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spool gun for the Hobart Welder

Started by ozarkgem, July 01, 2014, 06:43:44 AM

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ozarkgem

anyone have the spool gun for the Hobart welders? What gas do you use for Aluminum?
Will probably get one in the future.
Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

BBTom

2001 LT40HDD42RA with lubemizer, debarker, laser, accuset. Retired, but building a new shop and home in Missouri.

justallan1

I have a spoolgun for my Hobart 140 and use straight argon. It works fine for me.

Allan

Larry

Did you try it with some stiff aluminum wire and standard 25/75 gas?

I'm interested in recommendations for the spool gun also, as I don't have one. 
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

StimW

As stated, argon or helium or mix of both.
You can't use any gas with oxygen in it.
Also the aluminum MUST be clean! Acetone works best and ONLY use stainless wire brush, steel will contaminate.
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SPIKER

Stim covered it pretty good

a stiff SS wire brush to knock the surface gloss.corners down some is needed to break the Aluminum surface layer.   It acts like the surface tension on water that bugs can walk across it keep the weld from penetrating into the aluminum correctly.   If the material is dirty you CAN use a NEW soft/hard grinding disks to knock off corners or to bevel heavier stuff.   Just be sure to use NEW disks and watch for them to clog up, there are rubber erasers like things to clean the disks.   Flapper disks work a bit better but still clog up if you go at it aggressively, carbide tooling also works well.   I have cut a lot of Aluminum using Carbide cutter equipped circular saws, (cut slow & wear 2 layers of safety glasses & shield & go SLOW (ear protection is needed....)   Amish guy brought in a 4x12 sheet of 1" thick Aluminum Plate and some 2x2x1/4" tube & had us build him a BIG table saw frame.!    Was a FUN job wish I had taken pics of that one.

We used mostly Miller Welders (shop owner brother Rich worked for Miller Distributor.)   Setting Pots/Switches are what makes them work best watch out for cheap mechanical's on the spool guns.   The one we had was not used much, maybe 1 or 2 times a year but we built it's cost into ONE job... ;)
Mark
I'm looking for help all the shrinks have given up on me :o

ozarkgem

Quote from: Larry on July 01, 2014, 11:53:21 AM
Did you try it with some stiff aluminum wire and standard 25/75 gas?

I'm interested in recommendations for the spool gun also, as I don't have one.
I don't have one yet just thinking about getting one
Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

ozarkgem

Spiker
Thanks for the info on welding alum. I will get a SS brush. Never thought about the surface corrosion causing a problem.
Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

coxy

stay out of any breezes or wind I found it to be a big mess jm3cents  ;D

justallan1

As stated above, prepping is a must. Any inpurities at all will change the outcome.

Allan

slider

I purchased a short lead,12 ft for my hobart 251 to weld aluminum from time to time .It's probably not as handy as a spool gun but it works.You must get aluminum clean for sure.
al glenn

Tom L

if you use a short lead on a mig gun, they make teflon liners to go with the aluminum wire, really helps with the feeding of the wire.

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