aluminum welding with sp135

admin

Anybody tried welding aluminum with Lincolns sp135? It seems they have a conversion kit for it for around $60 With a tank of argon I am hoping I could do some light sheet and thin walled tubing work. Any thoughts?Thanks
Reply:thanks everyone, I just read the replies to shaggz00 posting, they were helpful.
Reply:I have a promig 135.  4043  on 1/8"and smaller works great.  You can actually spray arc transfer.It is easier than steel IMHO.Billy
Reply:Originally Posted by bbseayI have a promig 135.  4043  on 1/8"and smaller works great.  You can actually spray arc transfer.It is easier than steel IMHO.Billy
Reply:Well, a 135-class machine might be -just- able to get into spray transfer mode.With 0.030 wire and pure argon, transitioning into spray transfer mode on aluminum should occur around 95 amps.  The smaller machines should just be able to nudge into that range.
Reply:i was talking to a weld tec guy to day about the aluminum kit for the sp135p ,if it worked he says yes and no what thay do is shorten the whip by half and then it works great so youed have one whip for aluminum and one for all elsChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:I've done some aluminum with a millermatic 130, but never got it into "continuous" spraying, but it did do something pretty close once the wire got heated up... When I was running it wide open, it went from short arc to what looked like spray to me, right on into burnback in just a few seconds.  I could run two or three inches fine and then have to wait.  Much longer and I would ruin a tip or get a feed problem of some type.  I never could keep everything working for very long, but as long as I kept the weld time low, it worked ok (not a recommendation for serious AL work, though).  Just to note, I was trying to push a 4" roll of .030 through gnurled rollers and a 10' gun with a regular liner at 100% in a 120v machine...not optimal.  I am actually pleased it did what it did.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:I went looking for info on this, because I started to doubt that I actually achieved spray transfer on that mm130...but about 2/3rds of the way down this page there is a chart that details the variables necessary for spray transfer.  I now see why I couldn't keep it going. I don't think my little mm130 could keep up the necessary feed rate to prevent burnback at full amperage, and anything less on the amps and it was probably dropping back to short arc and causing feed problems with the hot soft wire.  Then there is just the fact that I was trying use components in the welder that were not designed for aluminum. http://www.weldreality.com/aluminumalloys.htmSmithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Originally Posted by smithboyI went looking for info on this, because I started to doubt that I actually achieved spray transfer on that mm130...but about 2/3rds of the way down this page there is a chart that details the variables necessary for spray transfer.  I now see why I couldn't keep it going. I don't think my little mm130 could keep up the necessary feed rate to prevent burnback at full amperage, and anything less on the amps and it was probably dropping back to short arc and causing feed problems with the hot soft wire.  Then there is just the fact that I was trying use components in the welder that were not designed for aluminum. http://www.weldreality.com/aluminumalloys.htm
Reply:Yes sir Rojo,There is a good reason I went looking for another mig-based alternative for my aluminum needs.  I have always tigged aluminum, but my dad acquired a bunch of cattle feeding troughs that were made of aluminum sheet and angle.  They are really nice because my dad can move them by hand from one field to another, they don't rust, and they are better than the plastic alternatives.  However, they are softer and more prone to damage than the steel ones.  When I got the little mm130, I decided to try migging them with my mm130 rather than tigging them to save a bit of time, but if I saved any time, it would surprise me.  With the wait time and feed problems, I imagine it took me just as long, and maybe longer.  I have tried fiddling with a few variables to make things better, and had a bit of success, but the only big benefit is that I can carry my little mig there and get the job done, rather than bring the troughs to my house to tig.  I would bet that with just the right setup, these little machines could do a reasonably nice job.  A short gun, U rollers, tef liner, and just the right wire size and thickness workpiece and I bet you could just go to town...until the duty cycle kicked in.  In fact, I would wager my sister's husband against a shiney new penny that if you could shorten the gun enough to push .023ish wire (or get a spool gun working on one), you could do some very nice thin sheet work, but at that point you would be much better off paying a few $$ more for more amps.Last edited by smithboy; 10-29-2006 at 10:08 AM.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Like your avatar Smithboy... If it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'!!!! So true. But the good side is that this kind of experiment makes us a better welder in the long run, and the next time we face a tough welding issue, we are more likely to improvise to get a good job done. God bless the little welders for forcing us to look outside the box and expand our horizons!!! BTW, I like 5356 wire over 4340 for the "pushing a rope uphill" thing. Stiffer, and resists melt thru a bit better.
Reply:I went through this with a 125 lincoln and I spent more time rethreading due to bird nest and feed rollers filling up than I did welding, ended up went with the miller 185 syn wave, full tig and the old stick for steel.. must say one of the smoothest welders I have run. will take care of aluminume with the greatest of ease. I did keep the small one for small work, strickly for steel no more  games,, pays to get the machine for the work.one good deed is worth a thousand good intentions
Reply:I found this link at the Lincoln Electric Home Pagehttp://www.lincolnelectric.com/knowl...compactmig.aspIt seems to have some good technical advice and addresses some of the problems mentioned. Ie; U-shaped feed rollers and the handling, tensioning suggestions to avoid the birds nesting. It did not sound like a plug just to sell accessories but a genuine effort to help address a problem for those doing the occaisional light aluminum job with a compact mig.Cheers