Converting Mig Gun for Aluminum

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Has anyone been successful in doing this.  After buying a new Bernard gun, I was thinking of converting my old GA20-C.I'm gonna shorten the line to 8 feet and install a Teflon liner.  I've read some posts on the forum of this being done and working well.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Hey Drf,My shop welder I use for aluminum production runs has a 6' cable assembly(original) & works excellent. It has a teflon liner & feeds smoothly, although I use 5356 which is a bit stiffer than 4043. If I need to use 4043, I use my shop spoolgun unit. Since I didn't have to shorten the cable, I would probably look to shorten the cable end that goes into the unit rather than the gun end. Consider shortening your assem. to 6', or try it with 8' & shorten more if needed. All my welders are on rolling carts so there is no issue with moving around to work locations if larger projects.DennyComplete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."
Reply:I use 5356 in a 10' gun with no issues. Be sure to use U-groove drive rolls to feed the Aluminum wire properly.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:I also have a spare mig gun I was thinking of using for aluminum. Mine guns are all 3m I think (9 feet?). I asked my LWS about shortening one and even though he can crimp the lines and such, he suggested buying a new one, which I don't want to (tight budget). And I still have three guns anyway.What size of aluminum wire are you guys feeding through your 6 feet guns? I asked the manufacturer of our Mig machine (Galamig 3007) and he told us it has enough balls to use 1,2mm. He didn’t state the alloy but seems like the 5356 is stiffer so that should be the one to use, right?Also another quick question: Besides Teflon liners, do we need to use special tips for aluminium wire or are we ok using the ones we have for steel?
Reply:I have pushed .035 out of a 10' gun as long as you keep it straight and dont get a cold arc it worked for what I needed.Millermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:The feeding through a Teflon liner, even at 8' with 4043 worked out fine. The problem is, even with the required 100% Argon at 25 cfh, the beads were ugly and I destroyed 5 gun tips.  The wire would feed fine, and then strangely, at the end of every bead, the arc would burn all the way back to the tip and melt it.   This would happen at lower or higher amp settings as well as with the wire speed dialed up to 100%.  I had the tip flush to 1/16 recessed in the nozzle, and tried stick outs from 1/4" to 1 1/4" and the same thing kept happening.  The gas was definitely flowing, and I purged the line so there wouldn't be any remaining C25 in it.  I'm imagining this is why the tips on a spool gun are so long with the ability to adjust the tip recess so much?TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Gun tipTA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Bird poop. 4043 on top, 5356 bottom. TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Beads from SpoolmaticTA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:I have never welded aluminum at all but according to what I have seen on the web regarding how a proper aluminum bead should look like... those beads, even the ones made with the Spoolmatic... seem cold.I just ordered the proper  rollers for aluminum wire for our Mig and I can't wait for them to arrive. Keep us informed about your progress since I will probably come across the very same problems you are having now.Mikel