First time striking off on Aluminum

admin

This is my first attempt ever to weld alum.I'm using a Lincoln Ideal arc i purchased a few weeks ago. I have read and was told by several people how clean aluminum had to be.I really didnt believe it until i started tonite. Attached Images
Reply:Ahh grasshopper, you have begun your road to enlightenment.Post what settings, filler, tungsten, you are using. Run some more welds and post a few close up picts of the welds and we'll try and help. Don't get discouraged it will take a while to get this down.
Reply:The tungsten is has a red band on the end.I cannot remember what it is since the guy I bought it from gave me 5 or 6 of the same no box. I'm running medium range 5 on the fine setting with a spark intensity of 6.Where can you find a decent SS brush? I bought 2 from northern and there not much to speak of.
Reply:David, The red tungsten will work, but for optimal performance and tungsten life I suggest using the green ones.
Reply:Originally Posted by Mark...David, The red tungsten will work, but for optimal performance and tungsten life I suggest using the green ones.
Reply:The green tipped tungstens are of pure tungsten. They are recomended for aluminum.Whenever I have used red tungsten to weld aluminum, the tip ends up all rough. Pieces of the tung. seem to be transfering to the base metal.
Reply:I'm not sure about your machine, but I believe it is a transformer not an inverter. (from what I remember from your intro post) Green (pure) tungsten's are often recommended for transformers but I have also heard that the ceriated (orange) and lanthanated (gold) will work. They are what I have been using on my syncro 200. The orange and gold are used on inverters. You ball the end on a green tungsten and use a blunt point on the others for transformers. On an inverter you could use a sharp point.I'm not sure what you are running on the amps and balance from what you said. Your machine is different from mine and its not making any sense to me. Hopefully someone who knows your machine will chime in. List what you are using again please.I get my SS brushes from 2 places. My LWS and Sears hardware. The price seems about the same. I have a Sears about 1/2 mile from the house so I often go there. They have the small SS brushes in the paint dept and the large SS brushes in tools with the welders.Last edited by DSW; 05-20-2008 at 01:21 AM.
Reply:Heres a picture of the front of my welder. http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php...1&d=1211148058I'll get a closer picture of the settings.
Reply:Thanks, that would help me since I am not familiar with that machine. I think this is the manual for it.http://content.lincolnelectric.com/p..._IMS/IM265.pdfDon't know if you have it or not. I was trying to get a better look at the front panel but the scanned image lincoln has isn't the greatest.
Reply:Originally Posted by DavidDThis is my first attempt ever to weld alum.I'm using a Lincoln Ideal arc i purchased a few weeks ago. I have read and was told by several people how clean aluminum had to be.I really didnt believe it until i started tonite.
Reply:I have alot of powder coated aluminum any sugestion to get the powder coat off to be able to weld it? O BTW Homedepot has several assorted SS wire brushesin the paint department!
Reply:are you trying to clean the whole thing off?  If you are just cleaning the weld area, you can burn it off and then hit it with the wire brush.
Reply:It seems to pull the powder coat up out of the pores when I start to weld it.I will try burning it off though Great idea.
Reply:This tungsten stuff drives me crazy.Just read the side of the box, or the information sheet.Pure tungsten for aluminum- Repeat over and over.
Reply:Originally Posted by DavidDI have alot of powder coated aluminum any sugestion to get the powder coat off to be able to weld it? O BTW Homedepot has several assorted SS wire brushesin the paint department!
Reply:Originally Posted by Donald BranscomPowder coat(polyester) OR anodized? Still has to come off.Stainless brushes from the paint dept? Better not buy them -they might be less money that the ones from the welding store.HAHAHHaahahhaha
Reply:Originally Posted by DavidDThis is my first attempt ever to weld alum.I'm using a Lincoln Ideal arc i purchased a few weeks ago. I have read and was told by several people how clean aluminum had to be.I really didnt believe it until i started tonite.
Reply:Okay, Now I'm moving onto the pontoon boat.I have NO Clue what alloy it was made from.Any suggestion for a filler rod?
Reply:5356 is what I would use.To clean aluminum, I grind it with an wheel made for aluminum.  A lot of abrasives are made of aluminum oxide and you don't want that.  I use SS wire brush with a LOT of elbow grease to clean the nicer stuff that can't be hit with a grinder.Homerepo has the best price on steel wire brushes.  At the tractor store, the SS ones are about $4.50, so are the steel ones.DavidLast edited by David R; 05-27-2008 at 08:31 PM.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.