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One more time... Aluminum Welding

Part One

Ok. I have been doing a fair job of welding 5000 series aluminum with 5000 series wire, but it spatters a lot, and is sooty. I read the submarine guy's website about how he decided to use 4000 series wire to weld his submarine, and was much happier with the results... Mostly he was not happy witth the spatter and soot using 5000 wire.

So what is his submarine going to do as far as corrosion resistance at the seams? How about strength? The reason I ask is that almost all of my own alumiinum welding has been for boat (fresh water) repair. If I could do a better job with 4043 welding wire I would switch in a second.

Part Two

I have been told its, and pretty much gone along with using straight argon for welding aluminum. I have also brushed the heck out of everything I have welded with stainless brushes. I have a drawer in one of my rollaways now just for stainless brushes for aluminum. I seem to recall it being mentioned that argon/ Helium mix in some percentages will weld aluminum better in some circumstances and even weld dirty aluminum. What does that mean, and were would I lear more about that. I just so happens I have an extra oxygen bottle I could swap for another mix bottle. (after I use up the oxygen in it)

Reply to
Bob La Londe
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The submarine guy is a raving lunatic. If he puts it in salt water, the welds will erode due to galvanic corrosion.

You can buy argon/helium mixes in a few different ratios.

75/25, 50/50, and 25/75 are usually available.

75% Argon, 25% helium is a good mix for aluminum.

What I have is a bottle of each gas and a simple mixing manifold, so I can vary my mix depending on what I am doing.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

You don't by any chance remember the link to that site, do ya? Sounds interesting.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Danniken

Interesting stuff.

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They are using 6062 and 4643 wire.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Been a while, but I think I found the link here. Don't recall it.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

6062 doesn't exist. The article says 6061-T6, which is the most common aluminum alloy on earth.

I find it odd that they are not using 5052 or 5086, which are the 2 most used marine grades for boat building.

5356 and 5556 are the most common filler metals in aluminum boat building.
Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

Perhaps they are using 6061 to cut costs, since the ROV isn't actually expended to spend a huge percentage of it's time underwater? A boat is in the water most of the time, while a ROV is on deck most of the time.

Reply to
Pete C.

I noticed a 6262 in the book - good for flame type welding / brazing. C and B for all else.

It had the 'typical' 'T'emper numbers as T6.

Mart> >

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

They make a big thing about the pressure, but it is all solid bar and pipes open to the sea, the whole structure has equal pressures on it. Sure, you would not want a void in the welds, but it isn't because of the pressures.

Reply to
Stuart Wheaton

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