welding vertical with a spool gun "aluminum"

[mike1975]

I've welded with a spool gun but it has been many years ago. Im wanting to get some input on how to do vertical

[Portable Welder]

It depends on metal thickness, I would turn it up high and hit the trigger add some metal, let off , let it cool for a 1/2 second and do it again until you reach the top.

Definitely practice on scrap until you get the feel for it.

[walker]

Type and thickness of metal would be nice to know.

[aametalmaster]

Yup as Portable Welder said. There are tons of how to articles on welding alum, but they are all in the flat position. Nothing better than laying under an alum horse trailer in cold January welding overhead and vertical up on a salt covered frame. Thats something that never gets shown how to do...Bob

[11b]

I do it all the time. First set your machine (spool gun) so you get spray transfer on the thickness your are welding in the flat. Hopefully it is a fillet weld because that is the easiest in vertical up cause the aluminum has something to bite too. Then point your gun in a I would guess a 15 to 20 degree angle up and I, just me, my technique, is to move straight progression up pause, up pause, up pause, and NO WEAVE. This works for me even on a salt covered icky poo metal. Of course things will go WAY better on new or at least cleaned. Aluminum is a fast freeze so you can run spray overhead and vertical up, unlike steel. Hope this helps, so does practice.

[walker]

---

oh, and sometimes it all ends up in a pile on the floor, and you have a hole to repair.

[11b]

---

oh, and sometimes it all ends up in a pile on the floor, and you have a hole to repair.

Sure, if you did not practice on a piece of scrap first.