arc aluminum

[Day Welding]

well its time to hopefully get some handlines welded before it dumps snow. i realize handlines are thin by the time they need repaired. i dont have a tig so i oxy/acetylene them. but, I just bought a tb302, and i believe i can arc weld a few of the lines in better shape. i have done this before with an old miller i had. i am open for some suggestions on rod and amp settings. and any tips. thanks.

[paulrbrown]

Day, a little more info, what are hand lines and how do they relate to Aluminum???, Best Regards,Paul

[Day Welding]

hahah. sorry paul, i forget not everyone is a farmer on the forum. lol. handlines are a 4"od aluminum pipe, 40' long. they hook together and transport water down the field. each one has a sprinkler bird in the middle of it to irrigate the crop with. they get old and get holes in them, or they get ran over, need cut and welded back together. Just like anything, water runs through it enough it wears thin. Tig and oxy/acetylene are what most guys i know weld them with. a lot of the wire feed guns are a pain to do them with. i have better luck with a 3/32 arc rod than doing wire feed on the thin stuff. But, i am jsut interested on aluminum welding advice in general involving arc . i know there is a call for it around my area, but until i can afford a spool gun or better yet, a tig for my machine, i am limited to arc and oxy/acetylene. i appriciate anything you can tell me.

[MAC702]

SMAW aluminum is difficult at best. With a lot of practice you can do it, but "thin" is going to make it that much more difficult. How thick are you calling something "thin"?

[Day Welding]

lol. thin is probably around 0.020. some of the parts are a 3/8 thick coupler, and attaching to about an 1/8 inch thick pipe. the coupler to pipe are what im most interested in advice on. im not real sure on heat settings or welding motions. i assume a circular motion would be the best.