Welding light pole to base?

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One of my neighbors has a 10 foot light pole that he needs welded. It's a sternburg that broke off at the base. Cast aluminum. Only saw it for a few minutes but it didn't look too thick. Maybe 1/8" wall, haven't seen the base just yet.I hope 200amps is enough as I never had to weld a piece this large. Also need to know what is the best way to remove the powder coat (at least I think that's the coating) and if I should go with a 5356 or 4043?Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:It is just cast re melted crap, so no real known alloy. Wire wheel works decent for removing powder coat. Chemical strippers  do as well. Be aware that whatever you use will likely contaminate the surface, so you may need to sand that layer off. This is really a good place to use a spool gun.
Reply:Usally the cast bases are a lot thicker than the tube. Tube is sleeved into the base and welded top and bottom. Grind off as much of it that you can get to with an aluminum grinding wheel. Oxy-acetylene and burn the rest off, wire wheel clean. If its sleeved with a tapered pole you will need rings to fill the gap or if the top comes off you could leave the broken tube inside and reweld. If its a straight pole you will need to cut the broken stub out of the base. I have always MIG welded with 4043.Miller xmt304,  Miller S22 p12, Miier Maxstar SD, Miller 252 w 30A, Miller super32p12, Lincoln Ranger 9, Thermal Arc 181I with spoolgun, Hypertherm 10000 ,Smith torches. Esab 161lts miniarc.
Reply:Originally Posted by walkerIt is just cast re melted crap, so no real known alloy. Wire wheel works decent for removing powder coat. Chemical strippers  do as well. Be aware that whatever you use will likely contaminate the surface, so you may need to sand that layer off. This is really a good place to use a spool gun.
Reply:Depending on the OD you may be able to simply slip it into a bolt on railing base from a place like McMaster Carr, or you could wet set it.  To weld it, I would TIG first choice, spool gun second choice.  I would use 4043, although many here like 5356 better.
Reply:I'm also wondering if I should do more than 1 pass.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Originally Posted by GambleI'm also wondering if I should do more than 1 pass.
Reply:He thinks the reason it broke was from one of his employees hitting it with their truck or plow. Probably had 7 feet of snow around it and when he started to remove the snow it fell and thats how he knew it was broken.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Pretty easy, skim off the paint and casting flash if any and tack in a couple places.use a wide fluted burr and die grind a weld prep and weld it up with 4043  the ones I have repaired welded good with a bit of balance set for cleaning on your transformer machine and Amplitude set at even on an inverter machine..http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8...D550/ry%3D400/http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8...D550/ry%3D400/http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8...D550/ry%3D400/Last edited by B_C; 02-20-2014 at 02:06 PM.  Miller Dynasty 350Twenty Six HammersThree Crow BarsBig Rock
Reply:1 pass enough you think? I am going to do this with the thermal arc 186 and 17 torch FML. I need a water coolerTorchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer