Welding aluminum with a torch

[Tom Stovall, CJF]

While wasting a morning waiting on technical support to return my call and unravel the mystery of a recalcitrant CNC signal generator, I received an unsolicited email (aka, "spam") from an outfit selling the Henrob 2000 torch in which a well known veterinarian/farrier says it's, the "only torch made that is ideal for welding aluminum."

In my experience welding aluminum in the field, the Henrob is no better or worse than any other oxygen/acetylene torch when it comes to welding Al - and a hell of a lot LESS versatile when compared to conventional torches.

Welding up an Al bar shoe is no big deal with any O/A torch if you set things up right: Back up your work with something solid (a rasp with the tang bent 90º degrees and stuck in the pritchel hole is my more-or-less-standard welding table), use an 1/8" flux coated Al electrode for filler rod (a stick welding rod), neutral flame, bring your heat up slowly at the weld site, as soon as it puddles, feed the filler rod into the puddle while moving the torch in and out to maintain relatively constant temperature at the weld site. It takes longer to tell it than to do it and it's an easily acquired skill with a little practice. Best of all, welding Al can be done with a any O/A torch, you don't need to buy a special torch.

FYI, the Victor Journeyman outfit is typical of conventional setups. It comes packaged with gages and hoses and costs about $50 more than the Henrob - which does not come with gages and hoses.

[cowboy_bc]

Hi all,

I haven't used or seen this Henrob thing and the claims that u can cut 1" material with it seems well. . . . Anyway having welded miles of aluminum (mostly irrigation pipe) I found buying the bare rod and useing flux from a jar works great and that thinning the flux with water and painting the part to be welded with a brush works much better cuz more flux is not usualy better and if more flux is needed I will heat the rod and paint more flux directly on the rod.

Kevin

[Ronald Aalders]

Hi Tom,

I know Redden uses a torch to weld aluminum. I myself use a TIG machine on a AC/DC supply to weld aluminum. The down side is the thing is too big to carry around in the truck.

What I liked about the torch is that I don't have to bring my big (and expensive) TIG welder to be able to weld aluminum in the field. But I have not worked it out yet.

You said you use the alu rod you use in an arc welder as filling rod? That works? What's a neutral flame? As opposed to what?

Do you know of really small oxygene/acytelene burners? Like a gallon size each or so?

Thanks Tom.


Ronald Aalders

[Tom Stovall, CJF]

Ronald Alders in maroon

Hi Tom,

I know Redden uses a torch to weld aluminum. I myself use a TIG machine on a AC/DC supply to weld aluminum. The down side is the thing is too big to carry around in the truck.

Like yourself, I find hauling a TIG machine around to be overkill, but I use the Lincoln Square Wave 175 in the shop pretty regular.

What I liked about the torch is that I don't have to bring my big (and expensive) TIG welder to be able to weld aluminum in the field. But I have not worked it out yet.

When I play horseshoer, I carry a gas forge and an O/A torch. If I can't get metal beaten into submission and joined together with those tools, it won't get done. :)

You said you use the alu rod you use in an arc welder as filling rod? That works?

Yessir, it works extremely well and there's no mixing and daubing of flux necessary. An 1/8" flux coated aluminum electrode is just right for welding up aluminum shoes and/or and Al accouterments. The flux on Al electrodes is extremely hygroscopic, so they need to be kept in an airtight plastic rod safe, but that's the only downside.

What's a neutral flame? As opposed to what?

As opposed to a an oxidizing flame or a reducing flame. A neutral flame indicates equal parts of oxygen and acetylene; a reducing flame (aka, "carburizing flame") indicates excess acetylene and contains white hot carbon; an oxidizing flame contains an excess of oxygen.

Do you know of really small oxygen/acytelene burners? Like a gallon size each or so?

I don't know if they're available in Europe, but here in the States, plumbers sometimes carry an O/A torch and a small set of bottles, about 1/2 m tall, that fit into a hard, plastic, hand-held carrier and weigh less than 23 kg.

[Phil Armitage]

Hey Tom, thanks for the welding tips on aluminum. Do you set the gauges any different than welding steel? I havent used my torch for so long, I have to refresh my memory. A couple of years ago I tried welding borrium for winter traction useing my wirefeed welder, I set it to the lowest and slowest level and it worked great. I had 4 spots of borrium on the shoe in less than a few seconds. I use to over heat the borrium with my torch and cause some fire works and sparking on the first couple of shoes until I got the hang of it every winter. Went to drive in studs last winter, I like the borrium better for reseting especially when hot fitting and I think it provided better traction on the ice. I also found that I could make up some good bar shoes with the torch and forge, and beat them to what I thought looked pretty, I thought I was the only one that did that. :)

[Tom Stovall, CJF]

Phil Armitage in gray, deletia

Hey Tom, thanks for the welding tips on aluminum. Do you set the gauges any different than welding steel?

De nada, glad to help.

I keep my gages set 7 : 21, acetylene : oxygen for welding Fe or Al, cutting, or brazing. I'm too lazy to be piddling with them much and that works out okay. :)