Stick Welding Aluminum

[ChuckE2009]

Goodmorning ladies and gentlemen!!

So, I'd had a number of requests to try welding some aluminum with those specialty electrodes you can buy, and to see how well they work, exactly...

One afternoon on my to school, I stopped by the local Tractor Supply and bought a box of Hobart's finest, 1/8" 4043 aluminum electrodes... I got some scraps of 1/4" plate, and some thinner stuff, and got to work.

How'd it go, you ask? Not too well, honestly... At first I couldn't get these things to run at all, and through the course of the night had virtually every stick welding problem known to man, and several known to monkey.

They were hard to strike...

They were hard to keep lit...

There was slag, epic slag.

It was hard to remove.

It got trapped in the bead.

It snuffed out the arc.

My main problem was with cold lap, lack of fusion, and tie-in. These electrodes burn FAST, not fast as in 7024 or flux-core fast, fast as in they pretty much just vaporize. You have to move along the joint very fast, much too fast to get adequate tie-in. Sooo... "Why don't you just slow down?" One might ask...

Because if you do, the metal just piles up on top of itself and is still too cold. The slag piles up too, and gets into the bead and eventually just snuffs out the arc. One can't simply "slow down" like you could on steel...

I'm no good with these things... And honestly, I don't feel too bad about it. I know it was my first time stick welding aluminum and all, but I dont think these particular electrodes will work out well under the best of circumstances.

Atleast for me, 99% of aluminum repairs I've seen involve a nice spool gun, or a tig machine, and I now know why that is. A bunch of people in the comments section of this video claimed to try stick welding aluminum, with the same results I had. One guy said he could get good results with the process, but the particular electrodes I used, were among the worst he'd ever bought.

I know, I know, blame the tool, right?

Either way, Im sure someone out there, at some point in time has gotten beautiful welds with aluminum stick electrodes, but what was I hoping for?

I was hoping that this was something that a guy with a little previous stick welding experience could try his hand at and weld up his broken aluminum lawn mower deck. Or fix the crack on the bellhousing of his project truck. Annnnnd, its not that easy, as it turns out.

I hope you guys enjoy the video, and yes, I do expect to get somewhat flamed for it. For the record, I'm NOT presenting this as a How-To or anything like that, its just "I got this... This is how it worked for me".

Like I said, I hope you guys enjoy it. Despite my "less than perfect" results, it was honestly pretty fun to make

 

[yomax4]

The best welds I have ever got with stick welding aluminum was when I used the rods as a brazing rod with oxy fuel. However. Try this. If possible, pre heat to 500 degrees. ( smoke the area with acetylene smoke, turn on oxygen and heat until black is gone. That is 500 degres ) Either way pre heat or not, You need to run the rod at a 90 degree angle. Straight up and down works best. If you have Hot Start they start good, If you have Arc Force, They will no stick in the weld. If not just be ready ro roll when the arc starts. It's hot and fast. Soon you will get the hang of it and put down some good beads. You will never get better than a spool gun so don't over expect. Stick welding aluminum is just a last chance type thing and the least favorable. As long as you have the rod, Try brazing with it and see what you think. Good Luck !

 

[yomax4]

Another thing to remember is not all aluminum base metals like 4043. 300 series to 300 or 500 series to 3,5,700 series all require 5356 and there are a lot more combos out there that don't like 4043. It's mainly due to strength of all components but some of the hard aluminums wont take a bead very well at all.

 

[Shield Arc]

Talk about burning up dollar bills!

I get the biggest kick out of your videos! :laughing:

I had similar luck as you.

 

[dex3361]

I did some aluminum stick welding years ago and it took 2 pots of coffee to put me in the correct frame of mind to use this process and by the way the welds pictured here looked like my best aluminum stick weld beads. I feel better after seeing real welders struggle with this method.

 

[dex3361]

Oh and by the way I enjoy both ChuckE2009 and Shield Arc posts. Keep up the good work.

 

[tcartwri]

Like the enthusiasm!

Try using a BBQ for your preheat. Should go a little better and you can turn your amperage down.

 

[kcender]

I have worked in the ship repair industry for over 15 years and weld aluminum just about every day.Most of it is TIG with MIG being used on heavier pieces.We only use stick on aluminum very sparingly and then it is only to tack something up on the ship to hold it until it can be brought in the shop and welded with a better process.Actually your welds don't look too bad,I just don't think aluminum stick welding is a very good process.As for 4043,we use that for cast aluminum and sometimes on old aluminum that is dirty right through, due to the porosity of aluminum.I should add that I enjoy your welding videos.You seem to have a very strong interest in welding,kind of reminds me of myself when I first started welding.Keep up the good work :thumbsup:

 

[Stimw]

I've used them before and the first thing I would tell someone trying them is-
1. Forget almost all you know about stick welding.
2. Don't weld anything that is critical.
3. The rods MUST be kept dry. If ANY moisture gets to them the flux turns into a puddle of water. Only take out a couple at a time and seal up the package.

 

[pedalstomper78]

highly entertaining. Highly informative. Love it!