7/15/2017 How to Weld Aluminum: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

How to Weld Aluminum

Three Parts: Preparing to Weld Practicing the Weld Welding the Metal

Welding is the process of joining 2 metal components by melting them together. Welding any material is a challenging process
requiring experience; welding lightweight metals like aluminum requires the utmost precision to ensure a strong bond.
Knowing how to weld aluminum is a matter of assembling the right tools, exercising caution and patience, and gaining
experience. Follow this guide to weld aluminum with a TIG welder.

Part
Preparing to Weld
1

1 Assemble the tools you'll need. To weld aluminum, you will need several tools.

TIG (tungsten inert gas) welder. This type of welder uses a tungsten electrode and an inert gas to shield the
welding area. The precision achieved with this type of welder is crucial when working with aluminum, especially
thin pieces.
TIG welders are expensive, so look into rental possibilities. Contact a local welding supply store or
home hardware outlet and inquire about rental possibilities.
It is possible to weld aluminum with other welding processes, such as MIG welding, but TIG welding is
the most painless method and is well-suited for beginners.

Aluminum filler rod. This is the material that will bond the two pieces. Try to avoid using rusty or dirty filler
rods, as these will lead to weaker welds.
A canister of argon gas for use as shielding. Pure argon is a cost effective gas solution. 3% helium can be
added to increase arc stability.
Gas needs to be acquired from authorized gas dealers. Most welding supply stores will be able to
provide gas or refer you to an outlet that can.

2 Make sure to use all of the proper safety equipment. Welding requires a bevy of personal protective
equipment. Make sure to wear a heavy welding helmet and a pair of thick gloves (the thicker the better). You will
need to wear a shirt with long sleeves made from a thick fabric; TIG welding produces a large amount of ultraviolet
radiation, and if you weld in short sleeves you will get burns along your arms.
Try to find a shirt that is thick, 100% cotton.
Your welding gloves should be insulated and fire-resistant.
Try to use a helmet with a lens that automatically darkens during the welding process. The lens should be rated
at 10-13 shade.
Make sure that your pants do not have cuffs that can catch flaming material.
Keep a fire extinguisher easily accessible in case of any stray sparks.

3 Clean the aluminum. Over time, aluminum forms a thin coat of aluminum oxide on its exterior, which melts at a
much higher temperature than aluminum. So, before welding any piece of aluminum (even a brand new piece),
you have to clean away the aluminum oxide.
Spray the joints with acetone. Rinse the work piece in water, and then allow it to dry thoroughly. Scrub the
aluminum with a stiff brush with stainless steel bristles to finish the cleaning process.
The welder itself will clean the metal as welds, but this is often not sufficient to remove all contaminants.

4
http://www.wikihow.com/Weld-Aluminum 1/4
7/15/2017
4 How to Weld Aluminum: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

Clean the filler rod. A dirty filler rod can contaminate the weld just as easily as a dirty work piece. Use an abrasive
cleaning pad to ensure that the rod is contaminant free.

Part
Practicing the Weld
2

1 Brace the torch with your hand. For practice, keep the torch unlit to save metal. Using the base of your gloved
hand on the table for support, hold the torch with a slight angle tilting back, about 10. Hold the tip of the tungsten
about 1/4" away from the aluminum.
If you pull the tip too far away, it will cause the arc to spread too much and the weld will become difficult to
control.

2 Move the torch. With the torch in proper position, practice moving your hand along the path that you will be
welding. Make sure to practice with gloves on to simulate the amount of effort required. For small welds move
your entire hand, instead of just the fingers.

3 Hold the filler at the correct angle. You will lead the weld with the filler rod, which should be held at about a 90
angle to the torch tip. The torch should always be pushed and not dragged.
If the filler and the tip come into contact, your weld will be contaminated and lose structural integrity.

Part
Welding the Metal
3

1 Preheat the aluminum work piece. Aluminum is much easier to weld when the work is already much hotter than
room temperature. When welding thick pieces of aluminum, welding without preheating can lead to a very weak,
shallow bond.
You can heat the work piece by putting it directly in an oven, or you can use a gas torch to apply heat to the
heat sink that the work is clamped to. This will distribute the heat throughout the work piece.
Aim for a temperature of about 350F (176C).

