TIG Weld Aluminum Filler Rod

I am seeking to purchase a small quantity (a few sticks up to one pound) of aluminum filler rod of either ER2319 and/or R4145 alloy. This appears to be available locally (Detroit, MI) in quantities of

3-pounds at prices of approximately $35 per pound!!! Would like to find an online source for such....... Thanks, M
Reply to
fixitall
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Ping Don Foreman ! Don, what do you think of aluminum filler rod for a TIg?

Reply to
Robert Swinney

My local welding supply (Cee-Kay) had thin tubes of alum,, ss and steel filler rod. I think they were maybe 1/2 Lb of alum, and maybe 1 Lb of the steel in a tube. They were under $10 ea. when I got them a few years ago. Who knows what they run now?

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

2319 is pretty specialized to welding 2219 aluminum/copper alloy (Copperloy) 4145 is a lower temp aluminum brazing alloy also used for 2XXX series aluminum. Not as strong as 2319 but makes a brighter, prettier bead.

Both alloys are going to be tough to find in small quantities.

Check eBay. I was looking for 4047 a while back to repair aluminum castings. I ended up finding a bunch of 10 lb. boxes on eBay for less than the local shops wanted for 3 lbs.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler
4043 rod will let you weld any 4000 or 6000 series alloy. What are you tring to weld?

$28.00 for 5# at MSC

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Thank You, Randy

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Reply to
Randy

Die cast aluminum housing.... ER2319 and R4145 both have higher levels of Cu and Si which are present in common diecast alloys. Just trying to match the 'parent' metal. Thanks, M

Reply to
fixitall

Gotta have it! But my jobs aren't critical so I use readily-available

4043 and 5052, occasionally 1100 on castings. For small work I use .047" (3/64", 1.2mm) 4043 aluminum MIG wire, about 8 bux for a pound of it which is probably a lifetime supply for me.

I gotta build a pulser like Ken Moffat did. It's a 2-hour project ( that I'll spend two days on) and I am really curious to see how that works. Ernie's comment about welding beercans has really piqued my curiosity. I thought I'd have to build an inverter 0.5 to 50 amp TIG to do real thin metal like that. Maybe my old Dialarc HF can do it too! At present I use O/A for real thin stuff, which usually works but it's dicey at times.

Reply to
Don Foreman

If your Dialarc HF can handle the higher pulser frequencies I'll have to build one for my Syncrowave. I'll let you test it first though, don't want to hurt the Syncrowave.

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

That's definitely a question. A copper-iron (non-inverter) welder may have too much inductance for current to pulse rapidly. A quick experiment with a MOSFET, pulse generator, current xfmr and 'scope might be in order. I can do that. I guess I'll need an assistant to operate the torch while I mess with the pulsegen and scope.

I have another project to finish before I start messing with the pulser, but I will report when I get around to the pulser.

Reply to
Don Foreman

Don sez: A quick ". . . experiment with a MOSFET, pulse generator, current xfmr and 'scope

Jeeze, Don ! Can I come and help ? Can I huh, pleeeze, pleeeeze. I will work for free in your shop, Naw ! I would pay to 'prentice under the Master. Maybe next year when we come up your way on the Delta Queen.

Bob Swinney

Reply to
Robert Swinney

Mi casa su casa -- 'cept we're at the laaaake (MN pronunciation) much of the summer, Chooone tru pout mid-Sept yoo petcha.

Reply to
Don Foreman

TIG starter ? there's a simple way to vu a transformer that uncomplicates the analysis . 1) First forget turns ratio ,for now . 2) next see a magnetizing inductance in parallel w/ load that is only important if no load . 3) a starting guess at an inductance called a leakage inductance or a coupling inductance ( same thing) . IN SERIES WITH LOAD , to limit current , as in stick welder / TIG . ---- CA stick welders need a loose coupling ( large leak inductance ) to allow the weld voltage to drop . Flour' lites need same loose coupling . ----MIG welders have opposite , low leak inductance , tight voltage regulation and tight coupling .

HF has an electronic fly swatter that will ignite a TIG tungsten .

To start a TIG on a 60 hz transformer type power supply , you can force a higher frequency on the output winding cause the inductance of of the power supply is too high to matter , it wont allow anything to go thru or effect anything else . And TIG is even higher coupling for it CA , like stick welders . Attempting to force current backwards thru a CA type core wont do anything , for if any current TRIES to flow the coupling is too loose to send much power .

An electronics type ignition coil works well . and is cheap at junk yards . buy separate coil and transistor controller , it is easier to figure , like the first ones to come out . !! My Toy 4X4 truck had 2 coils but they tried to add the transistors into the coils to make them more expensive . MOSFETs are not better than bipolars , its all hype .

Reply to
werty

This may not be desirable, or even possible. The die-cast materials are often pretty brittle, and the heat stress from the welding may be more than they can handle. You might look up the weldability of the casting metal and see if it is considered to be weldable with any technology. It also may require careful preheating to reduce the stresses.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

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