Millermatic 350P - Experimenting running Aluminum wire through Bernard Q gun

[E350]

ryanjones said something recently that I would like to try before spending money on a Spoolmatic 30A. That is running some Aluminum wire through my Millermatic 350P through my 15 foot lead through my standard Bernard Q gun. Something I have thought about for a while, but for the cost of a tank of Argon, some aluminum wire, and a new liner and some new tips, something I should probably try before spending money on a Spoolmatic 30A.

I can tell ya the Neptune MIG wire is expensive. But I have pushed .035 through a standard MIG Gun and lead with success. I would absolutely buy it if I had a need for MIG aluminum much. As it is, I am over stocked on 3/64 5356 that my MM250 can sling through my short whip like the beast it is.

My local aluminum supplier stocks:

Sheet: 5052-H32
Fixed Shapes: 6061-T6

So the questions I can think of are:

What wire should I try?
What size wire should I try?
Will the Neptune by Rockmount work better because it is reportedly stiffer?
What liner type/size should I buy?
What tips should I buy?
What rollers should I buy?

Anything I am missing?

Any projections/suggestions?

[ryanjones2150]

Alright, here's where I stand...yes, the Rockmount Neptune wire is absolutely stiffer, by a long shot. If you do it, the short the whip you can make the better. Keep it as straight as possible too. I have pushed that wire through a much smaller MIG machine that yours with success. I would not attempt it with some off the shelf stuff. The Neptune wire is so expensive because it's made for maintenance welders, guys welding on alloys they are unsure about its exact content and metal that's certainly less then spotless clean. <br />
<br />
I can push 3/64th 5356 wire through my MM250 quite easily, my whip is 10' long and it comes out of my machine and makes a gentle curve to the left over to my welding table. I have not had a bird's best yet. It will burn back on the tip from time to time though. And that big of wire puts down some aluminum now, so be ready. <br />
<br />
To answer a few of your specific questions...I say use the biggest wire you can get away with. I use the rollers for whatever size wire I have, and I have tried both the smooth and cerated...didn't notice a difference. I use the normal liner, but I've heard getting a Teflon liner helps...maybe the normal one is Teflon? As for tips, I've used the matching size tips and tips a skosh bigger, both worked fine for me. <br />
<br />
What are you planning on welding?

[E350]

Hey ryan, thanks for your suggestions. It all makes sense to me. I built a frame which holds a frig and some other appliances which is bolted to the floor of my Sportsmobile E350 4x4 van conversion. I want to lighten everything up by refabbing it in aluminum. Probably quarter inch thick. 3x's the thickness of the steel I made the frame out of originally. Same thing for a kayak rack which I cut up from a Weatherguard rack and rewelded to a different configuration. Too top heavy.

[ryanjones2150]

I love those 4x4 conversion vans.