    'El Burro' 2012 Defender 90.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  9. 24th July 2015, 09:11 PM #9
    dan007's Avatar
    dan007
    dan007 is offline Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Pilbera
    Posts
    149
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Just spoke to our welding inspection team at work(one has had 20 years Ali welding)
    His response the rods are too cold. To hard to pool. And are not very good.
    He said like trying to weld stick with wet 1.2 mm rods on 5mm gal pipe.
    Can be done but result only good for the back paddock on the farm.
    Un quote

    Sent from my GT-I9300 using AULRO mobile app
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  10. 24th July 2015, 09:39 PM #10
    Toxic_Avenger's Avatar
    Toxic_Avenger
    Toxic_Avenger is offline TopicToaster Subscriber
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Tamworth NSW
    Posts
    4,295
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Hi Dan,
    I knew this, but the reason they exist is for the bloke trying to do a $20 fix for a $500 problem (which ends up costing more in the long run anyway)

    I supplied a customer at work with a few packs- he was hoping to avoid buying a mig, but ended up caving in the end
    -Mitch
    'El Burro' 2012 Defender 90.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
« Timing Lights | Makita DCS90, 9010 »

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Forum Rules

Search AULRO.com ONLY!
 Search All the Web!