would this welder work for welding alum tube?

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Looking at building a new swim platform for our boat. I would like to make the frame out of alum tube 1/8 thick. Would the below welder do the job?http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=94164
Reply:Probably not well, if at all. The machine is underpowered to do alum, and alum wire does not feed well thru standard guns. Add to that the questionable quality and you have a recipie for a lot of frustration at best. Also to do alum you would also need to use 100% argon gas, so don't forget to add in the cost of a bottle, and reg, the machine doesn't come with one..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 was looking at that welder cause it uses flux core alum wire. I thought if u used flux core wire u didn't need gas
Reply:I think you misread it.Weldable wires: 0.023" to 0.035" steel and stainless steel, 0.030" to 0.035" aluminum, 0.030" flux-cored Thats alum wire, not Fluxcore alum. The fluxcore listed is steel I'm almost 99% sure. I can't find any alum FC listed in any of my catalogs..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:It's confusing. I have a mig welder for doing steele. What would u rec for a fairly cheap welder to weld alum up?
Reply:What do you have for a normal mig? Cheap and alum don't go well together. Most alum is done with a spoolgun with mig or AC tig. I've seen some manage to get alum wire to feed thru a standard mig gun, but it's like pushing a rope uphill. It usually bird nests frequently, and burns back to the tip if there is any hesitation in the feed at all, (THEN it bird nests )It is posible to braze alum if you have a torch. (I've only done it once and it's not anywhere near the top of my list of options) It can be gas welded, Again not easy unless you are real good at OA welding.Make the frame from SS and mig it using SS wire and gas. More expensive, but probably a lot easier.Last edited by DSW; 11-04-2009 at 06:01 PM..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 lime4x4It's confusing. I have a mig welder for doing steele. What would u rec for a fairly cheap welder to weld alum up?
Reply:I just have a basic 110 volt 60 amp mig welder which probably wouldn't weld ss to easy either. And doesn't welding ss give off hazardous fumes??I also have a lincon 200 amp arc welder as wellLast edited by lime4x4; 11-04-2009 at 06:18 PM.
Reply:All welding gives off hazardous fumes.I've never tried to run my .023 SS wire that low. .023 SS wire in my large gun liner (.030-.035) didn't agree real well. I use Tig for all my SS now.I can't find any literature on small SS wire right now. Lincoln on Pg 51 lists 55amps at 19-20 volts on .035 wire, so with a thinner wire, it may be in the realm of your little machine maxed out. http://content.lincolnelectric.com/p...ature/c610.pdfThis would also depend on how thick you were going to weld also. A machine that small is very limited..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 would be using 1 inch 1/8th thick square tubing
Reply:Originally Posted by lime4x4I would be using 1 inch 1/8th thick square tubing
Reply:Palmerton just north of Allentown
Reply:Lime4x4 check your PM's..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 lime4x4Palmerton just north of Allentown