Question about: Aluminum MIG setup

[williamz]

Welder: Clarke's 130EN (Polarity set for gas)
weldingTip: Drilled a bit larger.
Welding: 1/8" practice sheet (anodized coating removed)
Problem: Setting MIG for aluminum welding

Hey guys,

Ok, well recently i bought my cylinder filled with argon-shield gas. Now, I hooked it up, fed it the aluminum 4043 .030 wire. Turned on the gas to about 5L/m(Too low?) set it on the low setting and wire feed to about 5/10. Now when i started to weld, all it did was blob up at the tip, then tangle. 5/10 is where i have had it for every attempt. I have tried 1-3/4 heat settings, gas up to 13L/m. I have had it to crack and buzz, but it seems not to give me a somewhat decent weld.

I've read most/some of the aluminum threads and i guess what i am doing wrong is gas is too low and speed is to low? Now i read that someone has their gas setup at 16L/m and wire feed at around 8/10?

Would this be correct?

I do not have the nylon liner, however it does not seem to tangle up anymore since i drilled the tip but still blobs up.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
~Dez Williamz

 

[shenion]

Yes, for 4043 wire, the wire speed is real high. In my 130EN it is at 7 to 8 on the dial.

The wire feed neads to be real high as the 4043 wire melts at a very low temperature. I can get mine to work ok on thin metal, but it does not put much heat in the base metal, so the welds are tall.

0.035 wire will feed much better and the wire speed will be a more manageable 4-5.

Increasing the gas helped keep the wire a bit cooler. Not a big difference.

5356 wire will work much better as the wire melts a temp near that of the metal. It is stiffer so it feeds easier. Wire feed is about 3. Only problem is it can't be used on things that will operate at over 150F.

The CLarke 130EN has a lowest setting of 30A. This is assuming steel wire. Al conducts about 3x that of steel, so the current is higher (probably near 40A with spikes up way higher.)

I am playing with running the welder off a variac (a BIG, 20A one). At 105V power, it seems to do better. Normal power here is 124V.

This is the only complaint with the 130EN, the lowest setting blows through thin steel and is too much for Al.

I have 0.030 4043 (almost useless except on thin metal), 0.035 4043 (works better) and 0.030 5356 (easiest to use).

Thicker metals are harder as it sucks so much heat out.

I would love to have a pulse MIG, would allow much better control.

 

[williamz]

Cool, hopefully tomorrow i will try a HIGHER speed.

Normally for aluminum welding what would the gas setting be around/at?

 

[shenion]

I would use 10LPM minimum. Al needs a real good shield as it oxidizes so fast.

Oh, gun must be near perpendicular and use a push method as to preheat ahead of the weld.

 

[williamz]

Great info

I will try it out when i can and post up some pictures if possible.

Thanks again.

~Dez Williamz

 

[TechnicAl]

Argon Shield gas? Is that an Argon CO2 mix?
You need pure Argon

 

[Drains]

You say you're welding 1/8" sheet with the galvanising removed???????
Steel sheet then, but you're trying to weld it with aluminium wire? Are you sure?

 

[shenion]

You say you're welding 1/8" sheet with the galvanising removed???????
Steel sheet then, but you're trying to weld it with aluminium wire? Are you sure?

Hopefully he is referring to anodized Al

 

[williamz]

Not an argon mix, pure argon. Would calling it argonshield be wrong?

Oops, yes i mean anodized Al, my mistake. Yes, i'm sure.

Now, there is a spring where the tip is, so today i tried feeding the wire in the gun, however, it keeps getting stuck where that spring is. Any idea's?

I guess i'll have to open it up and have a look. Made a big mess of tangled wire

 

[Hitch]

That 'spring' sounds like it will be the end of your torch liner.

You really will need the teflon liner to be sucessfull.

 

[williamz]

Is there a good site where i can get the liner for my clarke 130en and AL wire at a decent price?

 

[shenion]

I got mine from weldingdepot.com

You will need the liner and an adapter.

They are also where I bought my 5356 wire and got my Clarke 130EN through them on ebay. They have been excellent to deal with.

Here is the info from my order:

  1   WE6643     Clarke® Liner Nylon WE6643              $5.30            $5.30
                 .035 Aluminum wire - Up to 8
                 ft Guns

  1   WE6576     Clarke® Liner Adaptor WE6576            $6.25            $6.25
                 For Use With WE6643 and WE6546
                 Nylon Liner

 2   535603501  5356 Aluminum .035 x 1 LB - 4"          $5.58           $11.16
                 Spool

With an additional $9.99 MIG pliers, the total order was $44 including $11.50 shipping (2 pounds of wire.)

 

[williamz]

Sweet, I just ordered my set and welding wire.

Thanks.

 

[williamz]

Ok, i install my nylon Liner, and it's GREAT!!!

Welding aluminum is so much easier with it. It does not tangle or anything.

I got myself some 5356, 4043 and some mild steel wire.

Thank you guys for the help, i greatly appreciate it.

 

[shenion]

Heh, the hardest part is feeding the new liner through the hose

Good to hear it works. I have 4 rolls of Al wire. The 0.030 4043 is still real tricky. The 5356 0.030" and the 0.035" 4043 feed real nice.

It works ok for me. Will be getting my TIG going so will not need Al MIG. But it was an interesting leaning experience (and frustrating.)

 

[williamz]

I am using .030 4043, and it seems to feed real nice.

Again, i am really happy with this liner.

 

[bengomez]

I do not have the nylon liner, however it does not seem to tangle up anymore since i drilled the tip but still blobs up.

Yeah you really need the Teflon liner to be successful...

 

[pauls_boat]

hi i use to weld lots of aluminum when i was back in england and had no problem as i then had a decent welder 250 amp mig but i have recently bought a small mig stick 140 amp and i am trying to weld 2" sch40 tube (around 1/8 thick) to build new davits on my boat.
no matter what i did the welder would not give me any penertration in the end i went out and bought a new liner teflon not nylon and now the welder works great with the old steel liner it use to try to weld but the wire would not come out stedy then spit out 2" in one go it was taking all the welder could give to just melt the wire without penertrating now with the new liner and high gas rate (25Ltm)it is giving me great welds and plenty of penertration i have the amps set on 10 and the wire feed set to 8.
the high gas rate is becouse i am welding out side and it is windy i dont have anyplace to weld indoors.
i would say if you are having problems with welding aluminum pay out for the liner it is worth every penny it costs here in puerto rico it was $40.
regards paul

 

[Remlap]

Ok, i install my nylon Liner, and it's GREAT!!!

Welding aluminum is so much easier with it. It does not tangle or anything.

I got myself some 5356, 4043 and some mild steel wire.

Thank you guys for the help, i greatly appreciate it.

What is the difference between these two types of ali mig wire?

 

[shenion]

4043 has silicon and has a low melting point and a fluid pool. 0.8mm is very hard to feed without a spool gun. SOme welders may also not be able to feed the wire as it is over 2x as fast wire speed as steel. 0.9mm is easier.

5356 has Magnesium and is stronger. It is also a lot stiffer and feeds better. It is not to be used on some metals that run at elevated temps.