Welding Question

You mean with a stick welder? You have to have a shielding gas if you weld aluminum. Before mig, I've seen rigs with helium for welding aluminum and the guys always called it heli-arc welding. I'd check at a welding supply store for some tips. I haven't heard of anyone using a stick welder to weld thin wall aluminum. The guys I saw welding aluminum were welding aluminum cross members and axle housings on semi-trucks.
 
That depends what your welding it to.... as far as I know you cannot weld aluminized steel to aluminum via a mig. I've seen aluminized steel arc'd to aluminized steel but its really messy. Best to get a MIG yo'.
 
welding aluminum can be a chore sometimes if it's thin and not quite like welding steel

but you do need some type of gas shielding to do it right -i think it's argon gas

cheers
 
there are many ways to do it mig is easy requires argon gas,

tig cost more and may warp the project if its thin

then there is allumarite its a alluminum solder you use propane or map gas or acet if you have it you stainless steel brush the project then tin it with the allumarite rod then solder it together ive used this before fixed a boat propeller with it and a propane torch . at lake saved our weekend.

for front mount id use steel rather than alluminum. its stronger and alluminum can crack by the time you get alluminum thick enuff to be strong it wheighs more than a thin guage steel tube.
 
This is not about welding a stock IC up, but welding aluminum in general.
I have found that its best to use a TIG welder for any aluminum welding.
Aluminum must be very clean,then clean again with alky, before welding.

When welding cast aluminum parts. You can have contaminated welds
even if you clean the aluminum perfect. Besides contamination from not
cleaning the aluminum.The next largest reason for contamination is that
when the aluminum cast part was poured .The pour was to hot at begining
of pour, or aluminum cooled off before pour was finished.

This is why sometimes you can start a weld and its contaminated,


Aluminum to hot during pour, weld will be contaminated
aluminum to cold during casting pour weld will be contaminated.

So don't pull your hair out if you can't make a clean perfect weld
on cast aluminum parts sometimes.

Randy
 
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I'm pretty sure he's talking about welding aluminized steel pipe. Acetone also works wonders on cleaning out the pores of aluminum.
 
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wow thanks for the replies guys, im just talking about welding the tubes together. it is aluminized steel tubing not pure aluminum. i have an auto wire feed arc welder that uses flux cored wire. just wondering if i can use it to weld aluminized tubing.
 
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