nova_70_383
- nova_70_383
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Joined:Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:51 pm
has anyone noticed any difference from one brand to another? i means as to how it welds.
ajlskater1
- ajlskater1
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Joined:Thu Feb 02, 2012 5:32 am
Not sure about other brands but the shop I work at uses AlcoTec and it welds really nice.
nova_70_383
- nova_70_383
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Joined:Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:51 pm
yep, where i work they buy alotec also. at home i bough different brands. the aluminum i got lincoln brand, it seems to be ok. different machine at home vs work so just wondering what others have experienced.
RedIron881
- RedIron881
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Joined:Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:29 am
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Location:Phoenix, AZ
I've always got good welds out of the Lincoln SuperGlaze. The biggest thing with Aluminum wire is when you look at it if it has gray spots on it... don't use it. I mean it will weld fine but the welds will come out more frosted and contaminated. It should be nice and clean right out of the box.
It's funny I can weld but can't figure out how to make a photo smaller...
It's funny I can weld but can't figure out how to make a photo smaller...
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- Aluminum.JPG (215.43 KiB) Viewed 714 times
ajlskater1
- ajlskater1
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Joined:Thu Feb 02, 2012 5:32 am
nice bead. That parts looks really close to some of the parts we do at my shop.
I've noticed some have different alloy identification techniques than others (EG: some having flattened, stamped ends with the alloy numbers in the stamping, versus others not having any identification of the alloy at all.)
I've noticed some have more of the manufacturing oils left on them than others. (Try wiping them with a white paper towel - does the paper towel stay clean?) I prefer the clean ones and, although may be overkill, for any critical or important weld, I will manually wipe them clean. I will now try and avoid buying any that aren't clean from the beginning.
Then, I've noticed some have fancier packaging than others. Some come in a rubber-banded bundle in a general purpose (e.g., loose fitting), cardboard box. Others come in smaller, tighter fitting cardboard boxes (obvisouly designed just for holding the filler rod.) And then others come in plastic containers, which I've seen in both transparent as well as opaque.
Then most are 36" long but at times I've seen them offered shorter. (Then, you can even cut off some wire from a MIG spool for a small diameter TIG aluminum filler, in a pinch.)
I've noticed some have more of the manufacturing oils left on them than others. (Try wiping them with a white paper towel - does the paper towel stay clean?) I prefer the clean ones and, although may be overkill, for any critical or important weld, I will manually wipe them clean. I will now try and avoid buying any that aren't clean from the beginning.
Then, I've noticed some have fancier packaging than others. Some come in a rubber-banded bundle in a general purpose (e.g., loose fitting), cardboard box. Others come in smaller, tighter fitting cardboard boxes (obvisouly designed just for holding the filler rod.) And then others come in plastic containers, which I've seen in both transparent as well as opaque.
Then most are 36" long but at times I've seen them offered shorter. (Then, you can even cut off some wire from a MIG spool for a small diameter TIG aluminum filler, in a pinch.)