can I weld this with my welder

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A friend has asked me to tig weld two pieces of Al together.  It will be a butt weld.  Here's the kicker, the Al is 1 1/4 x 1 1/4 inch solid.  I have a Lincoln PT 185.  Can this be done and have proper penetration?  Do I have to bevel the edges first? I was thinking of pre-heat with a propane torch, how long do I heat it for.Should I pass on this?Thanks.
Reply:My advice is:Let that one go. Not practical for you to do that job with that welder.-Ryan McEachern
Reply:Unfortunately, agreed.  That is WAY too thick for that machine.  I'm not sure what steps you'd have to take to make that weld acceptable.Have a Jeep Cherokee?  Click Here!
Reply:you would probably need to bevel at least one edge. Preheat like a mofo and run Dc- with 100% helium and you could probably weld it sucessfully. To me that sounds like your only option if you have to do it. Welding that would require a lot of engineering to not distort completely out of hand. As far as for preheat. I'm not sure if you can se the carbon equivlancy formula for Al. Then use the formula for min preheat temp.Last edited by Go1lum; 11-19-2007 at 12:43 AM. --Gol'
Reply:You would need to preheat the entire thing to near welding temp, have huge bevels on it and run about a dozen passes filling the bevel up.
Reply:Thanks for all your replies.  I'm going to pass on this one.
Reply:This sounds like a job for a spoolgun with 3/64" wire and about 250+ non-pulsed amps....and still preheating and beveling it.
Reply:"Proper penetration" depends on the application of the part.
Reply:best bet would be to drill and bolt it
Reply:For a butt joint?  I guess if you used a big sleeve that would work, too.