Stick welding aluminum

[Shield Arc]

Couple things I learned. Just before welding use a stainless steel wire brush on the weld zone. And a little preheat helps too.

 

[mikefromnh]

It's interesting you have it labeled 0.0 arc force. This was the first time I was wondering if I could have benefited from adjustable arc force.

A couple more pics
117 amps

Before and after wire brushing the flux.

 

[Shield Arc]

Personally I think a spool gun does a much better job.

 

[Oldpath05]

I'm thinking the OP was just stating that for a small aluminum repair, aluminum stick is a cheap good fix. As far as aluminum mig welding goes, everybody that can mig weld steel, can mig weld aluminum, and it does come out a lot better, but to stick weld aluminum, you have to be good at stick welding, and then it's a challenge. Then you have the cost set up for aluminum mig welding.

I've welded a small aluminum project before with 1/8 stick on 1/4" thick angle bar, worked ok I thought, the welds was strong and lasted, I think I set my DC welder on DC straight, on the stop and starts, I cut the end of the rod for a better arc re-start.

 

[5030]

Just before welding use a stainless steel wire brush on the weld zone. And a little preheat helps too..... Yep.

I keep my stainless wire brush in the consumable drawer under my Lincoln TIG machine. Always handy.Right with my TIG finger and doeskin gloves.

 

[5030]

Personally I think a spool gun does a much better job.

Been kicking around an ESAB Pulsed Mig with a push-pull gun. I demo'd one here at the shop and the weld asthetics are amazing. TIG in appearance and 3 times the speed.

 

[Shield Arc]

This was playing with the pulse when I first got my Lincoln V350-Pro welder.

 

[bikerdib]

I've done some repair work with stick before. Actually, the first time I did it I was surprised how well it worked and how strong it turned out. However, unless it is something remote in the field, my spoolgun is the go to and that's after a good brushing with my stainless steel wire brush that hangs on the wall dedicated for aluminum.

 

[Stimw]

I have used them in the past.
The learning curve is straight up!
KEEP the rods in a container! If you lay the rods down they will become wet in minutes!

 

[bikerdib]

I have used them in the past.
The learning curve is straight up!
KEEP the rods in a container! If you lay the rods down they will become wet in minutes!

That's no joke. I did a repair and left the remaining rods in the plastic container they came in. Next morning I had some overpriced short pieces of aluminum wire.