[Burnit]

Has anyone here done this? Is it as bad as everyone makes it sound?

 

[Supe]

I've done it, and done some gorgeous T/Inside corner joints with it. Problem is that it burns so fast, I had to practically fall into the joint to keep an ok arc length. Don't know if I would be brave enough to try any butt joints with the stuff.

 

[Teddco]

I've run through 3/4 lb. of Al SMAW rods playing with different DC reverse polarity current settings and made some decent looking beads on butt joints, but they have a lot of porosity and usually fail a hammer whack test. As stated previously, the rod feed rate is surprisingly quick. The flux fumes are nasty. Pre-weld cleanliness and oxide removal are important. Pre-heat of parts to be welded seemed to improve weld quality. I haven't mastered it yet, but it can be done.

 

[Burnit]

What size rods were you guys using? What was the amperage like? Is it alot higher than it would be for steel electrodes?

 

[Donald Branscom]

The weldment must be very clean. Learning to use the rod is not diffacult.
The rods are VERY VERY suseptable to moisture and are expensive. Like $60 per pound !
If you left them out of an air tight container over night all of the flux will have fallen off.

I am not exagerating.

They can be very handy for field repair of sheet rock step stools etc.,.

 

[Burnit]

Like $60 per pound !

Ohhhh. Well that bags that Idea. I had just never seen in done, and I like to go into work on Saturday mornings and try different things, practice etc... But at 60 a lb, I'll pass :laugh:

 

[Kangi]

Back when I was a youngun, I convinced my dad to let me weld a crack in our pontoon boat. I was just through 9 months of welding at the local trade school and had more confidence than skill, it turned into a mess, dad said punt and took it to the local welding shop, haven't tried alum SMAW since.

 

[Burnit]

I just called a friend from the supply place, I can get a 1 lb. box of 5/32 4043 for about 30 bucks. I think Im gonna try this next weekend.

 

[JTMcC]

It's a lot less than $60/lbs. Try Ram Supply.

It's not hard, just different, you'll never really see the puddle, you have to travel fast forward and feed the rod fast. With a little practice they run pretty slick.

JTMcC.

 

[farmersamm]

I asked a bunch of guys on the site here about it. Got some good advice. Found a pretty good deal(well relatively good) on Blue Demon(or some such crap)rods at the LWS, then found out that Tubby had shipped all of his scrap aluminum just before the market went down. So it's still on hold.

I hope somebody can post some pics. I'm dyin to try it.

 

[Burnit]

I'm gonna try this soon, I will post pics in this thread.

 

[6010]

I can get a 1 lb. box of 5/32 4043 for about 30 bucks

I bought some smaller quantities from Lowe's. I can't remember who made them, I think maybe Lincoln. This is what I learned. Weld hot, and move fast. This is something that will take some practice if you want it to look decent.

 

[Jolly Roger]

I've used them with good results, but I really prefer mig or tig for it. You do have to go fast and hot. You run them at about the same amperage as the corresponding size 7018. I even managed to run them uphill on a vertical butt on some pretty thin stuff with good results. The main thing is getting used to the travel speed. Prep is just as important with smaw as with gtaw.

 

[Burnit]

Oh yeah Jolly, I would rather MIG or TIG too, this isn't really researching an alternative, I just wanna try it, you don't hear much about it.
And if I end up running some decent beads then I have it in the bag 'o' tricks.

 

[mrmikey]

It can be done, we call them 'gull s**t rods, as in it usually looks like seagull s**t when you're done.
I have done a not too bad looking bead with them but it's more the exception than the rule.
As Donald said they have to be extremely dry. The best luck I've had is running the torch over them as well as what you're welding for a couple of seconds.....Mike

 

[JTMcC]

If you take the time to learn how to use them, they look quite nice.

I can say that any welding rod produces ugly welds when run by people who don't know what they are doing.

JTMcC.

 

[Oldtimer]

Stick welding aluminum isn't hard, it's just a lot different than welding steel. After you learn what you have to do you can run some nice looking beads with stick. It works well on thicker material. Forget using it on thin aluminum, you will just make a mess. Use preheat. If you try to weld on cold material it just makes a mess that you have to clean up and redo. When the parent metal is at the right heat you can get a smooth, solid weld. It is old, old technology but interesting to know how to do I guess.

 

[tapwelder]

I posted a few pictures of my experience a while back.

Last time I was going to weld something with Al stick, I got all set up struck a few arcs-- then asked myself why...? went and got my spoolgun and finished my job.

I don't think you move forward particularly fast as the downward feed is faster-- At least my experience on 1/8" steel. Also, I kept some mig pliers handy because when you break an arc the flux coats the tip, use to pliers to break the flux off the tip. Tapping the rod will result in a bent rod and chipped flux elsewhere on the rod.

My rods can also be used as brazing rods, so old rods missing flux could still be used by somebody.

 

[aametalmaster]

My rods can also be used as brazing rods, so old rods missing flux could still be used by somebody.

Wow never thought of that. I have boxes of them with the flux off...Bob

 

[JTMcC]

I have ti disagree again. They run fine on thin aluminum. I've repaired quite a few small water storage tanks that had corroded thru in fact that's where I had to learn to use the rods.
And in my experience forward travel is at a very brisk pace. I've only burned maybe 50 or 60 lbs over the years but that's quite a few small repairs.
Very pretty welds can be made with those rods.

JTMcC.