Stuart_B
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| posted on 18/3/08 at 04:20 PM |
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Welding aluminium
Hi all, Can you weld aluminium using a mig welder?
and if so how?
thanks
stuart
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Benzine
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| posted on 18/3/08 at 04:21 PM |
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Guide
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mookaloid
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| posted on 18/3/08 at 05:14 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Benzine
Guide
good link 
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
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Wadders
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| posted on 18/3/08 at 07:22 PM |
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It's hard work with a hobby type Mig, you really need a 4 roller industrial machine with serrated rollers a different liner and pure argon.
Al.
Originally posted by stuart_
Hi all, Can you weld aluminium using a mig welder?
and if so how?
thanks
stuart
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iank
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| posted on 18/3/08 at 07:42 PM |
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You can get a special MIG spool gun with a small spool of wire feeding only 6 inches rather than the normal meter or two.
Still won't be as neat as TIG.
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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Stuart_B
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| posted on 18/3/08 at 08:01 PM |
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that is a good link, lots of infromation.
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mark chandler
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| posted on 18/3/08 at 10:08 PM |
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Tried it a few years ago, then purchased a TIG.
It is almost impossible to get a decent weld from a hobby machine IHMO, it is possible to stick two bits of ali together but the weld will look poor
and is no good for anything containing fluids. So if you are planning a fuel tank then forget it.
Regards Mark
[Edited on 18/3/08 by mark chandler]
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Muck
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| posted on 19/3/08 at 10:28 AM |
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I'm not a particularly experienced welder, and aluminium welding seemed a bit daunting, so Ive just got some of these.
HTS-2000
Haven't had a chance to try them out yet, but I probably stand a better chance of getting a good result than I do with a TIG.
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thomas4age
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| posted on 19/3/08 at 06:15 PM |
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that soldering stuff is pretty good, I have the durafix type stuff and I have soldered loads of non critical parts with it,
I thought I had pictuires in my album but can't find them, will look at home for them.
the thing is that peel strength of the joint's is not really strong, so for large seems I would consider soldering it together and then covering
the whole piece with GRP of better carbon and epoxy. simply breaking a joint is a whole different story it's pretty strong stuff.
grtz thomas
If Lucas made guns, Wars wouldn't start either.
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Syd Bridge
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| posted on 19/3/08 at 06:33 PM |
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They build aluminium boats with spool in hand guns. Hook 'em up to ac/dc tig power units to get the power.
One local yard is using a couple of the cheap inverter units with the hand spools attached, and are quite happy with it.
And the welds look just like tig, with a good operator pushing the trigger. 
Cheers,
Syd.
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Stuart_B
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| posted on 19/3/08 at 09:21 PM |
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Hi, has any body use this type of welding,
Link
thanks
stuart
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IDONTBELEIVEIT
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| posted on 19/3/08 at 10:05 PM |
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T.I.G welding ali should look something like this
5% silicon rods flow nice but not quite as strong as 5% magnesium
mind the fumes though 
Are We There Yet, Are We There Yet!!!!
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iank
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| posted on 19/3/08 at 10:21 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by stuart_
Hi, has any body use this type of welding,
Link
thanks
stuart
Plenty it's also called Lumiweld/Technoweld, more like soldering or brazing than welding, but good for smaller nonstructural work.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=59205
There's usually a guy demonstrating/selling it at the kitcar shows.
[Edited on 19/3/08 by iank]
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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thomas4age
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| posted on 21/3/08 at 10:27 AM |
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stuart read my post one page back!
it's good stuff just not as good as welding.
grtz Thomas
If Lucas made guns, Wars wouldn't start either.
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Stuart_B
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| posted on 21/3/08 at 11:56 AM |
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is this the thread, Linky
stuart
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matt_claydon
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| posted on 21/3/08 at 07:04 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by iank
quote:
Originally posted by stuart_
Hi, has any body use this type of welding,
Link
thanks
stuart
Plenty it's also called Lumiweld/Technoweld, more like soldering or brazing than welding, but good for smaller nonstructural work.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=59205
There's usually a guy demonstrating/selling it at the kitcar shows.
[Edited on 19/3/08 by iank]
The base metal does actually melt as well though so technically it is welding. When the filler melts, at a relatively low temperature, it reacts with
the aluminium and causes that to melt to, presumably by lowering it's melting point. I knocked up an inlet manifold with it and was quite
impressed.
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thomas4age
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| posted on 23/3/08 at 06:53 AM |
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hey Matt, is that this one?
and more importand did it stay in one piece?
 
GSXR 750 TBs and manifold
the durafix and lumiweld stuff is the same I've been told don;t know whether this is true,
there's also a german company completly specialized in alloy soldering http://www.rexin-loettechnik.de/
Grtz Thomas
If Lucas made guns, Wars wouldn't start either.
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Stuart_B
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| posted on 26/3/08 at 03:31 PM |
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Hi all, i recived the rods today so i am going to have a crack at making my manifold today.
i post up some pics once i have done the welding.
stuart
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Stuart_B
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| posted on 26/3/08 at 09:11 PM |
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Here is mine go at it.
 
Rescued attachment 2.JPG
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