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Hi guys i tryed to weld some aluminum with my mig welder and had no luck at all.
Some background info.......
1.Migwelder is a CIG transmig 135
2.I have only ever used gassless wire in it and can do a decent weld
3.i bought an aluminium kit (nylon feed roller and new liner plus 1mm tip)
4.I changed the setings over for gas welding (previously set up for gasless)
5. iIwent out and bought a sip mini regulator and dissposable tank of pure argon.
6.I bought a small spool of aluminium wire
7.Im trying to weld 1mm aluminium.
first i set the mig on its lowest seting and all that i could achive was a ball forming on the end of the wire and pretty much no effect on the alloy sheet other than black sot .
I put the settings up higher and all i can manage to do is burn holes through the alloy and still get alot of black **** .
Then i ran out of gas swore alot had a beer and wrote this.
WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING WRONG??????????????????????????????
Or am i just useless?
Not the BLOODY Kingswood |
Not the BLOODY Kingswood |
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Rank: Member
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Hi GMH1975,
The secret to Mig welding with aluminium wire, is to have minimal pressure on the feed rollers. You must have plenty of slip on the wire. 1mm metal is rather hard to weld if your a beginner, you will need around 60amps, and wire speed quite
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If your 135 is anything like my 130.... I'm sorry for you!! In mine I have no amps settings just the 1, 2 and min, max dip switch's. The last time I did a mates boat wire speed was set on around 8 and amps were min-2.
Best to have a play with a test pie
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my setup is the same as yours RETRO.
i think i might just use mild steel instead.
Not the BLOODY Kingswood |
Not the BLOODY Kingswood |
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When it comes to cigweld or thin alloy PATIENCE is a virtue!! I've used mine for stuff as thin as yours (after heaps of dramas)but I hope once I have some more time on my new henrob torch the mig will be left to anything that needs the full setting's, or
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well, i cant weld for crap! but my mate rob set his mig up with gas, and med amps, and high speed, and guess what, i was able to weld 1.5 aluminium. so if i can do it with correct settings, you will be able to as well. it dosent take much practice, o |
more than basketcase than a bear!
DOH!!! |
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try turning the wire speed up untill it looks good
alloy is hard to weld......compared to mild steel
if your local.......perth i can have a look for you
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A couple of things I forgot to mention.
Make sure the metal to be welded is extremely clean, wire brush the areas to be welded very well. Secondly with aluminium, if the metal to be welded is of 8mm or above in thickness - it is best to pre-heat the meta
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I did some oxy welding on aluminium and I found the most important thing was the cleanliness of the work, use a stainless steel wire brush because an ordinary steel brush leaves metal residue behind and won't weld properly, clean just 100mm or so ahead a
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make sure u have cleaned all the aluminum oxide off other wise ull melt the ally in site had not the oxide as oxide melts juast over 2000 degrees alot more then the 660 degrees of the ally containde inside the aluminum oxide make sure all oxide is gone !!
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Rank: Member
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thanks for all the help guys.
i might just go the mild steel route instead.
i was going to paint the alloy when it was finised anyway .
I will keep all this in mind if i decide i want to weld something a bit thicker in the future,
Not the BLOODY Kin |
Not the BLOODY Kingswood |
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