THICK ALUMINUM WELDING
 

I need some help.


I am making a gigantic " weather vane type thing" (technical term?).

(some very thick material and I am slightly intimidated)

its made up of 4 arms coming out radially from a central bearing unit.

the arms are a mix of rectangular tubing (6" x 2" x 1/8" thick.) and
3/8" plate.

the central unit is machined from a round of 12" 6061. it rotates on a
hardened point with a delrin collar.

I need to stick the arms to the bearing. The two pieces mate on a
flat groove vertically along the bearing.

____the question______

is the extra penetration gained from using Ar/He worth the extra
dollars?, (we've been using straight Ar)

also, aside from oxy acetylene, what pre-heat methods have any of you
had luck with?

any help would be much appreciated.

THICK ALUMINUM WELDING
 

Don't know if this will be of much help, but I had to fabricate a
rectangular box out of 3/8 aluminum that had to be welded "in place" on
the rear bumper of my wife's motor home. I have a Miller dial-arc 2000
tig welder and I couldn't get it hot enough to take a weld and no way
to pre-heat. Finally had to drive the motor home over to a friend that
had a mig set up for aluminum. That did the trick.
Bill

THICK ALUMINUM WELDING
 

On 9 Jan 2006 17:35:47 -0800, "Ardilla Volante'"
wrote:

I need some help.


I am making a gigantic " weather vane type thing" (technical term?).

(some very thick material and I am slightly intimidated)

its made up of 4 arms coming out radially from a central bearing unit.

the arms are a mix of rectangular tubing (6" x 2" x 1/8" thick.) and
3/8" plate.

the central unit is machined from a round of 12" 6061. it rotates on a
hardened point with a delrin collar.

I need to stick the arms to the bearing. The two pieces mate on a
flat groove vertically along the bearing.

____the question______

is the extra penetration gained from using Ar/He worth the extra
dollars?, (we've been using straight Ar)

also, aside from oxy acetylene, what pre-heat methods have any of you
had luck with?

any help would be much appreciated.

It seems to me that penetration is only an issue if you're trying to
weld clear thru something. I think if you can get a puddle going,
you can make a weld. What difference does it make how deep the
puddle goes into the metal, as long as the pieces are fused together?

So I would think that if you can get a puddle going on the 12" round
with argon, you can weld it -- and if you can't then try a hotter gas
mix or a bigger welder.

THICK ALUMINUM WELDING
 

In article .com,
"Ardilla Volante'" wrote:

I need some help.


I am making a gigantic " weather vane type thing" (technical term?).

(some very thick material and I am slightly intimidated)

its made up of 4 arms coming out radially from a central bearing unit.

the arms are a mix of rectangular tubing (6" x 2" x 1/8" thick.) and
3/8" plate.

the central unit is machined from a round of 12" 6061. it rotates on a
hardened point with a delrin collar.

I need to stick the arms to the bearing. The two pieces mate on a
flat groove vertically along the bearing.

____the question______

is the extra penetration gained from using Ar/He worth the extra
dollars?, (we've been using straight Ar)


You didn't say how thick the piece is.
If it is really thick then use a high Helium mix, like 75% Helium 24%
Argon.


also, aside from oxy acetylene, what pre-heat methods have any of you
had luck with?

any help would be much appreciated.

Propane weedburners work great and are fast.

--
"I love deadlines, especially the wooshing sound they make as
they fly by" - Douglas Adams

THICK ALUMINUM WELDING
 

it is about 8 inches at the thickest spot.

THICK ALUMINUM WELDING
 

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 08:41:21 GMT, Ernie Leimkuhler
wrote:

In article .com,
"Ardilla Volante'" wrote:

I need some help.


I am making a gigantic " weather vane type thing" (technical term?).

(some very thick material and I am slightly intimidated)

its made up of 4 arms coming out radially from a central bearing unit.

the arms are a mix of rectangular tubing (6" x 2" x 1/8" thick.) and
3/8" plate.

the central unit is machined from a round of 12" 6061. it rotates on a
hardened point with a delrin collar.

I need to stick the arms to the bearing. The two pieces mate on a
flat groove vertically along the bearing.

____the question______

is the extra penetration gained from using Ar/He worth the extra
dollars?, (we've been using straight Ar)


You didn't say how thick the piece is.
If it is really thick then use a high Helium mix, like 75% Helium 24%
Argon.


also, aside from oxy acetylene, what pre-heat methods have any of you
had luck with?

any help would be much appreciated.

