new to this and new to welding

[walterjacque]

I have a couple questions, the first being how hard to weld aluminum & the second is what a good starting pressure for argon gas??? thanks

[wireburner]

The aluminum HAS to be CLEAN! It has to be cleaner then mild steel! It is very hard to weld aluminum , or at least it takes PRATICE,Practice and more pratice!

[wireburner]

this will be of some help to you http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...ur-skills/tig/ read some of the articles, stories they`re helpful. I`am no Pro at it just know a little about it !

[SLO Iron Man]

I heard that welding aluminum is very hard and u must have a lot of experience

[safetydave]

new to this and new to welding

Hi walterjacque welcome to our favorite place as weldors.

Ok now for the info on aluminum welding and what to do, it all depends on what your welding and what the applications are such as alum-mig or alum-tig.
For alum-mig you have to remember its a softer matieral and lower melting point, for instance if your welding 1/4" alum you would want you heat set about 19-21volts and wire speed about 430-445 now i'm giveing you the settings as a ball park figure and then you would fine tune them to your style of welding also you would have your gass set at around 20-25 if your using argon which is what you would be using for aluminum mig-tig.

Alum-tig this also depends on what type of heat control your using will it be a hand or foot pedal operation? and agian this is for 1/4" alum you should have your heat around 150-175amps, if your using a foot-pedal this will give you better start control such as you will be able to start your arc then slightly increcse your heat as needed to what your welding and also be able to back off as well not to burn through the work piece. I tell the guys at work when your tig welding try to get a rhytem going as move the heat and adding your filler rod- think of it as a cadence left,right,left,right left would be filler and right -heat and take your time getting the feel of it then your speed will increase as you get better in time and always practice-practice

I hope this will get you going or give you a idea of how it works so if you have any more questions feel free to ask and I will get you more info.

[safetydave]

I heard that welding aluminum is very hard and u must have a lot of experience

safetydave here and I have been welding for about 17-20yrs and aluminum for about 10 years with out any classroom training I learned the hard way, by doing it myself,so no I didn't have any experience at all when I started welding aluminum, but I do now after 10+yrs of trying how to figure it out and I'm still learning more info every day on how to weld aluminum.

[tacmig]

Good advice from safetydave..

Welding AL is a pain in the a$$ even on a good day and especially when you first start out school or no school. I highly recommend tig process for AL for many reasons but for the most part heat control. I mig it all the time and you better test, test and test your settings because you will ruin your work in no time! I suck at tig and am thankful everyday for my talented workers that pretty it up every time. And with that said, there is nothing better looking than a well laid AL bead!

Practice, practice and practice on AL, you will get it and I will too on our tigs.

TacMig

[SLO Iron Man]

safetydave here and I have been welding for about 17-20yrs and aluminum for about 10 years with out any classroom training I learned the hard way, by doing it myself,so no I didn't have any experience at all when I started welding aluminum, but I do now after 10+yrs of trying how to figure it out and I'm still learning more info every day on how to weld aluminum.

So you have to have experience if you are still learning and upgrading your knowledge in welding aluminum

[diamondback]

welding aluminum

SLO Iron man,

Don't be afraid of welding aluminum. We have all failed at it one time or another. Then we went back in and tried again until we got it. So try it, and then try it again, if you really want to learn it you will. It will probably cost a little in material, gas, wire and electrodes but in the end the only thing prettier than a good aluminum bead is the paycheck for laying it.

[SLO Iron Man]

SLO Iron man,

Don't be afraid of welding aluminum. We have all failed at it one time or another. Then we went back in and tried again until we got it. So try it, and then try it again, if you really want to learn it you will. It will probably cost a little in material, gas, wire and electrodes but in the end the only thing prettier than a good aluminum bead is the paycheck for laying it.

I totally agree with u, but if u want to make a perfect aluminum bead, you have to have experience

[fun4now]

if u want to make a perfect aluminum bead, you have to have experience

Practice, practice and practice on AL, will get you the above. experience comes from doing, Practice is doing. every one had to start at some point. yes its a tuff weld compaired to steel, but doable. if you want to weld aluminum jump in and get started at it. get some scrap (cut off's) so you have nothing to fear about screwing it up. clean it up and start Practiceing. in time your beads will be good solid welds and some time after that they will start looking nice too. wory about a good solid hold first, looks second. take your time and dont rush it.
if you have some thing comming up soon that needs aluminum welded its probly best to sub it out. take your time and learn it right.

[Jolly Roger]

The technique for TIG welding aluminum is the same as o/a welding steel. If you are competent with o/a welding then TIG on AL is an easy step. Cleaning of the weld area is absolutely necessary on aluminum. I use alcohol and then brush it with a stainless wire wheel (the wire wheel can't be used on anything except aluminum otherwise it is contaminated) and have always had good results. Start low and go slow adjusting as your skills improve.

[fun4now]

(the wire wheel can't be used on anything except aluminum otherwise it is contaminated)
good point, i keep every thing i use for aluminum on the other side of the shop so i get no mix up's.

[c wagner]

(the wire wheel can't be used on anything except aluminum otherwise it is contaminated)
good point, i keep every thing i use for aluminum on the other side of the shop so i get no mix up's.

Unless it's stainless your using it on, if it touches carbon steel mark it as such and get another one for the stainless/ aluminum projects.
It's a great feeling when you get good at it!!!

[fun4now]

i dont even risk it on SS, only use it on aluminum. better to be safe then sorry.