Welding aluminum on A/C?

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I was wondering, is it possible to successfully weld aluminum with an A/C only machine? My step dad's boat has some cracks that need ran over. But my machine is A/C only. Thanks for any help.Hobart Stickmate LX 235 ACEverlast Powerarc 140ST DC InverterPowcon 300ST
Reply:Is this a stick machine? What kind?If you want to use stick I would advise against welding on a boat with it, too ugly and probably too thin of material for stick.TIG aluminum uses AC.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:My machine is a Hobart Stickmate 235. Yea IDK if I would use a stick welder on it either. Im just more or less, curious. I would like to get some aluminum and try it if it is possible.Hobart Stickmate LX 235 ACEverlast Powerarc 140ST DC InverterPowcon 300ST
Reply:The first question that needs to be asked is;Is this aluminum alloy weldable? If there are weld present from manufacture, should answer this question.If there are no welds, you have to wonder why.The basic A/C welding machine is capable of welding aluminum, but trying to weld thin material may be asking too much.If the amps can be dialed back enough, you could outfit it with a TIG torch, get a bottle of argon and a regulator. But even then doing a hot scratch start and not having anyway to back down the amps at the finish is certainly not ideal.Don't talk about it, Just do it!
Reply:Honestly it's not worth the trouble.Besides the fact the alum rods I've sen are DC only, alum stick welding is a fast hot process poorly suited to thin alum. I played a bit with some 3/32" alum sticks at the tech school with 2 other instructors. It was an "interesting" experience. The speed you burned thru the rods was phenomenal and getting decent welds on 1/8" alum was really tricky. I'd say it was doable on 1/8", but you'd really need a lot of skill at stick to have any chance of pulling it off. Thinner material would have been impossible.Now can you do AC tig off your machine? Yes, with the right add ons. Besides the tig torch and cylinder parts you would also need an HF box to go with it. However you still won't have a pedal to control your amps and you'd really need to be very good at old school basics to control the puddle with that setup. Thin alum would be exponentially harder.When all is said and done however I'll bet you have almost as much into the basic setup as you would if you had simply bought a dedicated used AC/DC tig machine. So financially it's not really viable. Even with a dedicated AC/DC tig, you are talking about a couple hundred hours of practice time before most are capable of thin alum tig even with the best gear..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:What if I picked up some 1/8 or 1/4 alum. plate? Would a DC rod work with my AC machine? After I get my second college check in the fall I plan getting a AC/DC tig and some argon. I wanted to buy one with this check but after property taxes and a 100 foot of 220 wire and other electrical stuff im about tapped out.Hobart Stickmate LX 235 ACEverlast Powerarc 140ST DC InverterPowcon 300ST
Reply:Nope, a buddy of mine tried it before bringing me the rods and part to be repaired. As DSW stated, these rods are DCEP and very tricky - 14" burns in a matter of seconds.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Dang haha, oh well. Im glad I asked before I bought the rods and plate.Hobart Stickmate LX 235 ACEverlast Powerarc 140ST DC InverterPowcon 300ST
Reply:The only thing I would know to do, since you don't have the right welding equipment right now, is try some of these brazing type aluminum rods for repairing your boat. I bought some a while back but never tried them out yet. There are several brands that I think are basically the same thing. I got Harbor Freight's version because of the good reviews and they're cheap and nearby. There are some video's of it being done on YouTube. They say you only need a little propane torch.  http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece...ods-44810.html
Reply:You can rent the equipment to do if there's A red arc  dealer around they rent out a Alu setup
Reply:Possibly, but learning thin alum tig is going to take a while to get to the point he can do the boat. Rental probably isn't a good idea unless he can already tig alum..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:Something to add: if you attempt a repair and are unsuccessful it will be harder for someone else to fix later.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Im currently attending school for welding so I have access to anything I need to weld it so I there is no need for me rent anything. I was just wanting to see if I can weld it with what I have. I'll prolly just take it to school and have my instructor either braze it or tig it on one side. And me do the other after I watch him.Hobart Stickmate LX 235 ACEverlast Powerarc 140ST DC InverterPowcon 300ST
Reply:I appreciate everyone's advise!!Hobart Stickmate LX 235 ACEverlast Powerarc 140ST DC InverterPowcon 300ST
Reply:Originally Posted by JeffvadorIm currently attending school for welding so I have access to anything I need to weld it so I there is no need for me rent anything. I was just wanting to see if I can weld it with what I have. I'll prolly just take it to school and have my instructor either braze it or tig it on one side. And me do the other after I watch him.