I have been burned like this before, and now I am very finicky about only welding on known materials.
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I can’t weld this aluminum
- Thread starter Janderso
- Start date
do you have a good ground close or on the piece of aluminum...sorry, I know that's dumb, but I haven't come across aluminum that had those traits.
Do you have any the aluminum around to see if it IS the material?
Do you have any the aluminum around to see if it IS the material?
Please see my earlier post where I melted some known 6061 = no problem.
$.50 a lb. it looked good.
I changed my project to sheet metal. This is a mixture of 12 gauge, 10 gauge steel and a piece of stainless for the top.
I will have three chambers for sediment, an incoming screen, mesh with the pump at the clean end of the chambers.
I am making all of this with stock on hand.
I’m going to need a couple hinges for the top piece as it will be split to allow for service.
Now, to stitch weld the seams to prevent warpage and leaks.
I used my Hyperthermia 45 and the plasma table drawer.
I feel a heck of a lot better about this outcome.
I will have three chambers for sediment, an incoming screen, mesh with the pump at the clean end of the chambers.
I am making all of this with stock on hand.
I’m going to need a couple hinges for the top piece as it will be split to allow for service.
Now, to stitch weld the seams to prevent warpage and leaks.
I used my Hyperthermia 45 and the plasma table drawer.
I feel a heck of a lot better about this outcome.
Attachments
Oh it's like that, just going to leave us hanging with the mystery aluminum. 
Your slide out plasma table was a great idea, glad to see it is working well for you. I'm still trying to figure out the logistics of a plasma cutter here, what a wonderful tool.
Your slide out plasma table was a great idea, glad to see it is working well for you. I'm still trying to figure out the logistics of a plasma cutter here, what a wonderful tool.
Some guys can cut a perfectly straight line with an angle grinder.Oh it's like that, just going to leave us hanging with the mystery aluminum.
Your slide out plasma table was a great idea, glad to see it is working well for you. I'm still trying to figure out the logistics of a plasma cutter here, what a wonderful tool.
This plasma cutter opens up so many possibilities, making these panels was no big deal.
I’m sure a heavy duty shear would be better but, in a pinch.
You may already have something like this, but in class they had a straight edge for the plasma cutter. Basically a piece of 1/2" or 5/8" rod welded to a piece of plate maybe 3/8" by about 6" wide, with a handle attached. It was probably 14-18" long. Heavy but it sure made cutting a straight line easier.
The CNC Plasma cam they had was a really neat toy. About $12000 but one can dream.
Glad you found it wasn't a gas problem. In the past I've had some bad gas. It's stained my shorts either dark brown or in some cases almost black. Even then it didn't have any effect on my welding other than making my eyes water, and causing me to gasp for fresh air.
On another note a quick search on the Lincoln website mentions both the 2000 and 7000 series aluminums are difficult to weld. They are both used in the aerospace industry and are combined with zinc, magnesium, copper and other alloys that make them nearly impossible to weld.
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That is a good idea, measuring and clamping this piece of bar stock for each line is a royal PITA