On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:42:08 -0500, "RogerN"
wrote:


"Steve W." wrote in message
...
RogerN wrote:
I have welded a LOT of aluminum with O/A. Just need to use the same
allow for filler as you have for sheet stock. O/A was the preferred
method for joining a lot of aluminum items for years. Once you get it
down as a skill it's a LOT of fun. Plus with the O/A you can easily
remove stresses in the finished product.


--
Steve W.
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")


Isn't there a flux you use with O/A on aluminum? Our local hardware
store
used to stock it years ago IIRC but today they just have brazing and
soldering flux.

RogerN



Yes. I have a couple depending on what the material is. Aufhauser Flux10
and Flux14 plus there is some Forney AlumAflux as well. May have some
real old powder stuff as well.

Aluminum is an interesting material to weld. Too cold and it doesn't
weld, too hot and you get a puddle at your feet!

--
Steve W.

I think my flux was probably by Forney, that's the brand of welding stuff
the hardware store sold. I welded aluminum once using a carbon arc torch on
my AC electric welder. It worked but I didn't do it enough to get skilled,
just got a couple of pieces to stick together.

I like how the TIG works compared to my other experiences. The aluminum
gets a bright clean molten puddle. My other aluminum welding experience is
that the aluminum gets molten inside of a skin that is not molten, kind of
have to poke the rod through the skin and weld the aluminum underneath.
Note I haven't tried anything other than TIG since learning about cleaning
with the SS wire brush and alcohol, I'm sure a good cleaning would help the
results with oxy/acetylene or carbon arc.

RogerN

Flux is necessary for welding ally with torch -- or carbon arc.