[G-ManBart]

For aluminum you're pretty much limited to two main paths. One is a MIG welder with either a spool gun or push/pull gun .

If I wanted to, and had the projects/work, I could MIG aluminum all day long without a spoolgun nor a push-pull gun. Just saying.

I can only assume you're referring to your Pro Pulse that will push aluminum through the normal torch, right? I doubt the OP is going to drop $5K on his first welder, but maybe there's a far less expensive machine I'm not familiar with. That's why I said "pretty much limited to" rather than just "limited to"...trying to keep it in the ballpark of what seems reasonable.

[Oscar]

Yes, but you don't need the big momma, as the lil'un can do the same and is rated for just over 1/4". So about $2.2k Yea I know it's a stretch, but if the shoe fits..

[BugHunter]

How would you suggest they be welded then? I'm just curious, because TIG would at minimum triple the labor cost to say nothing of the higher skill level required. That being said we almost always weld things on both sides and we run hot enough that on most thicknesses we are only a hair away from full penetration and often do get penetration through to the backside that we need to clean up before welding.

If he's doing it himself then the labor cost is $0.

Anytime you put a great big glob of metal on a part, you have a stress area right where the glob ends. Well that is exactly what a mig weld is. Unless you can get it to flow out, you have a great big hump and that is a recipe for disaster. In a fatigued environment, that is going to be the number one place will break. I like the idea of TIG because you have a minimum of filler and you also end up with a wider reduction in tensile near the weld.

Again, j m h o. This is all just conjecture and opinion. Isn't the internet great!

[tweake]

Buy a decent MIG machine and forego the TIG for now. Its more versatile (DC for steel and Aluminum) and all you need is a different bottle of gas. MIG steel uses 75%argon/25CO2. MIG ally is 100% argon.

the problem i have with this is learning to weld. your asking him to jump straight to one of the harder things to do without actually learning to weld first.

For aluminum you're pretty much limited to two main paths. One is a MIG welder with either a spool gun or push/pull gun and a tank of 100% argon. .............

The other choice is a TIG machine that has AC output.........

+1
good middle of the road machine.
learn stick welding steel first. then tig and aluminium tig.
then look at aluminium mig for large scale projects.

but first YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO WELD.

side note: most euro aluminum mig is done with normal mig gun. push pull gun not needed unless a long way from the machine.

[sbaker56]

How would you suggest they be welded then? I'm just curious, because TIG would at minimum triple the labor cost to say nothing of the higher skill level required. That being said we almost always weld things on both sides and we run hot enough that on most thicknesses we are only a hair away from full penetration and often do get penetration through to the backside that we need to clean up before welding.

If he's doing it himself then the labor cost is $0.

Anytime you put a great big glob of metal on a part, you have a stress area right where the glob ends. Well that is exactly what a mig weld is. Unless you can get it to flow out, you have a great big hump and that is a recipe for disaster. In a fatigued environment, that is going to be the number one place will break. I like the idea of TIG because you have a minimum of filler and you also end up with a wider reduction in tensile near the weld.

Again, j m h o. This is all just conjecture and opinion. Isn't the internet great!

Aluminum should be welded in spray as the mode of transfer rather than short circuit so there shouldn't be any globing at all, perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're saying however.

While I agree if he is doing this for fun, wasting time isn't necessarily an issue, and I prefer to tig weld things myself whenever I have the option to regardless of if it's the fastest option just because I enjoy tig more. However I would still value one's own labor above $0 . But I was more talking about production welding of aluminum in general as your comment seemed aimed at the process itself of Mig welding aluminum, but as I said earlier, perhaps I misunderstood, and we are certainly all entitled to our own conjecture and opinion.

[BugHunter]

Aluminum should be welded in spray as the mode of transfer rather than short circuit so there shouldn't be any globing at all, perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're saying however.

While I agree if he is doing this for fun, wasting time isn't necessarily an issue, and I prefer to tig weld things myself whenever I have the option to regardless of if it's the fastest option just because I enjoy tig more. However I would still value one's own labor above $0 . But I was more talking about production welding of aluminum in general as your comment seemed aimed at the process itself of Mig welding aluminum, but as I said earlier, perhaps I misunderstood, and we are certainly all entitled to our own conjecture and opinion.

All of my comments here are made with the big picture in mind. Keep in mind we're talking about the op who has a limited budget by his own admission, and spray is going to require rather a lot of power. Ergo a lot of money for the machine. So that really never entered into my thoughts.

Next, I'm assuming because of what he said he wants to weld relatively thin aluminum sheet, not exactly conducive to a beginner running spray amps. Again, j m h o.

I will just shut up and sit in the corner now. Thanks everybody!

[sms986]

Regarding the structural integrity of the welds I plan on doing, I don't think it matters. The folks building the hull are going to put in all of the structural stuff-engine mounts etc. I'm essentially just building some livewells and stuff. If a weld breaks, I'll pat myself on the back for trying and have a pro do it.