MIG welding and advice

[MrBasse]

Originally Posted by Justin Shelley

In order to weld Aluminum with a MIG you have to have a TIG gun. As far as getting gas I would contact a welding gas supplier near you and lease the tanks, OzarkGas is who I would contact first. They are extremely reasonable and highly qualified.

Originally Posted by Justin Shelley

It's because you have to have a completely different setup to weld aluminum then you do steel. I wouldn't say it makes it completely useless but it's expensive to keep both setups and time consuming to switch back and forth.

Be sure that you understand welding processes before you give out too much information. MIG and TIG are abbreviations for the same process (GMAW), but differ greatly in the fact that the machine, electrode, filler material delivery, cost, much more are dissimilar.

You can MIG weld aluminum, but as mentioned the contamination is hard to avoid if used for other materials. Also the quality of weld achieved from a MIG welder is generally not to the same level as one can get with a pedal operated TIG set-up. It should still be plenty fine for FRC uses, but don't expect beautiful flowing material spec rated aluminum welds out of the machine that the OP has.

For gas, check some medical supply shops and a quick google search for your area based on city alone brought up a handful of welding supply shops. Looks like you guys are in the Airgas supply area, as well as many others. Between Airgas, Delta, and Rod's you have your choice of 3-4 shops within ten minutes of the city listed in your location.

The best advice is to get some training from someone who knows what they are doing and then run through a whole spool of wire practicing. But, practice on the same material you will be using during the season. If you are buying a particular type of aluminum tubing, get a chunk of it. Buy a lot of usable drops from your supplier and start burning holes in those until you can get a reliable bead built up. Then start connecting pieces together and see what it takes to break them apart. Some of the most fun we had in welding classes was the "toss test." Just find some concrete and chuck a test weld in the air ten or fifteen feet. If it survives the landing then move on to the real part to be welded.

And have fun, welding is one of those addicting hobbies you never seem to stop doing once you start.