From: John Paulding (kb9wle@yahoo.com)
Date: Sat Mar 27 2004 - 19:13:46 PST
http://www.tinmantech.com Has all the Oxy/fuel
supplies you'll need.
John
--- Vernon Tuck <vtuck@tucklings.com> wrote:
> Sarge,
>
> Here's the definitive know-it-all answer from the
> know-it-all who knows it all but has never done it:
>
> As others have said, you can MIG it. This requires a
> special mig gun however.
>
> The commonly accepted way to do it is (as already
> stated) with a TIG machine.
>
> The weapon of choice for this is the so called
> "square wave" machines manufactured by Miller and
> Lincoln, among others. The reason for high
> frequency is to get an arc started so as to not
> contaminate the weld with the tungsten. The reason
> for the AC is to provide cleaning of the aluminum
> during the electrode positive half cycle.
>
> Here's what nobody has stated yet, however (at least
> I haven't seen it):
>
> You can stick weld aluminum. But it looks like
> refried shit. This is a last resort.
>
> You can TIG aluminum with a regular (not square wave
> and not AC) DC TIG machine by welding Electrode
> Positive. However, in electrode positive most of
> the heat goes into the tungsten (or electrode).
> Also, since aluminum conducts heat away soooo fast,
> the practical effect is: you have to use high
> amperage and a big tungsten to successfully weld
> very thin aluminum.
>
> For my grand finale, here is what the world has
> forgotten. You can oxyacetylene weld aluminum quite
> nicely by using the appropriate flux. This is how
> aluminum USED TO BE WELDED. But it's been so long
> ago most of the people who know how to do it are
> dead...
>
> However, a word of caution. To gas weld aluminum
> you have to use flux. This flux incandesces in the
> flame and emits a wave length of yellow which is
> very very bad for your eyes. You have to use some
> special goggles which are DIFFERENT from the every
> day cutting/welding goggles people normally use for
> gas cutting and welding.
>
> Also, once the weld is finished you have to wash and
> scrub the shit out of the flux to get it off.
> Otherwise it plays havoc with paint.
>
> The upshot is: If you have a single weld to make
> and don't have the experience and/or equipment, send
> it out to a shop.
>
> Regards,
> Vernon
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