Welding Aluminium advice

[FNQCairns]

A while ago I built myself a steel trailer to suit a 6m boat out of 3.5mm section I used a small cigweld arc welder that kept overheating but it did the job and I am happy for it. When I was looking for this arc welder I was constantly advised against it and told to buy some U beaut mig for many hundreds of dollars.

Very soon, I would like to buy a welder that I can do aluminum welding, what is the cheapest unit I can buy that will get the job done, just like in the story above but in aluminum this time.
I have just again got of the phone from talking to a couple of welding salesmen and I am getting the same speak - need to spend $1700 minimum to weld 3mm, hope they are not right this time.

Can anyone set me straight?

thanks fnq

[blaze]

Hi NQ
I have a CIG brumby 180 mig, it would do what you want as mine does for me. I dont think you can buy them any more but if you did a google and found the specs on that one and tried to match them specs to the later model jobs. Dont think you would want any less amps, even for 3mm. I would also look to see if you can get double drive rollers in the price you are looking as that would make a lot of difference. I would reckon you will find something around $1000 that will do the job.
cheers
blaze

[FNQCairns]

Thanks Blaze, there are a heap of migs on ebay, made in china I guess and cheap!, once I have a mig what do I need to add to it to weld? do you have gas?
I really don't have a clue what to consider.

cheers fnq

[finga64]

Get a welder common in aussie and my preferrance is for one with a Bernard gun on it.
I wouldn't consider one from anywhere that I couldn't take it back to a shop front and shove it up somebodies nose if it stuffed up.
I have a little WIA mig and does the job OK for me.
Only trouble I had setting up was not able to fit the big rolls of ali wire in the little sucker so I just made a remote box to bung the wire in.
Here's a little one for a grand that's OK
http://www.tradetools.com.au/ProdVie...Product=POR200
Or
[urlhttp://www.tradetools.com.au/ProdView.aspx?popup=1&Category=SXQ60D1&Product=PRO 240][/url]
It's easier to use the gas. I hate the gaslees wire
You'll need a different liner for the gun. That's one reason why I like the Bernard guns. You can easily get the liners and tips and shields anywhere and my last liner for ali was about $50 or so.
Shop around for the ali wire too. Huge difference in prices around the place.
Good fun eh

[FNQCairns]

NOPE! not fun yet!

Finga what do you think of this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....6329&rd=1&rd=1

I know it is not in the class of the ones you linked, what do you think? could I consider this as an absolute minimum? sort of like my little stick welder?

cheers fnq

[plat-a-puss]

HI FNQ have u welded ali b4 if not ther are a few things to consider your ali have to be very clean( a wire brush all your joins) been a welder by trade i reckon WIA is the best u can get u will also need twin rollers a teflon liner to make the wire glide to ur hand peice min 1.2mm wire and 1.2mm contact tips a gas sheilding (the gases out these days have diff temps resulting in diff weld peno) so check with ur gas dealer as to what u need remember to keep ur handpeice in a large semi circle or straight so ur wire is easier to push better still if u can hang your welder in the air thats even betterand dont put too much tension on ur wire rollers or the wire will birds nest good luck

[finga64]

Don't touch it.
It's a tig, stick welder and only a DC tig so you would not be able to do alloy at all.
Sorry mate.

[fishingjew]

Mate brought a wia 250s of Aitken welding supplies second hand paid $1000 for the unit excellent machine weld up to 10mm alloy or steel had the machine for 12 months and had trouble with the wire feed motor they replaced it with a brand new one no charge excellent to deal with . Might suggest though if going mig do a course at taft so you get to know your transfer settings (eg spray. globular)

http://www.aitkenwelding.com/about.htm

They sell second hand

[fsh00]

Talk to the dealers they will point you in the right direction, you need a lot of amps to weld ally properly with a mig.

[FNQCairns]

Thanks for the replies, spent over 3k this week on stuff to fit out the tinny and have sticker shock fairly bad.
Trouble is the more I spend tooling up, the longer the boat takes to get on the water and catch fish!!!!, might have to enlist the Pro's, anyone got a recommendation for an alloy welder in the Cairns area?

Finga, thanks for that.

cheers fnq

[blaze]

Hi Nq
we have a couple of guys that run around operating their mobile welding service. Get every thing together, pre cut etc and then bring a man in for a day.
cheers
blaze

[baldyhead]

Hi FNQ I get Nev from N B Prop Works to do all my ali welding. Does exceptional work @ very reasonable prices. 8 Svendsen st off Lyons St. Ph 40510118. Tell him TFB sent yuh...he will scratch his head but will look after yuh. cheers baldy

[FNQCairns]

Thanks for all the good advice. I will start saving for one of the good ones mentioned above, one basic machine that does all will suit me fine, should have done it ages ago.

Baldy dropped in this morning with photo's of how the boat is now, clean shop, think he is still scratching his head over the TFB name drop, I even tried Baldyhead but that didn't help either!

Will get him to weld her up in the new year.

Thanks for the direction.

cheers fnq