welding aluminum with dc only mobile machine

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I'm curious, I read here on a few post people saying they stick weld aluminum.  Can people who have done it put up some pictures of the beads they lay with the stick welding rods. Is there any other way to weld  aluminum from a dc machine, such as suitcase welders that use a spoolgun or something like that.
Reply:Can a spool gun be adapted to the power source or to the suitcase? And if the the suitcase what kind would it be. I don't have any kind of contactor on my mobile machine just dc +/- . I figured stick welding aluminum provost sucks. I saw on a thread somewhere that some people are saying with a little practice you can make good looking welds.
Reply:Tapwelder had decent results in this threadhttp://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=15621 Here's two of Rick V's early threads. Note he really couldn't run stick at the time, so his results are questionable at best. This does show what most people end up with when trying to run alum with a stick machine.http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=58440http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=58760I saw a thread here where someone welded up an alum  body with alum stick and had "decent" results. Note even these weren't mig or tig quality welds, but were the best examples I've seen so far. http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=48696.No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by joseph_zlnskCan a spool gun be adapted to the power source or to the suitcase? And if the the suitcase what kind would it be. I don't have any kind of contactor on my mobile machine just dc +/- . I figured stick welding aluminum provost sucks. I saw on a thread somewhere that some people are saying with a little practice you can make good looking welds.
Reply:Is your machine a CC/CV machine or is it just a CC machine? If your a good welder with stick, then maybe with a little practice you can make good looking beads.  If your a good welder then you will notice how narrow of an operating range these rods have. For example 1/8' 7018 can be used to weld from 3/16" to unlimited thickness but with Al stick the thickness of material has a big affect on how the rod performs.
Reply:A lot of people don't practice much with stick on aluminum , probably because the rods are pretty expensive from what I have found. Therefore the technique is not as good and the process is primitive as well."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:No I doubt its a cc/cv just a cc machine
Reply:I have run the stick aluminium rods and they are not bad, but a spool gun is the way to go.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Never tried aluminum stick myself but I have seen some really good welders do repairs to heavy aluminum sections, came out real ugly but held together.  You really need  an AC tig with high frequency, or a mig with a spoolgun to do aluminum properly IMHO."The reason we are here is that we are not all there"SA 200Idealarc TM 300 300MM 200MM 25130a SpoolgunPrecision Tig 375Invertec V350 ProSC-32 CS 12 Wire FeederOxweld/Purox O/AArcAirHypertherm Powermax 85LN25
Reply:Yea I have ac tig in my shop, just not mobile. I've got a millet high freq. Box, but my machine is dc only. Kinda weird. It's an ac generator, but it rectifies it into dc. Would be nice if the left you the ac option. I'd like to give sticking it a try it would be nice from time to time in the field.
Reply:I have pondered the same thing.  I have thought about getting 1 of those ready welders because it is a $500 spool gun that powers off the leads or an ac adapter.  I just do not know what it will do with cc and aluminum, and have not needed to do it bad enough to want to find out.Bruce DeLaetHeavy Equipment Mechanic and Welder1948 SA-200 short hood1949 LincWelder 1801963 SA-200 red faceMiller S-32-P
Reply:Another option is a GoWeld or ReadyWelder.   I have run my GoWeld off my 330abp on Flux core steel but have not tried it on Aluminum yet.   though there are some videos around the net of people doing Al with them...Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:If you have 115v Ac on your machine,A wc-115 with spoolmatic 30aI've used my wc115/30a on a bobcat in cv mode and it welds fine, I've never welding with it in cc mode son don't know how well it work, but the manual says its capable.
Reply:I do have 115 outlets on my machine. Just no contactor. Not sure if that wc115 needs a contactor to work.
Reply:You can buy the wc115 with and without a contactor
Reply:Is the wc115 a voltage sensing unit? My machine is a cc only. Has anyone used the wc115 in cc mode and welded aluminum?
Reply:Here a link to the wc115 manual....http://www.millerwelds.com/om/o1078p_mil.pdfHere is a screen shot of one page of the manual
Reply:No one said it was impossible to weld with CC, i have done it, its not the most practical, but you would be amazed at how many times i have, CV is just nice to have. Keep from doing a whipping motion and it runs fairly smooth. I built my own contactor, if u notice the miller WC 115 diagram, u can build the whole thing for 30$.I forgot how to change this.
Reply:I had a miller cc/cv wire feeder in the past I have used it on cc and done flux core welding with it. I did not have a spool gun at the time. Was it hard for you to add a contactor?
Reply:I bought some Hobart 1/8 inch 4043 aluminum stick welding rods. I'm going to give them a try. Was 12.99 for 10 rods not sure that is a good deal, but I'm going to try them and see how it turns out.
Reply:I did a little searching on millers site. People say to clean all the aluminium oxide off and preheat it before trying to stick weld it. Good luck!!
Reply:I just went and burnt 2 rods, Geezus they burn quick. I figured that already though. Welds looked kinda rough but they look structurally strong, it'll be a good little trick when working in the field, I didn't clean or heat it up before welding, i could tell though with a bit of practice I could probley make a few nice beads
Reply:Here is some pictures. My very first attempt at smaw aluminum. Not too bad in my opinion Attached Images
Reply:Here's Lanse's take on the subject.He posted this on December 29th.                   GeorgeLast edited by linuxfreak; 01-01-2013 at 03:14 PM.Princess Auto "PowerFist" Dual MIG-136, WF & cap modGas Powered Alternator Welder (being rebuilt)
Reply:Yea I saw that video. He however did not preheat the metal, I belive that's why it turned out looking cold. The manufacturer says you have to heat up the metal with a torch.So I just was playing around and turned my high freq off and set it to dc straight polarity and used the flux coated aluminum stick welding rod and I actually got suprisingly good results. Good penetration and pretty decent looking weld.