3/8" Alum Round Bar - Is 300A enough to weld it?

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I need to weld some 3/8" diameter aluminum round bar (6061-T6). I want to make a couple of rings maybe 6" diameter and need to weld the ends of the bar together to form the ring, then weld a straight piece coming out radially so the finished unit would look like a lollipop.Can I get enough heat out of my Sync 250 (310A max) to weld it without preheating it somehow? I know Miller talks about 1/4" inch max weld capacity for that machine, but that's probably for plate, not round bar, or that's my theory.Thanks.
Reply:You have more then enough.Get to welding.Just a couple welders, big hammers, grinders, and torches.Work will free you.Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it. Trump/Carson 2016-2024
Reply:You should be fine. Just bevel the ends slightly. That will reduce the thickness some, and give you a  place for filler..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:Thanks, guys.
Reply:You'll find that the ends of the round bar will build up with heat very quickly.Get it to puddle quick and get out, so you don't blow it away.Practice on some scrap a time or two.Good luck. Just a couple welders, big hammers, grinders, and torches.Work will free you.Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it. Trump/Carson 2016-2024
Reply:Just preheat it to 200 or 250 degrees. What tungsten you gona use? I think round bar would take less amps
Reply:3/8" round bar is like welding on a sharpie.... 100 amps would melt the thing.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:It's a misconception that thickness is the enemy of TIG aluminum. The real issue is mass. Heat will conduct away from your weld. More mass means more heat lost to portions that don't need to be hot.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:Originally Posted by Willie BIt's a misconception that thickness is the enemy of TIG aluminum. The real issue is mass. Heat will conduct away from your weld. More mass means more heat lost to portions that don't need to be hot.
Reply:You probably need only 145a like stated above, the heat is gonna run through that in a instant. I was welding 3/8 squarebar to 1/4 square the other day and my machine was on 148 and I wasn't using much of the pedal.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Originally Posted by Willie BIt's a misconception that thickness is the enemy of TIG aluminum. The real issue is mass. Heat will conduct away from your weld. More mass means more heat lost to portions that don't need to be hot.