hope you were having a bad day when this was posted. not a good way to encourage questions or answers. just because someone doesnt give thier life history doesnt mean they dont know anthing.

My thoughts also Seldom thus my post . Bless you brother hope you are doing well today .

Sam

Ken, Sam, you boys seem to know you're XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX when it comes to welding ally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Many on this site would love to learn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yet somehow it becomes a contest as to who can pee the furthest????????????
Ken, with respect- you eluded to the fact that AC(& high freq.) was not req, but you did not elaborate- this does not help the man to benifit from your vast experience! & Sam it's better to have someone inside the tent peeing out than someone outside peeing in!
Come into the tent and share your knowledge!!!!!!!!!!
I mean no disrespect here chaps- others apreciate the sharing of knowledge, & the old days/&/ways of keeping knowledge secret has led to a great demise of once great industries!
regards Ian

I think you are biting off more than you can chew at the moment ESPECIALLY if you are wanting to join aluminum AND cast it but don't know how to do either one.... One thing at a time: if you are wanting to join aluminum, pick a process. The available choices you have are; SMAW (stick), GMAW (mig), GTAW (tig), OAW (oxy-fuel), soldering, riveting, and epoxy. The process you choose will be solely dependent upon what you are trying to accomplish. Welding is the most commonly used joining process and out of the welding processes, GMAW (mig) and GTAW (tig) are used the most with tig having the higher quality and better visual appearance as compared to mig.

 

With the tig welding process, high-frequency AC current is used with an argon or argon/helium mixed gas is used. Helium is added because it has a higher ionization potential than argon which creates a "hotter" arc, meant for thicker sections but only a maximum of 75% helium mix is used since argon is needed for the "cleaning action" to break down the oxides that form on aluminum at atmospheric temperatures. Argon is most commonly used as the cost is approximately 1/4 that of a helium mix. Tig has the highest initial cost but is worth it for quality and appearance.

 

With the mig welding process, DCEP current is used with the same gases as tig for the same reasons.

 

Both mig and tig welding can be used to join MANY different alloys in addition to aluminum. A preheat is usually used on thick sections of aluminum (thick, in this case being 1/4" or thicker) because of the high thermal conductivity associated with the material.

 

The best thing you can do has already been suggested; take some welding courses at the local technical/career center then make your decision. "You need to learn to walk before you can run"!! :ph34r: 

 

-Hillbilly

My thoughts exactly Ian. Jr used to have "Knowledge must be shared or else it lies dead in the mind" as his 'signature'. These words among a FEW others have been permanently etched upon my memory. Words of the wise from a few of the old dogs. I agree, many things on here become a pi$$ing match between many talented people which is sad. I have come to learn that there are 101 ways to skin a cat, therefore, not ONE way is correct in the welding industry.

 

-Hillbilly

 

P.S; Has anything happened to Jr (irnsrgn)?? Haven"t heard from or seen anything from him in a LONG time...

Two items that took me the longest to learn were welding the crack of dawn and a broken heart....There are not enough words for me to outline wot they take. 

Irnsrgn retired from blacksmithing, sold his tools and his shop. He now spends his time woodworking.