Aluminum arc rods?

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Can you arc weld aluminum? Is there aluminum arc rods that you can use on a ac/dc stick welder? Thanks
Reply:Yes, There are Aluminum Arc Welding rods.  I have personaly used them with a Lincoln AC/DC 225 amp buzz box.  I was not impressed.  Maybe it was my lack of skill or technique or the 1/4 inch aluminum dump box I was welding but it looked like pigion crap when I was done. I ground the metal clean and even tried laying down a layer of soot from the torch.  It still was not good.  I wouldn't think that they would make the stuff if you couldn't weld with it. I guess I just don't know how.  I know someone on here must know.Too Poor To Pay Attension
Reply:yes there is and i too used have used them.I had a bit more luck than "teched" though as it produced a satisfactory looking weld, ran well actually. However the weld was only maybe inch-two inches long as the rod burned down so quick.I can't think what purpose they'ed serve perhaps just to get you out of a jam if mig or tig not available. Teched, why did you put a layer of soot down then weld over it? would that not just contaminate your weld? I  only put down a layer of soot then hit it with the oxy to give me a temperture indication of when the ally is ready weld.Ivan
Reply:How we doing. I have a box of 4043 arc electrodes that have been sitting in my shop for years, but never tried them. Thank god for TIG welding Because even MIG on aluminum can be rude and crude. I'll have to fire up some of those rods just to see what there all about. Take'er easy.
Reply:I've used them at work for emergency repairson non critical items and they were ok but not very pretty welds.
Reply:i got some alum. certanium rods and i have to agree does the job but.....not pretty,goes quickly,don't use on thin alum,use stringer beads,etc. But if only to patch a pin hole in a john boat or something of the sort i'd use again. just my .02!
Reply:Originally Posted by All positionsCan you arc weld aluminum? Is there aluminum arc rods that you can use on a ac/dc stick welder? Thanks
Reply:ive used them hard to get a nice beed try stickinging to ground the rod get the rod hot it seemed to help only tried in flat position
Reply:Being a Cronatron Rep,  I sell both the Certanium 608 and the Cronatron 510 electrodes.  I would always choose the 510 over the 608 because of ease of running.  It is something that takes plenty of practice though, you have to move fast !I've seen welders use both and it look like hammered goat crap when they finish and I've also seen guys run it and it look "almost" as good as a tig weld.The best technique:Maintain the shortest arc possible, using DC reverse polarity.On heavery pieces preheating to 400 degrees will produce faster flatter deposit with no spatterHold the electrode perpendicular and use a rapid stringer or weaving technique with a backwhip at the crater. Bevel pcs. over 1/8" thick.Last edited by Cronatron Rep; 01-30-2006 at 09:07 PM.
Reply:I am looking for pictures of stick/arc welded aluminum (no gas).  Does anyone have a picture of what a typical aluminum stick weld looks like.  Also, should a push or pull method be used?
Reply:i tryed aluminum sticks and found that if you heat the area to be welded with a torch and preheated it the weld come out not to bad in stead of losing all its energy lost in heating the aluminum.
Reply:Any pictures of that?
Reply:no pics.....sorry.......but one other thing......i bought a bunch of rods(25-30)......went to the shop to try one with some sucess and with my luck supper was ready.......so i stopped what i was doing and went into the house......about 2 hours later i went back to the shop to pick up where i left off and when i went to pick up the aluminum rods the flux fell off like wet snot and they were all ruined........since that lesson i always keep all rods dry.....that lesson cost me about $25........p.s.   it is quite humid here in eastern canada.
Reply:Dont bother, most of them are crap. Use a Miller extended reach wire running 4043 and you will do fine.
Reply:Airgas makes an Aluminum Stick Rod (3/32" or 1/8") I have used and after some practice, it works fairly well on 3/16" and thicker.   Plan on running about five of these rods to get the hang of the fast speed of consumption to get your bead looking good.If you have Stick welded already, you will just have to feed the rod faster than normal stick welding.Use this knowledge to Build Your Kingdom
Reply:I tried some SMAW aluminum rods shortly after i made this thread. The rods were pretty old and flux werent top shape. I didnt like it there was allot of white slag.