able to do aluminum???

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a friend was telling me he used it and liked it. he dosnt have it so i cant go and try it myself...it looks to be a great bang for the buck.http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=91811but i want to know if it is able to do aluminum tig...???im looking to use it on .08 inch aluminum tubing and similar thickness aluminum for intake manifolds. i know it isnt great, but i dont wanna spend the big bucks just yet. i do this for a hobby/fun. so 1000 bucks isnt worth it just for playing. thanks in advance...Lincoln Square Wave 175 TIGLincoln 110v flux core welder (my 1st)Clarke 180EN MIG
Reply:It's DC only so in theory yes it could but it will be fugly as hell without years of practice. AC is normally used for aluminum.My Photos on Flickr
Reply:so with practice it would work with aluminum...how would it do steel wise?Lincoln Square Wave 175 TIGLincoln 110v flux core welder (my 1st)Clarke 180EN MIG
Reply:Steel it would do fine.My understanding is that trying aluminum would be an exercise in pain. Never tried. I'm sure someone more experienced will chime in and I'll bet the concensus will be don't use it for aluminum.My Photos on Flickr
Reply:Here's a thread on the same welder.http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...t=tig+aluminumMy Photos on Flickr
Reply:Originally Posted by sen2twoso with practice it would work with aluminum...how would it do steel wise?
Reply:Originally Posted by TSORIt will not weld Aluminum. No way!For steel, 1/8"-3/16" max.
Reply:yes it can do aluminum as said but for a hobbyist no it cant DC aluminum welding is a high pen. process and isnt worth trying if you just a hobby person6G zirconium 702 GTAW 2" xxheavy6G P.E.D. carbon steel GTAW 2" xxheavy3G titanium Gr. 2 - Gr. 7 GTAW up to 3/4" 3G 316L stainless GTAW up to 1" 3G carbon steel GTAW up to 1" 3G Hastalloy GTAW up to 3/4"1G tantalum GTAW up to .060"
Reply:so just curious...why cant a hobbiest use this to do aluminum?all the AC tigs i find are about 1500. now thats not meant for a hobbiest.plus, some of you say no. some say yes.Lincoln Square Wave 175 TIGLincoln 110v flux core welder (my 1st)Clarke 180EN MIG
Reply:Originally Posted by sen2twoso just curious...why cant a hobbiest use this to do aluminum?all the AC tigs i find are about 1500. now thats not meant for a hobbiest.plus, some of you say no. some say yes.
Reply:Some say yes, some say no.I say no, Welding aluminum with pure DC is possible, but not anything I could do.  There is no cleaning like from AC tig.  If you want to weld aluminum with DC, a spoolgun is the way to go, or if you have the patients of a saint, you MAY be able to get aluminum to push through a mig gun, but again its a bitch.See if you can borrow or use a DC tig and try it then try it on AC.  You will soon find out for your self.  You are welcome to come to my shop and see.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloThe DC process can be used to do aluminum. But not that machine. It will not have enough power to set the arc and form a puddle. Let me simplify the difference in AC and DC for you. AC-one wave is positive, one wave is negative. When the electrical wave is NEGATIVE, electrons(current) flow Into the workpiece, and it penetrates/ melts into the aluminum. When the wave flips over to Positive, the electrons push back up from the aluminum into the tungsten tip. What this does is it will allow the puddle to stabilize a tiny bit, and it pushes oxides and crap out of the puddle, and cleans the aluminum. It also cleans off oxides that are sticking to the tungsten. In DC(Direct current, you only have the negative flow, or the penetration mode. There is no cleaning, there is no settling of the puddle. So, yes, the welder will form an arc on thin aluminum. But with no wave balance, the arc would just melt the aluminum away in that one area, and there would be nothing for you to bond to. DC aluminum works on thick pieces of aluminum. It still takes a lot of amps to heat up the aluminum enough, and this process RELIES on the thicker aluminum to contain the puddle and dissipate the excess heat generated. DC aluminum gives great penetration into the thick base metal. But the welder needs to add a lot of filler very fast, and he needs to move fast, because if he works too slow, the contaminations will foul the weld puddle, and/ or the base aluminum will heat up beyond critical mass, and the aluminum will blob out, and all is ruined. I just tried it for my first time today on 1/2" aluminum. 300 amps, full throttle. Not too pretty. Funny you posted this on this very same day!! BTW, I tries several times for fun with my maxstar 150 on 1/8" and 1/4" aluminum. No dice. Either no puddle would form( Not enough power), Or, a puddle would form, and then blob out.And $1500 for a hobby is nothing. I own a boat. It is a hobby. $4 a gallon fuel....I blow that in a few days running. A customer has a plane. It is just a hobby for him. I don't think he can even send it down the runway for less than that. The HTP, Miller econotig, Clark welders that are in the $1500 range are actually very affordable welders for what they will do. They last a long time, and are a good solid value.
Reply:sen2two....where are you located. I have a Lincoln Precision Tig 225 I am looking to part with and replace with an inverter unit. It is in perfect shape!Yeah, yeah, I know you are a weldor too. But, are you a good one?
