Newbie question

[DaveO]

Can you use aluminum MIG wire as filler metal in TIG?

[DiabolicZ]

Can you use aluminum MIG wire as filler metal in TIG?

I'm sure you can as long as you are welding something really thin and have a really thin tungsten electrode. That stuff is really thin and is going to melt really REALLY quick, so it has to be a small low heat weld.

When I was at work, I had my shear operator cut up some strips of scrap aluminum just to see if I could use those as filler rod. It worked out fine.

[WILD BILL]

Only on aluminum

But yes, both MS and alum mig wire is the same as tig filler rod. Just not as easy to work with as it's kinda hard to straighten.

[jakeru]

Yes, absolutely. It's often the easier to locate MIG wire in sizes < 1/16" than it is to locate the same alloy and diameter in 36" length TIG filler rod version. Or the 36" length TIG version will be a special order while the MIG wire is readily available sitting on a shelf.

You can just snip off lengths of the MIG wire with dykes, and go at it.

It's harder to feed rod with your hand while maintaining control of the tip of the filler rod wire while welding, if the filler wire has a curve or bends in it. And it's not easy to straighten it by hand.

I've heard that clamping one end of the curved wire (snipped off MIG wire) in a vice, while simultaneously twisting and pulling on the other end (such as by rotating a clamped vice grip by hand, or by using safety wire pliers if available) works quickly and effectively to straighten the wire. I've been meaning to try that.

Attached pics show some .065"-.080" 5052 sheet aluminum I TIG welded using 3/64" 5356 MIG wire. The 3/64" (.047") diameter filler worked out perfectly.

[PinkNinja]

Only on aluminum

But yes, both MS and alum mig wire is the same as tig filler rod. Just not as easy to work with as it's kinda hard to straighten.

Sometimes this is a positive thing....