2 Fit the work pieces together as tightly as possible. TIG welders will be unforgiving if the joint is not fitted very
tightly; you will be left with gaps in the joint. Make the work pieces fit together as tightly as possible by filing them
before clamping them together.

3 Set the amperage of your welder. Aim to use about 1 amp per 0.001 inch (0.025 mm) of the work piece's
thickness. It is a good idea to set the welder's amperage to higher than your expected need and then tone the
current back with the foot pedal.

4 Start the weld. Begin by extending the tungsten electrode no more than the diameter of the torchs nozzle. For
example, if you are using a 1/4" wide nozzle, your tungsten tip should extend no more than 1/4" from the nozzle.
Tap the electrode tip against the work piece and then pull it away about 1/8 inch (3 mm). Use the foot pedal to create
the electrical arc.

5 Create the puddle. Melt the work piece until you have an adequately sized puddle. Add just enough of the filler
rod to fill in the joint, and then move to the next portion of the weld. Continue until the entire joint is welded
properly.
As you weld, heat will increase throughout the work piece. Use your foot pedal to lower the amperage as you
go to maintain control of the puddle.

6 Push the puddle. Slowly push the puddle that the torch creates down the joint, adding filler as you go. Move at
an even pace to keep the puddle a consistent size.

http://www.wikihow.com/Weld-Aluminum 2/4
7/15/2017 How to Weld Aluminum: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

Community Q&A
Can I use an arc welder to weld aluminum?

All welding is arc welding. If you mean, "Can I use a stick welder (SMAW) to weld aluminum?" the answer is yes,
wikiHow Contributor although most professional welders would not do it this way.
Not Helpful 5 Helpful 15

Why are my electrodes burning back while I'm trying to weld aluminum?

During the positive half cycle, there is a cleaning action (which is good), but it also means most heat goes into the
wikiHow Contributor tungsten electrode (which is bad). Only use as much cleansing action as you need. It is normal for the tungsten to
form a ball end from this heat. If it is burning too much, reduce the amps or use a thicker tungsten.
Not Helpful 0 Helpful 3

Do all TIG welders weld aluminium?

No, only AC TIG is designed to weld aluminium.

wikiHow Contributor
Not Helpful 3 Helpful 6

What's a good environment for aluminum welding?

The perfect environment for welding aluminium is an area covered in sand. Sand is useful because if you heat it, it
wikiHow Contributor will not explode like concrete.
Not Helpful 4 Helpful 7

What is the best grade of aluminum to weld?

The grade depends on many characteristics of the metal. The grade should also be based on the finished product's
Austin Killam use, not ease of welding.
Not Helpful 2 Helpful 3

Is a T.I.G. welder a process or a high frequency welder?

T.I.G. stands for tungsten inert gas welding. T.I.G. machines rely upon a high-frequency (RF) pilot arc to establish the
wikiHow Contributor welding arc.
Not Helpful 1 Helpful 2

What is the polarity for welding aluminium?

Alternating. During the positive period, the surfaces are cleansed, which is pretty necessary for aluminium. During the
wikiHow Contributor negative period, more heat goes into the pool. Most modern TIG welders let you control the relative proportions of
positive and negative electrodes.
Not Helpful 1 Helpful 2

Do I need a DC welder or can I use AC?

AC or DC depends upon what electrodes (filler metals) you are using. Their requirements will be specified on the
wikiHow Contributor packaging.
Not Helpful 10 Helpful 5

What equipment is needed to weld aluminum with a MIG welder?

You need a push-pull system or a wire feeding system for your MIG welder (like spool gun or "cobra head").
wikiHow Contributor
Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1

Can an aluminum small engine block be welded?

Yes, by a specialist welder. Aluminium is difficult to weld, and an engine block is subject to considerable forces.
wikiHow Contributor
Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1

Things You'll Need

TIG welder

Aluminum filler rod

Argon gas
http://www.wikihow.com/Weld-Aluminum 3/4
7/15/2017 How to Weld Aluminum: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
Argon gas

Welding helmet

Thick gloves

Fire extinguisher

Long-sleeved shirt

Acetone

Water

Stainless steel brush

Gas torch

Heat sink

Clamps

File

Sources and Citations

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/articles/TIG-gtaw-aluminum-tips-beginner
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/safety_haz/welding/ppe.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Weld-Aluminum 4/4