Reply:im in orlando florida, how much you asking?you can email me at [email protected] Square Wave 175 TIGLincoln 110v flux core welder (my 1st)Clarke 180EN MIG
Reply:Originally Posted by sen2twoso just curious...why cant a hobbiest use this to do aluminum?all the AC tigs i find are about 1500. now thats not meant for a hobbiest.plus, some of you say no. some say yes.
Reply:ive done a procedure with DC aluminum on a half inch plate square butt groove.  with no root opening preperation or anything other then cleaning, you get penetratin half way through the plate. there  for a 110 welder wont work (no power) and i doubt you would  be welding things over 3/16" thick6G zirconium 702 GTAW 2" xxheavy6G P.E.D. carbon steel GTAW 2" xxheavy3G titanium Gr. 2 - Gr. 7 GTAW up to 3/4" 3G 316L stainless GTAW up to 1" 3G carbon steel GTAW up to 1" 3G Hastalloy GTAW up to 3/4"1G tantalum GTAW up to .060"
Reply:The question wasn't whether welding Aluminum with DC is possible - we know it is!  It was whether it was possible with that certain machine.  The answer is no.
Reply:exactly why i said not strong enough6G zirconium 702 GTAW 2" xxheavy6G P.E.D. carbon steel GTAW 2" xxheavy3G titanium Gr. 2 - Gr. 7 GTAW up to 3/4" 3G 316L stainless GTAW up to 1" 3G carbon steel GTAW up to 1" 3G Hastalloy GTAW up to 3/4"1G tantalum GTAW up to .060"
Reply:Originally Posted by welder155ive done a procedure with DC aluminum on a half inch plate square butt groove.  with no root opening preperation or anything other then cleaning, you get penetratin half way through the plate. there  for a 110 welder wont work (no power) and i doubt you would  be welding things over 3/16" thick
Reply:it's and older miller big machine (not sure actual name) ,  ya the procdure was to obtain a certain amount of pen. (dont know why) yes no chamfer butted up like you said6G zirconium 702 GTAW 2" xxheavy6G P.E.D. carbon steel GTAW 2" xxheavy3G titanium Gr. 2 - Gr. 7 GTAW up to 3/4" 3G 316L stainless GTAW up to 1" 3G carbon steel GTAW up to 1" 3G Hastalloy GTAW up to 3/4"1G tantalum GTAW up to .060"
Reply:Billy Mac,You've got to be the dumbest poster to ever grace these boards.  I have never seen such a ridiculous posting.The machine the OP asked about WILL NOT do aluminum.  It's DC only.  Sure doesn't have the power to do DC tig.  End of discussion!!!Better question would have been, How much does it weigh?  (In case your boat starts floating away, maybe you could use it for an anchor).Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:whos billy mac???Lincoln Square Wave 175 TIGLincoln 110v flux core welder (my 1st)Clarke 180EN MIG
Reply:Originally Posted by sen2twowhos billy mac???
Reply:lol...i was guessing that.but i wsnt sure. since im a newbie to welding. everyone seems to know much more than me. Lincoln Square Wave 175 TIGLincoln 110v flux core welder (my 1st)Clarke 180EN MIG
Reply:Originally Posted by sen2twolol...i was guessing that.but i wsnt sure. since im a newbie to welding. everyone seems to know much more than me.Originally Posted by SundownIIIBilly Mac,You've got to be the dumbest poster to ever grace these boards.  I have never seen such a ridiculous posting.The machine the OP asked about WILL NOT do aluminum.  It's DC only.  Sure doesn't have the power to do DC tig.  End of discussion!!!Better question would have been, How much does it weigh?  (In case your boat starts floating away, maybe you could use it for an anchor).
Reply:Billy Mac,I really do wish you'd stop posting your garbage on the board.  There are some inexperienced newbee's on the board who may actually believe some of  the BS you spout.One things for certain, you definitely win the "VILLAGE IDIOT" award.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIIBilly Mac,I really do wish you'd stop posting your garbage on the board.  There are some inexperienced newbee's on the board who may actually believe some of  the BS you spout.One things for certain, you definitely win the "VILLAGE IDIOT" award.
Reply:OMG! Reality check!!!THE OLDER I GET! THE  SMARTER MY DAD WAS!Thermal Arc 185 inverter Tig welderABITIG 26  tig torchLotus foot pedalLincoln 225 stick welderClark 185SG Mig spoolgunwelderVictor torch/regulatorsHF36" shear,bender,roller.
Reply:Originally Posted by cmartman46OMG! Reality check!!!
Reply:wow...this is my OLD thread. i have since went to and finished welding school and am now certified... i laugh sometimes when i look back at my older posts. im no pro yet, but im coming along nicely.Lincoln Square Wave 175 TIGLincoln 110v flux core welder (my 1st)Clarke 180EN MIG
Reply:Congrats on finishing your classes and getting certified!   It's a good feeling when you can look back and see improvement in your life.  MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op