HH210 alum

[Sberry]

I am a speed demon. It takes about a minute of weld time to install a hydrant in thse old pipes. I have been tossing some obsolete, bite the bullet and cut out they hyd and install it in a pipe I really want it in vs some makeshift scheme from long ago. I bought a couple of new ones too.

HH210, spool gun 030

[mikecwik]

Do you need any new hands on your farm/shop?

[Northweldor]

I am a speed demon. It takes about a minute of weld time to install a hydrant in thse old pipes. I have been tossing some obsolete, bite the bullet and cut out they hyd and install it in a pipe I really want it in vs some makeshift scheme from long ago. I bought a couple of new ones too.

HH210, spool gun 030

Nice demo of the value of the spool-gun option!

[Sberry]

At the time we field tested unit we just didnt run in to a place where we had much alum. It really doesnt interest me all that much but,,, in reality has made the tig a lonley unit. I am sloppy as I am usually in a hurry at the point I need it but I really havnt ran across anything I couldnt do with it. If a guy is dilligent it does a nice job, is super fast.

[Sberry]

Mike, I wish I had some big projects coming, it would be interesting to glean the manpower from here.

[Sberry]

Its a hard thing to explain but considering ther cost of welding schools, What I would really like to do it make a trade with a couple professional types for crash course welder training. People in computer science, office orgaization etc. Engineering, business contracts.

I looked in help wanted at Hobart,,, the only job I would be qualified for is welding instructor.

[canoecruiser]

Do you need any new hands on your farm/shop?

Mike, are you in the wind?

[Sberry]

I agree there are better and easier to use options. What I like about this and came to my conclusion is it works, works well enough I dont need another machine and it replaced the one I did use. Personally think alum is a waste of effort for most people. I wouldnt bother but I an in the biz and I got all my big stuff cheap.

This spool gun has made it affordable for a lot of people. I used up 1 spool of wire this season, really actually weld with it a few minutes a year. In a production world a days worth or less, pulse is nice but wouldnt make me any money. The dealer who sold irrigation pipe would have benifited from it back in the day.

They used tig and their production was simple but they had a guy who really zoomed, fused as much as possible, took less filler. I can do it but am slow and tedious, this is blazing fast and easy. Not always picture perfect but you can get over it.

[Sberry]

There is a place this could pay for itself in a hurry, you can afford to sit on it for occasional use.

[mikecwik]

Those really are some hella welds. I feel that I am going to have some free labor time on my hands in the near future. If you can learn me about welding I would be happy to weed wack your fence line.

[Northweldor]

Thats nice but pulsed MIG will make an asthetically better looking weld. We have one at work, looks as good as TIG (and structurally as strong) at 3 times the speed.The pulsed MIG is fast becoming the fabrication industry standard for production aluminum welding.

I disagree with the above, since for the large majority of aluminum fabrication, GMAW-P joining is becoming old-style, and, Miller is now replacing it, with its newer systems, in robotic applications.

I think friction welding processes are maturing, and these will eventually become the "standard" for aluminum. Mazda, and others in the automotive industry have recently reported success in FS spot-welding aluminum to steel, which along with adhesive advances, may lead much greater, use of aluminum in that field, and FSW is already heavily used in defense and aerospace fabrication.

As Sberry has suggested, and demonstrated, for the needs of the average weldor, not involved in straight aluminum production, the spool-gun is an excellent, versatile, and cost-effective attachment, in comparison to the expense of GMAW-P (except where accessibility is required).

Also, ALCOA, a world leader in research and patents in aluminum joining, uses and promotes a wide range of methods, and processes, of which GMAW-P is only one. See attached:

[Sberry]

I was at Shades once and seen some pulse coupons, very nice. I agree with Flip there is probably a better way to do it but the price is right with this type of thing.

[hellspcangel911]

Settings and Material

OP, I'm just about to use my HH210 to do some welding on 3/16 and 1/4 aluminium to repair a boat dock. I'm wondering what you are feeding and at what settings to get such great results. is it ER5356 ?

thank you,
george