Aluminium Preparation..Bevels etc

[Coulty]

Interested in hearing how bevels are achieved in preparation for a Butt weld on 10mm plate...?

[MXtras]

It can be done with a Skill saw and a carbide tipped blade.

If it is for production, there are bevelers available that use rotary cutters or the bevel can be machined.

Scott

[greywynd]

There are grinding wheels available that are s'posed to be decent for aluminum, never tried them though. I've often used flap wheels, seem to work okay, for something like that you might want to get a real coarse one to make it go faster.

[Rocky D]

You will destroy a flap disk real quick on aluminum...the best and cheapest way to bevel aluminum is a 36 grit sanding disk, on a 4.5" or 5" hand grinder, with the solid drill lube applied to the disk. It cuts way faster and doesn't clog the disk.

[Monte55]

At what thickness and up do you recommend a bevel on a butt weld? Also on let's say .050 sheet, and you wanted a flush butt weld.........would you bevel, weld, and grind...or...leave a gap in the joint and fill in with weld. I have some aluminum extruded box tube, .060 wall,1.5" x 3/8" and want to butt weld some pieces together but I want welds flush. Is it worth trying?

[Rocky D]

A lot depends on your machine's power, I would bevel 1/4" and above. Gap 1/8" material...but for your 16ga and 18ga no bevel is needed.

[Craig in Denver]

coulty: home or shop/work?
Home hobby application:
My LWS carries 2 grits for alum (4 1/2"); coarse and fine. Alum is really soft, that's why I like it so much. I don't have a lathe, nor mill. The coarse would easily bevel 10mm (7/16" ish) by hand. That's thick enough that I'd hope you can bevel and weld from both sides. Or multi-pass.

The fine is almost as good as a mill. I've used my radial arm saw, with a carbide blade (60 or 70 tooth, don't remember) to cross-cut alum, and I'd be comfortable using it to bevel 10mm. BE CAREFUL, alum is soft and when cross-cutting the blade WILL try to 'bite'. The alum chips get everywhere, however.

Monte:
.060 is pretty thin (for us hobbiests), but can surely be butt welded. I wouldn't waste my time beveling that. If it's structural, wait for the key-hole. The key-hole is a big deal in almost all butt welds; all metals. Since you want it flush, get a fine alum wheel for your 4 1/2" and 'dress' it.

And a .050" butt weld on sheet will be a handful, don't use a gap. You'll need some sort of backing to disipate the heat and give 'er a LOT of rod; the seam will 'separate'.

[Coulty]

Thanks everyone ....I'm doing a course at the local TAFE college....Aluminium welding
is not offered widely so together with the Teacher running the Eng ii and iv
we are experimenting with the machines and preparetions to achieve satisfactory results...thanks again very helpful...by the way we have been using a plane with TC blade....