Mig welding Aluminium

[woodsmith]

I have a Cebora Boxer 155 MIG welder and I have been thinking of adding a cheap spool gun, aluminium wire and a mini bottle of Argon to weld some 2-3mm sheet.

I have found this spool gun on ebay and it would be cheap enough to play with to find out if it is worth getting something better.

Would my welder be powerful enough for the job?

I am only thinking of welding folded edges and adding tabs for fixings so nothing too thick or heavy.

Thank you.

 

[Shield Arc]

I'm not familiar with your welding machine, but remember aluminum eats amps like candy.:laughing:
Use this calculator to see if you're in the ball park.
Miller - MIG Welding Calculator

 

[wdchyd]

Myself, I'm not a big fan of MIG on Alum for small stuff.......my choice is TIG all the way, unless it's big heavy alum and a much much bigger welder set up properly......

 

[woodsmith]

I'm not familiar with your welding machine, but remember aluminum eats amps like candy.:laughing:
Use this calculator to see if you're in the ball park.
Miller - MIG Welding Calculator

Thanks, it says 110-130Amps for 3.2mm spray arc transfer, my MIG is 155Amps so I guess it 'should' be able to do it.:thumbsup:

 

[wdchyd]

I'm not familiar with your welding machine, but remember aluminum eats amps like candy.:laughing:
Use this calculator to see if you're in the ball park.
Miller - MIG Welding Calculator

Thanx Shield Arc for the link.......considering upgrading my HD FCAW welding setup.....it'll come in handy.......

 

[woodsmith]

Myself, I'm not a big fan of MIG on Alum for small stuff.......my choice is TIG all the way, unless it's big heavy alum and a much much bigger welder set up properly......

I'd prefer TIG but I only want to do some little bits very infrequently and it wouldn't be worth the set up.

If this can work then it will just save the need for the occasional unsightly pop rivet just where I can't hide it.

 

[Shield Arc]

Will your machine put out the volts needed?

 

[woodsmith]

I don't know.
What's the best way to measure the voltage?

There's no specifications plate on it as I got it used and I haven't managed to fins any specifications for it online.

 

[Shield Arc]

Well it's gonna cost ya.:shocked:

Clamp on amp meters - Shop sales, stores & prices at TheFind.com

 

[woodsmith]

I have equipment to measure AC and DC up to 600Amps.

Am I measuring open circuit voltage across the live tip and the clamp?

 

[Shield Arc]

You'll want to measure "Load Volts", (while welding). Across the gun and ground lead.

 

[yomax4]

If you need to weld aluminum with a 115v unit you really only have a narrow window. Install a teflon liner in your mig gun. Run only 4043 .030 wire preferably with U groove drive rolls. Turn wire speed up to max and adjust voltage until you get a nice hot flat weld. Once you get there, That is your only option. It will be about 1/8" Aluminum..No more no less. If you have to do Aluminum that is less than 1/8" you need to go to beat the band to keep from burning through. Or buy a new Twin Pulse unit for $7k and never worry about it again.:thumbsup:

 

[Shield Arc]

I bought a Cobramatic, (push pull) for $400.00 and run it off my $300.00 Mig machine.

 

[woodsmith]

You'll want to measure "Load Volts", (while welding). Across the gun and ground lead.

OK, so that would be a volt meter across the gun and the ground lead and then start welding and read the volts while running a bead.

Fiddly to set up but I will give it a go.

 

[crazyal]

I've done a little aluminum welding with a Lincoln Sp125 mig without a spool gun. I was able to weld 1/8" aluminum pretty good with it but the welder didn't have any settings to prevent burn back post weld. It wouldn't do it every time but if you stopped welding and it burned back to the tip it would stick. If you didn't break it free before trying to weld again you would get a birds nest at the drive rollers. But I was easy able to weld a skag back onto an outboard.