Propane weedburners work great and are fast.

Say Ernie..I picked up a tank from Reliable Tools sometime back..they
tend to sell me their tanks cheap cause they dont want to mess with
them..

2.5% CO2
7.5% Argon
90% helium

There was a piece of masking tape that said "stainless steel"

Is that too much CO2 to use it for tigging? Will it burn up my
electrodes too fast or can I use it for Aluminum or general welding?

If I had to guess..I figure it was for MIG..but its got 2000lbs of gas
in it and Id hate to have to vent it cause I cant use it.

Thanks

Gunner

The aim of untold millions is to be free to do exactly as they choose
and for someone else to pay when things go wrong.

In the past few decades, a peculiar and distinctive psychology
has emerged in England. Gone are the civility, sturdy independence,
and admirable stoicism that carried the English through the war years
.. It has been replaced by a constant whine of excuses, complaints,
and special pleading. The collapse of the British character has been
as swift and complete as the collapse of British power.

Theodore Dalrymple,

THICK ALUMINUM WELDING
 

well, I stuffed the lug into my viking gas oven, baked it at 400 for an
hour, wrapped it in a blanket and brought it out to the shop.

the welds look great, and seem to be tough enough to stop a truck.

nothing like a little south seattle engineering.

thanks for the info

zak

THICK ALUMINUM WELDING
 

In article ,
Gunner wrote:



Say Ernie..I picked up a tank from Reliable Tools sometime back..they
tend to sell me their tanks cheap cause they dont want to mess with
them..

2.5% CO2
7.5% Argon
90% helium

There was a piece of masking tape that said "stainless steel"

Is that too much CO2 to use it for tigging? Will it burn up my
electrodes too fast or can I use it for Aluminum or general welding?

If I had to guess..I figure it was for MIG..but its got 2000lbs of gas
in it and Id hate to have to vent it cause I cant use it.

Thanks

Gunner

That is a helium tri-mix and it is excellent for MIG on Stainless steel.
It will also work great on regular MIG, with no spatter at all.

High penetration and smooth welds.

On TIG it will destroy your tungsten.

--
"I love deadlines, especially the wooshing sound they make as
they fly by" - Douglas Adams

THICK ALUMINUM WELDING
 

In article .com,
"Ardilla Volante'" wrote:

well, I stuffed the lug into my viking gas oven, baked it at 400 for an
hour, wrapped it in a blanket and brought it out to the shop.

the welds look great, and seem to be tough enough to stop a truck.

nothing like a little south seattle engineering.

thanks for the info

zak

Glad to hear it.

--
"I love deadlines, especially the wooshing sound they make as
they fly by" - Douglas Adams

THICK ALUMINUM WELDING
 

On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 05:20:29 GMT, Ernie Leimkuhler
wrote:

In article ,
Gunner wrote:



Say Ernie..I picked up a tank from Reliable Tools sometime back..they
tend to sell me their tanks cheap cause they dont want to mess with
them..

2.5% CO2
7.5% Argon
90% helium

There was a piece of masking tape that said "stainless steel"

Is that too much CO2 to use it for tigging? Will it burn up my
electrodes too fast or can I use it for Aluminum or general welding?

If I had to guess..I figure it was for MIG..but its got 2000lbs of gas
in it and Id hate to have to vent it cause I cant use it.

Thanks

Gunner

That is a helium tri-mix and it is excellent for MIG on Stainless steel.
It will also work great on regular MIG, with no spatter at all.

High penetration and smooth welds.

On TIG it will destroy your tungsten.


Ok! many thanks! Ive been using it to blow up balloons for the grand
daughter..makes em float pretty good..including a condom...(her mom
nearly ****)

Ill hang on to this in case I run out of Mix gas, then use it up and
then refll with Ar.

Gunner

The aim of untold millions is to be free to do exactly as they choose
and for someone else to pay when things go wrong.

In the past few decades, a peculiar and distinctive psychology
has emerged in England. Gone are the civility, sturdy independence,
and admirable stoicism that carried the English through the war years
.. It has been replaced by a constant whine of excuses, complaints,
and special pleading. The collapse of the British character has been
as swift and complete as the collapse of British power.

Theodore Dalrymple,