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Anyone ever stick welded aluminum? (Boat repair/patchwork)
Posted on 3/27/19 at 11:20 am
Posted on 3/27/19 at 11:20 am
My dad has this Lincoln welder.
we're thinking of welding aluminum plate over the live well holes in lieu of the screw/expoxy method for our boat project. tractor supply sells some hobart aluminum rods and i was wondering if anyone has any experience using these? fast/slow? push/pull method? cursive "e" method? amp level?
we're thinking of welding aluminum plate over the live well holes in lieu of the screw/expoxy method for our boat project. tractor supply sells some hobart aluminum rods and i was wondering if anyone has any experience using these? fast/slow? push/pull method? cursive "e" method? amp level?
This post was edited on 3/27/19 at 1:07 pm
9
Posted on 3/27/19 at 11:45 am to finchmeister08
I know you're looking at it as a project but you could use stainless rivets.
I can't comment on welding aluminum
I can't comment on welding aluminum
Posted on 3/27/19 at 11:54 am to finchmeister08
I’m not a welder but you’ve just gotten to the point that everyone fooling with an old aluminum boat gets to eventually. The short answer is yes, you can stick weld aluminum, but it’s probably not going to work out like you’re envisioning it. The correct way to weld aluminum is to TIG weld it. YouTube will point you towards some ways it can potentially be done, but all will start with a disclaimer that it isn’t supposed to be done this way.
Brazing and rivets will work out much better in the long run. There’s plenty on YouTube about that too. I’ve brazed several things on my boat and have been very impressed with the results.
Brazing and rivets will work out much better in the long run. There’s plenty on YouTube about that too. I’ve brazed several things on my boat and have been very impressed with the results.
This post was edited on 3/27/19 at 12:07 pm
Posted on 3/27/19 at 11:55 am to finchmeister08
I'm a fairly decent welder.
Tried it once and it looked like Fido's arse.
Will pay someone to do it next time.
Tried it once and it looked like Fido's arse.
Will pay someone to do it next time.
Posted on 3/27/19 at 12:02 pm to finchmeister08
I have. It's not bad if you are using in on thicker aluminum 3/8" and up. Thin sheet metal or diamond plate can be done but is a pain. For thin material I would recommend welding downhill. The aluminum rods will consume very quickly and you only get about half the rod used before it gets to hot.
I would recommend either using a spool gun or heliarc
I would recommend either using a spool gun or heliarc
Posted on 3/27/19 at 12:31 pm to finchmeister08
I've never heard of a good experience with it. If you cant mig or tig it, dont weld it.
Posted on 3/27/19 at 3:01 pm to finchmeister08
I've never heard of good experiences using those rods, especially not on thin aluminum. I'd use Alumiweld brand rods before I used those. The alumiweld rods are actually very effective if used exactly to spec.
No way I'd trust that setup as it is right now with those screws, but with 3 items you can make it good enough for gov'ment work: 1) Marine 5200 2) Marine silicone 3) Rivnuts from harbor freight (item # 1210) and maybe some rubber washers with stainless hardware to be safe.
I'd clean that aluminum up again, match your drill bit size to the EXACT spec of the rivnut hole diameter, drill em out, and then apply the marine 5200 and tighten everything down with the rivnuts while caulking the bolts and rivnuts to be thorough. Caulking with silicone would give you the option to remove them later- unlike if you used marine 5200 to caulk with.
Those rivnuts are legit. I've used hundreds of them and in many applications the rivet has a bolt screwed in and out of it daily. The rivnut tool kinda sucks regarding longevity, but it's harbor freight. The rivets themselves are much more secure than those screws, as well as using standard aluminum pop rivets.
If not tig welded, that's what I'd do; that, or use Alumiweld rods and even then I'd still back the weld up with rivnuts or some type of fastener. (The Alumiweld BRAND rods can also be bought at harbor freight, although they are not a HF product. Per usual with welding aluminum, you have to use a clean, STAINLESS steel brush and acetone and clean your joints up really well and, at a minimum, use a MAP gas torch to heat the joints.)
I just think of yall got out in some tooth rattling chop that those screws are gonna shear. That's my .02 cents on it anyway.
No way I'd trust that setup as it is right now with those screws, but with 3 items you can make it good enough for gov'ment work: 1) Marine 5200 2) Marine silicone 3) Rivnuts from harbor freight (item # 1210) and maybe some rubber washers with stainless hardware to be safe.
I'd clean that aluminum up again, match your drill bit size to the EXACT spec of the rivnut hole diameter, drill em out, and then apply the marine 5200 and tighten everything down with the rivnuts while caulking the bolts and rivnuts to be thorough. Caulking with silicone would give you the option to remove them later- unlike if you used marine 5200 to caulk with.
Those rivnuts are legit. I've used hundreds of them and in many applications the rivet has a bolt screwed in and out of it daily. The rivnut tool kinda sucks regarding longevity, but it's harbor freight. The rivets themselves are much more secure than those screws, as well as using standard aluminum pop rivets.
If not tig welded, that's what I'd do; that, or use Alumiweld rods and even then I'd still back the weld up with rivnuts or some type of fastener. (The Alumiweld BRAND rods can also be bought at harbor freight, although they are not a HF product. Per usual with welding aluminum, you have to use a clean, STAINLESS steel brush and acetone and clean your joints up really well and, at a minimum, use a MAP gas torch to heat the joints.)
I just think of yall got out in some tooth rattling chop that those screws are gonna shear. That's my .02 cents on it anyway.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 7:11 am to finchmeister08
I suck at welding. But I have had a ton of experience working around welders and ironworkers.
There is an art to aluminum welding. If you try to “make do” without having the right equipment and experience, you will not be pleased with your results.
I’m as DIY as they come, but I wouldn’t attempt this.
There is an art to aluminum welding. If you try to “make do” without having the right equipment and experience, you will not be pleased with your results.
I’m as DIY as they come, but I wouldn’t attempt this.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 7:45 am to finchmeister08
Posted on 3/28/19 at 7:54 am to finchmeister08
I've done some reinforcing of my 14ft flat's transom by using a 110V Lincoln MIG 135 without a spool gun. Was not easy but it worked. I used 100% Argon, a Teflon liner in the whip while keeping it straight as possible. I also did some more and borrowed a friend's Hobart MIG with a spool gun. Much easier but fought with the wind outside blowing my shielding gas off the bead.
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