zetec7
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| posted on 12/5/06 at 05:02 PM |
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MIG welding aluminium
I've got an old Clarke 100EN MIG welder, and I'm wondering about welding aluminum with it. I've heard varying stories about how it
works a treat, others saying the wire won't feed/doesn't work. Clarke welders are fairly rare around here, but I've seen posts that
seem to indicate they're common in the UK. Can anyone here advise? If so, what settings might work. Thanks, Mike
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Peteff
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| posted on 12/5/06 at 05:58 PM |
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You need a teflon liner, argon gas and a slightly oversized tip. I haven't done it but I've seen it done quite successfully.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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mark chandler
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| posted on 12/5/06 at 06:23 PM |
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Sorry, you are wasting your time with this welder.
Yes you can stick two bits of Ali together but it will be a horrible backened mess of lumps and blobs which will not hold fluids and look worse than a
neat row of rivits.
Regards Mark
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jono_misfit
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| posted on 12/5/06 at 07:07 PM |
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What sort of Mig do you need for doing ali well (short of a full industrial quality one)?
I know you can Tig weld it, but ferrari etc Mig their cars.
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mark chandler
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| posted on 12/5/06 at 08:30 PM |
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Hmmm Not a DIY one I,m afraid, you need TIG to do a proper job in my opinion.
MIG is fast compared to TIG, although the quality of the weld is not as good. This means that a commercial MIG unit capable of welding ALI costs a lot
but is ultimately cheaper than the labour for TIG welding over a period of time.
Ali is strange stuff to weld, it forms a skin (I cannot remember the proper term) which takes more heat to break through than the underlying material
needs to melt so it can get very hot then fall apart.
This means lots of current to get good penetration (break through the skin) but precise control or the work falls apart, with high currents the wire
retards quickly into the torch so a High wire feed.
So MIG welding ALI is alright with thick metal ! the 16swg stuff will prove very difficult.
Because ALI is wire is soft it easily deforms so if you use a standard MIG torch you need a really good liner and short lead or it will crinckle up, a
comercial unit has the wire feed on the torch head.
Ali has to be very clean (even marker pens ink will screw up the weld), so your fill wire must be very clean and the work immmaculate, even leaving
the cleaned ALI for 1/2 hour in the open it may oxidise resulting in a poor weld !
With TIG you use AC and HF to break through the initial skin, the precise heat means that where you are working the job does not fall apart, but you
still need everything clean.
So yes you can try with your box, new liner, tip & shroud.
Everything immaculately clean (rub with stainless steel wool and wipe with thinners to remove all contaminates) Full current (100amp box), a high wire
feed and pure argon for gas then work quickly. If you are really lucky it may even work !
Regards Mark
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NS Dev
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| posted on 13/5/06 at 11:56 PM |
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Mark's advice is spot on.
Been there done that, bought a TIG now!
Migging ally is fine for tipper wagon bodies but no good for car stuff.
Best I ever managed was some 6mm thick ally for rally car spotlamp brackets, and that was a mess! (and I'm not an inept welder, see my post in
the engine seciton on my manifold!)
Retro RWD is the way forward...........automotive fabrication, car restoration, sheetmetal work, engine conversion
retro car restoration and tuning
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