New to the fourms looking for advice

admin

New to the forum but not to the whole welding thing.. my dad can weld, ive welded with other peoples welders, and been around alot of it(uncle is head welder at a Utility semi trailer plant, friends own a mechanic shop ect). I am looking at getting a mig welder with spool gun capabilities. i don't want to spend a fortune but i want a decent machine.. would it be cheaper to buy a mig welder then buy a separate machine for welding aluminum?
Reply:If your looking to save some cash, look used! There are deals to be had everywhere. If your not looking for tig options for aluminum, a mig with spool gun will be fine for you. Check your local c/l adds. Good luck to ya
Reply:You can also find big old  AC/DC welders with HF capability quite reasonably. It's very rare to find one of these old non-electronic welders that can't be put back into shape. One of them would give you both Stick and TIG capability for very little money. Several years ago I picked up a Miller DialArc HF with leads and the full TIG setup consisting of torch, regulator, tank, but no cooler. It hadn't run in 10 years. Some cleaning, paint, and minor repairs put it back in running condition. It was part of a "one price for all package deal" on Craigslist for $650, so I figure that the DialArc  cost me about $200 out of that.  I later built a cooler out of a soda carbonator and a add-on type transmission oil cooler radiator to go with it.CharleyMiller MM252Miller Bobcat 225NTMiller DialArc HF / DIY Cooler2 Victor O/A TorchsetsMilwaukee 8" Metal SawMilwaukee Dry Cut "Chop" Saw 5 Ton Wallace Gantry Various Grinders, Benders, etc.
Reply:Whats HF capability?
Reply:High frequency. It's needed to tig in AC in order to do alum.Welding alum covers a wide area. Mig alum usually means material 3/32" and thicker. To mig 1/8" alum you will max out a 180 amp 230v mig. 200 amps maxed will get you 3/16", so you need a pretty hefty machine if you want to do alum mig. Alum mig is usually a production tool to do heavier alum. Same applies to alum tig. A 200 amp AC tig will usually do 3/16" alum maxed, and you need at least 150-160 amps AC tig to do 1/8" alum. While it's possible to do thicker alum with tig with bigger machines, tig usually is a better choice for thinner alum, 3/16" and less, almost down to alum foil if you have the skills. This is something that simply can not be done with a mig. Tig is usually the choice where you need a higher level of precision than is possible with mig.A spoolgun isn't just for alum however. I use mine to extend the reach of my mix with steel. The 30' of lead on the spoolgun lets me get to places that are a PITA with a 10 or 15' mig gun unless I have a lift to pick up the whole mig and get it closer to the work, say if I'm working on a ladder rack on a truck. I also use it to run small spools of odd wires that isn't worth the effort to pull the whole full size roll, usually FC wire or stainless, when I only have a few small welds to do. The spoolgun is bulkier and more difficult to maneuver than the standard gun, so it has it's down side as well.If you give us a better idea what sorts of projects you have in mind, may be we can help a bit more..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:I just want to do some repairs to my aluminum jon boat. Doesnt it take alot of skill to Tig aluminum?
Reply:Originally Posted by Travis91I just want to do some repairs to my aluminum jon boat. Doesnt it take alot of skill to Tig aluminum?
Reply:Originally Posted by Travis91I just want to do some repairs to my aluminum jon boat. Doesnt it take alot of skill to Tig aluminum?
Reply:I think ill just buy a mig for steel and take the boat to the local boat manufacture that does aluminum welding and have them do it for me. because i need to cut out part of the transom and replace the wood with aluminum reinforcements and weld the skin back up.