Welding Tips and Tricks

I was going to get an AHP Tig welder in a week. It is like $100 off. But, then I saw the AHP Mig welder and it is like $400 off. I want to weld or at least try to weld, aluminum. If I get the AHP Mig welder, what do I need for aluminum? From what I have read, I think I need a spool gun. If that plus the price of the welder and the stuff you use to run it, costs more than the Tig welder, I will just go with Tig.

For regular mig you'll want a missed tank of gas but for spoil gun you'll need pure argon. So it may depend on the price of argon and the tank in your area.

You don't need a spoolgun to weld aluminum. However, it is much less hassle than running through your standard mig gun. If you use the standard mig gun you should change the drive wheels, liner and tip. That will help eliminate contamination from steel wire, but anytime you have the wire stick at the tip you will end up with a bird's nest inside your machine and probably arc something out. The spoolgun can be setup for just aluminum and it only has to push the soft aluminum wire a few inches instead of 10 feet so there are a lot fewer problems.
Welding aluminum does require 100% argon as farmwelding has indicated. If all you want to do is try aluminum, might be worth sticking with the tig as you don't need to buy anything else.

Thanks for the tips. Yes, I just ordered the AHP Alpha tig. In face, the mig welder was not the one I thought. That one is sold out. Plus, tig seems much funner to learn right now. All I have to do, is find a place to get a tank and argon. I wrote to Roberts Oxygen and Earlbeck.

I am also getting a cutting torch tomorrow from Home Depot. I was just looking through my pictures on my Mac. I finally uploaded a video to my youtube welding channel. haha I had the torch once. I think I returned it because I was in fear of blowing myself up. LOL So, minus that, things should be interesting.

Glowzinski wrote:Thanks for the tips. Yes, I just ordered the AHP Alpha tig. In face, the mig welder was not the one I thought. That one is sold out. Plus, tig seems much funner to learn right now. All I have to do, is find a place to get a tank and argon. I wrote to Roberts Oxygen and Earlbeck.

I am also getting a cutting torch tomorrow from Home Depot. I was just looking through my pictures on my Mac. I finally uploaded a video to my youtube welding channel. haha I had the torch once. I think I returned it because I was in fear of blowing myself up. LOL So, minus that, things should be interesting.

Aren't you taking the into to welding course at Earl Beck? If so you'll go through cutting torch set-up and safety, oxy/acetylene welding, mig, tig and stick.. Its a good course for the beginner!

That was the plan. haha But, I kind of like learning stuff on my own. You know? Sites like this make that easy. People know about this and that and they can answer any questions I have. But, I guess it does make sense to take the class.