Working on a small project

[welder2009]

Ok so I'm welding these cabnits and the materiel is aluminum, its very,very thin, now I'm familiar with welding with just carbon metal and steel, and I just know how to stick and mig weld, but I've never welded aluminum. The reason I'm making these cabnits is because my sisters birthday is coming up in about a few weeks and I know she's been wanting some aluminum cabnits, so I ordered some sheets of aluminum and I cut out a couple pieces to practice on before I start on the real project, all I have to weld with is a AC/DC stick welder. Please leave any tips or any help, thanks.

Oh and I've known about this site for a few months now and I liked to browse around and now I just decided to go ahead an sign up, so hello to everyone.

[Pangea]

You are going to ruin a bunch of expensive metal with that welding setup. It should be GTAW welded using AC and Argon if it's thin. It will warp. That is a fact no matter what you weld it with.

Good intentions aint gonna cut it this time big brother. You need help on this project.

[Hotfoot]

Might be time for a sheet bender and Pop Rivets! That stick welder will make a mess out of thin sheet aluminum.:o

[welder2009]

So what? It'll just burn up on me? Well I cant think of the measurment of the metal cause it's not at my house right now, but its about as thick as a letter you'd recieve in the mail.

[autohausfab]

i agree with the bender and rivets itll come out much nicer

[welder2009]

Well I dont have nothing to bend it with and I perfer to weld it.

[Pangea]

Yes, it will burn away from the excessive amperage (for the application at hand)that you will have to use to get a rod to arc. Maybe you can buy some aluminum angle, weld a frame, then rivet the aluminum skins to the frame. Just get some 1/4" angle. That ought to be thick enough to arc weld if you don't sit in one spot too long.

[Hotfoot]

"Well I dont have nothing to bend it with"...I've pretty acceptable bends on soft (eg: aluminumn), thin metals using two nice sharp edged boards clamped tightly together in a vise, the tapping another board on the exposed section to get the bend...finish with smacking the "bend over" board all along with a plastic mallet.

I know you want to dive in and weld it...but I'm just suggesting how you might better accomplish your goal of building a cabinet. Few, if any, of us on this forum would attempt it with DC Aluminum rod...too thin!

Another approach would be to use corner 1 x 1" hardwood pieces, and screw the aluminum sheets to them with some nice stainless button head screws, then just butt-joint the corners...no bending. I'd put some adhesive in these joints, as well.

Remember...Allways strive to make something that you'll be proud for people to look at. Nothing worse than them snickering behind your back.

You can do it, and do it well...set your eyes on the finished cabinet....go practice welding aluminum on some scrap.

My 2 centavos worth!:o

[mcostello]

I am a noobie with a regular TIG outfit, and about 1/2 big tank of Argon gone in the way of experience. It was EVER SO EASY to melt the edge of 1 1/2" round and just about put it in my lap. I had luckly used the "fast freeze " filler rod and did not get burned. :) These guys are giving very good advice. You might want to practice on the back and "hidden" joints first.