Rock STew/

[inVERt'D]

Looks pretty nifty. How about a better view of that expanded aluminum?

I was thinking of making some fenders using similar materials/ construction. I like the yellow axle shafts--ought to make finding fragments easier on the trail.

[RAT]

Same here! I'm thinking about moving my spare tire back onto the floor of the tub. I've kinda given up the idea of running with the back seat in very often.

How difficult is aluminum welding with the spool?

Daniel, if you want to get some aluminum spool gun time in stop by. I'll let you take a crack at it.

[Toolman]

Looks pretty nifty. How about a better view of that expanded aluminum?

I was thinking of making some fenders using similar materials/ construction. I like the yellow axle shafts--ought to make finding fragments easier on the trail.

ok , but I am just too darn proud to show off how bad these welds are.

Daniel, if you want to get some aluminum spool gun time in stop by. I'll let you take a crack at it.

I'd offer the same thing but I clearly don't have it figured out yet, and I'd hate to have you over and show you the wrong methods on something I know little if nothing about.
So can I impose on you for some tips Kurt. it seems I need to get my spool gun set up right and I'm sure you can help.
I've been watching youtube videos on it but it has only gotten me into trouble.

[RAT]

So can I impose on you for some tips Kurt. it seems I need to get my spool gun set up right and I'm sure you can help.
I've been watching youtube videos on it but it has only gotten me into trouble.

You can impose any time Aluminum welding takes a lot of amperage. The welder I'm using just barely has enough for 1/4 inch material. Aluminum oxidizes horribly and needs to be thoroughly cleaned with a stainless steel brush that is only used for aluminum. If you use a SS brush that you just cleaned spark plugs with, forget about it. There is a chemical called Alumibrite that works well to remove really stubborn oxidation and other contaminants. Spool gun welding lends itself to all position welds really well but the ideal position is flat. High amps, high feed speed, and slow drag speed. Also the angle of the torch to the work is important. The arc blows a massive hole in the work and you have to linger long enough to back fill it with wire. If you have lifting at the margins of the weld either the drag speed is too fast of the amperage isn't high enough. Lots of spatter means drag is too fast, wrong angle, or contamination. You don't want to weave the wire at first like you can with steel wire. It works but you have to be able to fill the hole fast and weaving blows bigger holes in the work.
I welded aluminum tankers at a truck line so I got lots of practice. If you can find scrap aluminum to practice on, just run one bead next to another until you cover the whole workpiece, overlapping them as you go. Adjust all the parameters one at a time until you get a pretty stack of dimes look. Penetration should be complete but not have icicles on the back side.

[daniel_buck]

Daniel, if you want to get some aluminum spool gun time in stop by. I'll let you take a crack at it.

I may do that! May also get you opinion on some of the body and control arm mounts on my TJ while I'm there :-D

[Toolman]

You can impose any time Aluminum welding takes a lot of amperage. The welder I'm using just barely has enough for 1/4 inch material. Aluminum oxidizes horribly and needs to be thoroughly cleaned with a stainless steel brush that is only used for aluminum. If you use a SS brush that you just cleaned spark plugs with, forget about it. There is a chemical called Alumibrite that works well to remove really stubborn oxidation and other contaminants. Spool gun welding lends itself to all position welds really well but the ideal position is flat. High amps, high feed speed, and slow drag speed. Also the angle of the torch to the work is important. The arc blows a massive hole in the work and you have to linger long enough to back fill it with wire. If you have lifting at the margins of the weld either the drag speed is too fast of the amperage isn't high enough. Lots of spatter means drag is too fast, wrong angle, or contamination. You don't want to weave the wire at first like you can with steel wire. It works but you have to be able to fill the hole fast and weaving blows bigger holes in the work.
I welded aluminum tankers at a truck line so I got lots of practice. If you can find scrap aluminum to practice on, just run one bead next to another until you cover the whole workpiece, overlapping them as you go. Adjust all the parameters one at a time until you get a pretty stack of dimes look. Penetration should be complete but not have icicles on the back side.

Thank you Sir, I actually understand most of it. I just need to practice and get the machine dialed in (reminds me of when I started welding mild steel but way worse) The problem I was having was the tip of the aluminum would get hot as it was coming out of the gun and fall short almost like it was dripping out of the gun, it would bend and break off and or land on a completely different spot from where I had the tip aiming.
I kept messing with it until it got way too hot, then I burned myself....... but good.

[aw12345]

Like Kurt said, lots of amps and wire speed does the trick. Practising to get the settings dialed before you start your weld project is the ticket

[Toolman]

I thought I did that but it just wasn't consistent. I should also mention that a portion of the design for the rack was directly ripped off from Tumbleweed.

[inVERt'D]

ok , but I am just too darn proud to show off how bad these welds are.

I think most of us can sympathize. I'm just curious what that expanded AL looks like. Looks interesting.

[aw12345]

expanded or extruded?

[inVERt'D]

If they can extrude aluminum like that I'd like to see how they do it.

[RAT]

The problem I was having was the tip of the aluminum would get hot as it was coming out of the gun and fall short almost like it was dripping out of the gun, it would bend and break off and or land on a completely different spot from where I had the tip aiming.

Was that a spool gun? That sounds like a MIG gun problem. Pushing AL wire through a long leader makes for a mess. Either that or the polarity was wrong.

[Toolman]

I think most of us can sympathize. I'm just curious what that expanded AL looks like. Looks interesting.

here ya go

expanded or extruded?

Was that a spool gun? That sounds like a MIG gun problem. Pushing AL wire through a long leader makes for a mess. Either that or the polarity was wrong.

It's a spool gun, the polarity is set the same for steel. (+gun & - clamp) My understanding is that the only time you change the polarity is if and when your using a flux core wire for the mig, however I could easily be mistaken. I hope that's all it is.

[inVERt'D]

here ya go

Thanks. Nice stuff, but looked more unusual to me from the other angle. After all that, I was expecting your welds to look worse than those. AL will find flaws though. DCEP is correct for AL and most gasless flux core stuff, but DCEN is what you want for MIG'ing steel.

[Tumbleweed13]

Thanks for the design credit, on the rack. I'll add it to my resume.

I see you finally made a decission on your fenders. Looks good.