How to Weld Aluminum Alloy 6063-T5

6063 aluminum is typically used on curved tubes.

The biggest problem that many people have when welding aluminum is that the material is much softer than steel and so welds much more quickly. It is also much easier to burn through aluminum, particularly 6063 T5 aluminum, which is relatively soft and ductile when compared with 6061 aluminum. You can use either of two filler wires for welding 6063. Using 4043 wire will result in a more attractive and more easily polished weld, and 5356 wire will result in a stronger weld, but one that will have a frosty appearance that is somewhat difficult to polish.

Things You'll Need

• Welding clamps
• MIG welder
• Choice of either 4043 or 5356 aluminum welding wire
• Welding helmet

Instructions

1. Clamp the work pieces together in the position in which they are to be welded and then attach the negative ground clamp onto the work piece near to where the weld will be performed.

2. Load the MIG welder with your choice of welding wire, either 4043 or 5356, depending on the final weld characteristics you want to achieve.

3. Set the welder to the correct wire speed and power based on the chart you will find on the inside of the panel where you loaded the welding wire. These settings will be determined by the thickness of the aluminum you are welding.

4. Turn on the welder and lower your welding helmet so that you can see through the visor. Feed the aluminum welding wire through the tip of the welding gun until it extends 1/4 of an inch past the end of the gun tip.

5. Position the welding gun above the area you will be welding and pull the trigger. When it strikes the aluminum, you will see a pool of metal form where the electrode touches. Because the weld material is 6063 T5 aluminum, the pool will form quickly, so you will have to work quickly to avoid burning through the material. When the weld pool has reached approximately 1/4 of an inch, begin moving the welding electrode across the weld joint.

6. Stitch the welding gun back and forth between the two pieces being welded. It will seem to you that the weld pool is following the electrode of the welding gun across the aluminum. This is good. Move the weld pool steadily but quickly across the joint until you have completed the weld.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are unfamiliar with welding, it may be a good idea to wear gloves and a long sleeve shirt. While the welding sparks won't necessarily harm you, they do make the process of welding uncomfortable if you aren't used to them.

• Always wear a welding helmet when welding any type of metal. The electrode is extremely bright and looking directly at it for extended periods of time can cause permanent eye damage.

References

• "Welding Complete: Techniques, Project Plans & Instructions"; Editors of CPi; 2009
• "Welder's Handbook, Revised: A Guide to Plasma Cutting, Oxyacetylene, ARC, MIG and TIG Welding"; Richard Finch; 2007
• "Welding Manual"; John Haynes; 1995