Choice of a hobby MIG welder for aluminum

I have a 210 and it's the greatest. I put a Roughneck on it and quick disconnects on the spool gun gas and power. For the money and what you get you would be really hard pressed to beat the features you get (Like the 3035 spoolgun) The only thing hokey is the dual tank running gear is like $250.00 or so... That you can make just as well, if not better than Miller stock for under $30.00 I have never had one issue with the 210 and it's had a lot of wire and gas through both sections. It will do it on a single pass "maybe" but I doubt it would be solid. That is a build-up size and I would not be able to pull it off with my skillset but some of the pro's here will be better at answering that part of the question.

Go for the Miller,

Rob

I'm new to this list although not new to welding, got my certification on stick a while ago. I have an aluminum boat (34 feet long) and want to do major modifications to accomodate a stern drive in lieu of underwater propeller.

I will need to weld a plate of 1/2 aluminum series 5000 onto the bottom of the boat 3/16 and the side (transom) 1/8. I understand I will need to practice a lot with a teacher and get used to surgically clean the work area and get away with the wind but would I be able to do the work with a Millermatic 210 with spoolgun ? Its not cosly and portable.

I like Miller because the stick welder never fault for decades, can a Millermatic capable of 210 A weld 1/2 and 1/8 aluminum on a single pass ?

Any comment or recommandation is welcomed.

cheers

a while ago. I have an aluminum boat (34 feet long) and want to do major modifications to accomodate a stern drive in lieu of underwater propeller.

boat 3/16 and the side (transom) 1/8. I understand I will need to practice a lot with a teacher and get used to surgically clean the work area and get away with the wind but would I be able to do the work with a Millermatic 210 with spoolgun ? Its not cosly and portable.

Millermatic capable of 210 A weld 1/2 and 1/8 aluminum on a single pass ?

You MAY be able to stick weld it with the aluminum electrodes designed for stick welders.

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the shit out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner

Oups i forgot to mention that i don't have the stick welder anymore but i'm looking at the Millermatic MIG 210. Any advice on this welder for aluminum use would be appreciated.

AL

Sure, that welder can run a spoolgun. You *have* priced spoolguns, right? They cost just about what the welder does. I paid $575 for a nice Millermatic 250 and $625 for a new Miller 30A spoolgun. Both pretty good deals, but that spoolgun is pricey. There was a Cobramatic locally which is what the guys who weld aluminum boats all day long use (because it can hold a big spool of wire) real cheap but its consumables were way too pricey for me.

Aluminum MIG welding equipment just plain ain't cheap.

Grant

AndreL wrote:

I just bought a brand new Millermatic 210 AND SpoolMate 3545 for aluminum. I've tried the welder on mild steel and its so easy to weld that i'm wondering why i spent countless night trying to master stick in all positions !

Aluminum is more trickier though and i see a difference in heat requirement. For example i can butt weld 3/16 plate of mild steel at setting 3 but doing the same on aluminum ask for 5. I am wondering if i will have enough heat to weld a 1/2 aluminum plate to 1/8 ?

Can someone comment on this... how much ampere is required to corner weld a

I'm new to this list although not new to welding, got my certification on stick a while ago. I have an aluminum boat (34 feet long) and want to do major modifications to accomodate a stern drive in lieu of underwater propeller.

I will need to weld a plate of 1/2 aluminum series 5000 onto the bottom of the boat 3/16 and the side (transom) 1/8. I understand I will need to practice a lot with a teacher and get used to surgically clean the work area and get away with the wind but would I be able to do the work with a Millermatic 210 with spoolgun ? Its not cosly and portable.

I like Miller because the stick welder never fault for decades, can a Millermatic capable of 210 A weld 1/2 and 1/8 aluminum on a single pass ?

Any comment or recommandation is welcomed.

cheers