welder

[bfullmer]

what do i need to convert my Hobart 180 mig welder to do aluminum ? Broke spring hanger on my golf cart where it is welded to frame all aluminum.I
have welded a lot of alum when i worked

 

[DanielW]

Spool gun and a tank of pure argon. And proper surface prep. I'm not familiar with the 180: Can you get a direct fit spool gun for it? Everything available new these days might be for the 190, which I think has a different hookup? I think (but could be wrong) the 175 has the same torch connection as the 180, and there seem to be spool gun suggestions for the 175, so you might find something. There also seems to be a YouTube video of someone adapting a newer spool gun to a 180.

How thick is your spring mount? It takes some decent juice to weld aluminum and achieve effective penetration. I can do OK on my 260 amp Lincoln, but not too thick in one pass. If you're used to welding Al with higher amp MIG machines at work you might not be too impressed with how the 180 does. For less than 3/16 you're probably ok. Some pre-heat really helps with aluminum.

For the cost of a spool gun and new argon tank, it might be worth taking the cart somewhere and having it done unless you plan on a lot more Al welding in the future.

Some folks try aluminum wire in the standard feeder without the spool gun. With the stock liner it seldom works - often just spiders up (tried that when I was in a pinch one time with a crappy Lincoln 180 - what a disaster). Can also get some contamination into your wire too from the steel liner. I've heard some have had success with putting a Teflon liner in their standard torch like you do with stainless, but I suspect it's still prone to feeding issues.

 

[DoubleO7]

I weld aluminum with a Millermatic 200 amp mig.

I use a teflon liner in the whip and a nearly straight gooseneck.

I also use a short ten foot whip.

When welding I try to keep the whip in a straight path.

And just a small bottle of argon of argon.

 

[504]

I am a DYI guy but for a one time deal I would smuggle into work(after hours) or pay someone else. It's a pain to get set of for a small one time job.(and expensive.)

 

[caterpillar guy]

Only thing I know is everybody I know that welds Aluminum us the one pound spool guns due to feeding issues on longer leads. If it was factory production wleding it might be a different story for that.

 

[Welding man]

You are not going to do a lot of aluminum welding with a 180. .030 wire max and it's darn tough to push .030 through 10 ft. Ever try pushing 1/2 in rope uphill? That is about what it's like. I have a 300 amp power source and spool gun. Sometimes I need more. Most folks don't realize it takes almost twice the amperage to weld Aluminum as it does steel. I personally wouldn't even waste my time buying a nylon liner, a spool of 4043 wire and a cylinder of pure argon. I'd take it to a professional. But you can try. If you are determined, make sure it is clean enough to eat off of and if is very heavy, preheat it a couple hundred degrees. Good luck.

 

[Stan Coryell]

I gave my Dad a Lincoln 180 about 12 years ago. He did a good bit of aluminum with the regular whip. At some point, I bought him a spool gun to go with it. I have a 30A spool gun for my Miller and have never tried to push througha whip. If I only had a small job? I'd use what you have. Grab a spool of 0.035 5053 (it's stiffer than 4043) and a bottle of Argon, keep the whip as straight as I could and try it. You should be able to muddle through it with good results. A little pre- heat would help (150). Volts should be around 22. Let us know how you make out.

 

[dr sportster]

Spool gun

 

[buickanddeere]

Aluminum stick ?