Welding aluminum with a stick welder?

It does work, but is the last choice on my list for welding aluminum.

The rods are expensive, and take some practice.

I'm fabricating some gates from my units on the oceanfront hence it has to be aluminum,first time also...one thing for sure is to brush,I grind,the places to be welded and then all should go smooth,you have to be fast also,or it just builds up..try on some scrap pieces first..and then grind down the bead to see how you did.I found that once it's grinded well,it flows great.

good luck/technique

You MUST] run aluminum stick electrodes on DC + current only...THEY WILL NOT WORK AT ALL ON AC. I run the 1/8 rod on DC+ at 110 to 125 amps. Keep in mind that if your material is under 3/16" thick, FORGET welding it with stick because you will just blow it away. It helps to preheat the material with a torch to at least 350-500 degrees F. The weld will flow along smooth and uniform....otherwise on cold material the rod just melts down in sputters and globs and the weld looks, and is BAD!