setting up aluminum ?

[SuperchargedS10]

hello. i am new here, and to welding.

i understand that a SS brush and acetone are to be used to prep the area. but what type of rag to use ? i have many nearly new shop rags, will these be ok ?

when preheating the metal. how do you know its hot enough/too much ? 250deg is correct ? how do you, or do you need to, keep it preheated as the welding progresses ? what do you use to preheat ? if thin metal, would some type of extra metal, to help hold the heat, be needed/wanted ?

what does the actual puddle look like while welding ?

i will be practicing on some .100ish scrap 6061 plate pieces i have laying around.

anything you want to add ?

thanx

[Sundown]

Originally posted by SuperchargedS10
hello. i am new here, and to welding. i understand that a SS brush and acetone are to be used to prep the area. but what type of rag to use ? i have many nearly new shop rags, will these be ok ? when preheating the metal. how do you know its hot enough/too much ? 250deg is correct ? how do you, or do you need to, keep it preheated as the welding progresses ? what do you use to preheat ? if thin metal, would some type of extra metal, to help hold the heat, be needed/wanted ? what does the actual puddle look like while welding ? i will be practicing on some .100ish scrap 6061 plate pieces i have laying around. anything you want to add ?thanx

When testing the HH140 I did some 6061 (.125), I used a SS brush, acetone and for rags I just used old towels that have been unused since cleaning. No preheating for that thin of aluminum is needed (IMO). I was testing in a shop that was about 50-60° so if I had heated it some it might have helped with the poor arc starts. You didn't say which process you will be using. There are many others who know aluminum welding better than me, hopefully they will add/correct/modify what I have said. Welcome:)

[SuperchargedS10]

thanx :)

i should have added : MIG . its not for high strenght applications, just something better than Jb Weld or alumi-sticks. i will be making intake parts and brackets/mounts and the like for my truck.

[SuperchargedS10]

well, i gave it a shot today. my MAIN problem is poor, very poor/horrendous in some cases, arc starts. i brushed the surface VERY well. but often the wire would just push the gun back, then the next pass worked ok. any advice ? once i get good act starts i will be pretty good at it, at least for my needs.

also. what should ESO be ? i found that about 3/4" worked well.

btw. i have heard a LOT of stories about poor feeding and bird nesting. for me, today, my first time ever changing a liner and trying mig aluminum. i had NO feeding problems at all. and i didn't take any precautions as to keeping the hose straighter than i did with the steel wire.