How to Use an Aluminum Welder
Aluminum is considered by many welding professionals to be one of the most difficult materials to weld, according to Welding Engineer.com. This is because the metal can easily be melted by the high-voltage arc of the welder. The most popular method for welding aluminum is the Gas Metal Arc Welder, or MIG welder. In this process, aluminum wire is fed through a tube on the welding head, while gas and electricity melt the wire to form the weld. Note that certified training and safety precautions should be undertaken prior to attempting to weld aluminum or use a MIG welder. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- MIG welding machine
- Welding mask (shield)
- Welding gloves
- Steel toe boots
- Long-sleeve shirt (preferably flame retardant clothing)
Instructions
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Turn the welding machine on. Many types of MIG welders are produced, so you should follow your operator's manual. Read the volt meter and ensure that it reads to the appropriate settings per the manufacturer. 250 volts is a common setting for most MIG welders.
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Turn the gas on just 1/4 to 1/2 of a turn. Read the pressure gauge, and ensure that it reads to the gauge setting specification of the manufacturer.
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Turn the wire feed knob on the welder clockwise to feed the wire toward the welding tip. Only about an inch of wire is necessary to form the first welding bead. The wire will continue to feed on some models or must be manually fed on others.
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Hold the welding head over the spot to be welded, about 2 inches from the metal, then depress the trigger to initiate the welding process. If you're welding a seam, start at the bottom of the seam and work up. The welding head has a gas flow tube and can only be pushed in one direction. The welding head cannot be pulled--i.e, you can't start from the top of a piece of metal and work down because you'll be pulling the head.
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Tips & Warnings
Never operate a welding machine without appropriate instruction and knowledge of safety protocol.
Ensure that you always wear flame-retardant clothing with long sleeves, welding gloves, steel-toe boots, and a welding mask when welding.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit welding project image by leemarusa from Fotolia.com
