Can Aluminum be Stick Welded?

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Hello from Eagle Creek Orygun.  I've done multiple searchs on the subject but have found no straight forward answers.Can 1/4" or 3/16" aluminum be stick welded with a Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC welder?  I have a chance to buy one for $150.  Since being laid off I can't afford much.Last time I did any stick welding was about 20 years ago and did some TIG a few years back so I'm not skilled at it but can lay a fairly good bead on steel.Thanks for any & all answers,BenLast edited by Ben Bean; 07-27-2009 at 10:26 AM.Reason: I forgot a sentence
Reply:Yes,But you need the aluminum electrodes.  When you get them and weld,  MOOVE it on down the seam.  I haven't tried it but several people I know say its like shaking water off the end of the rod.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:My brother n law welded a jon boat with a Lincoln 225 AC/DC with the dc aluminum rods. It was'nt the prettiest weld I ever seen!
Reply:Originally Posted by lugweldYes,But you need the aluminum electrodes.  When you get them and weld,  MOOVE it on down the seam.  I haven't tried it but several people I know say its like shaking water off the end of the rod.
Reply:The more you use it, the better it looks. But I don't think you will ever get it as pretty as you could a tig weld. I have tried it and, although the weld didn't look what you would call pretty, it was strong. Weld hot and move fast - best advice I can give you.
Reply:Take a look at this site; click their "Products", then choose the 400 series to read what they say about aluminum welding.http://www.messerwelding.com/  [I only get through on Internet Explorer; my Mozilla is blocking it, and I can't look into why right now.]
Reply:I had to weld up a alum turbo pedestal on my truck. I bought the rods tried them out and they disappear quick. The travel speed is far greater then steel, I went to scratch start the rod and 3/4" of it disappeared. It has not leaked in over 2 years now, and man it was far from pretty
Reply:These are great & fast replies.  Thanks guys.  In some searches I found the 4043 1/8th inch rods to be the suggested rod of choice.  Oldiron, thanks for the link to Messer Welding.  They have a 400 rod and also say that welding aluminum is not that hard.  I guess peheating is the trick.  They also mention a temp indicating crayon.  I assume these are redily available at a local welding parts store???..ben
Reply:yup i have done it a few times and as said move fast and its a dirty weld great for strength but to make water tight I had to coat with epoxy. it worked for my needs. I also found washing with solvent before helped as the aluminium is pourus and holds oils and dirt.
Reply:Yes, check out this thread with some pics. Practice, practice, practice.http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=11505Also, here is another link:http://www.hildstrom.com/projects/st...num/index.htmlYouTube, Website
Reply:With all this new information I'm gonna go buy that Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC welder & have some fun!  Woo-Hoothanks guys......ben
Reply:Yeah, you will need DC+ to stick weld aluminum.
Reply:Those Al rods will work. The ones I get are recommended on DC+, and I have not tried any thing else. I was suprised at how strong they are after I welded a 400 Chev transmission cas back togather while it was still in the truck. I really doubt the weld is anywhere  close to a TIG weld in quality though. My LWS will sell them by the rod for about $1.05 a piece. The first time I used them the weld looked like a bears a** sewed up with barb wire, and the last time I used them it was not much better, but it did hold..............................."Look Good Doing It"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:Aluminum or not, $150 for a Thunderbolt AC/DC is a great price around here. I would buy it at that price just to do steel if I needed a welder. I don't think you can go wrong.  Burt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com