TIG welder or MIG Spool Gun for Aluminum

[fdcmiami]

We have a 250EX and *210EXT and a *IMIG-200 and IMIG205 with spool guns for aluminum (* is the ones used most these day). Really depends on the job, but the MIG is normally the winner unless small detailed work or odd metal type is required/used.

fdcmiami: What did you use to groove and clean the salty boat?

i used 36 grit flap discs for most of it. sometimes i'll use my skill saw when i have a clump of something, i lay it at an angle and drag it across the weld. cleans up fast, better be holding on though. i use cheap seven and a quarter in blades.

i own a 250ex, very happy with it, and use it when conditions warrant its use.

[fdcmiami]

We have a 250EX and *210EXT and a *IMIG-200 and IMIG205 with spool guns for aluminum (* is the ones used most these day). Really depends on the job, but the MIG is normally the winner unless small detailed work or odd metal type is required/used.

fdcmiami: What did you use to groove and clean the salty boat?

i used 36 grit flap discs for most of it. sometimes i'll use my skill saw when i have a clump of something to remove, i lay it at an angle and drag it across the weld. cleans up fast, better be holding on though. i use cheap seven and a quarter in blades.

i own a 250ex, very happy with it, and use it when conditions warrant its use.

sorry for the double post. added additional pics

[EchoSixMike]

strange advice on these threads. the guy has a 200 dollar spool gun (which surprisingly has some pretty good reviews). from what i read it will serve his purpose and save him some money.

show up on a job with your tig machine, at xxx dollars per hour and tell them you arre going to do the weld out with it. lol

i used almost 20 pounds of wire on this job. rub rail was so heavy i used the pilings to support a trolley setup with two chainfalls then a comealong at the bow to pull it in.

that plate used to retain the piece of rail at the bow in the last pic is half inch to three eighths. it took less than an hour to put in three passes. i've done a ton of this stuff.

not in any way implying that tig welding not important i know it is but believe me, there is no more cost effective way to lay in aluminum wire than a spool gun.

I don't see where we're arguing. I specified the difference between production and not, and recommended a spool gun. As a "hobby" it may be worth it to get superior asthetics, maybe not, personal decision. There are jobs that spec TIG in the field, so it all comes down to the WPS. S/F....Ken M

[fdcmiami]

I don't see where we're arguing. I specified the difference between production and not, and recommended a spool gun. As a "hobby" it may be worth it to get superior asthetics, maybe not, personal decision. There are jobs that spec TIG in the field, so it all comes down to the WPS. S/F....Ken M

ken, given your circumstances i am in agreement with you, sorry if you thought otherwise; plus the fact that if someone is paying my salary i do whatever they say. my posts are not directed to anyone in particular, they are just my opinions based on my experience. i have done a lot of work to this particular boat and the photos i have provided show a wide range of welding situations and with the exception of some new rail i put in nearly everything was welded with a 30A with flex neck attachment (much of it on a raft, overhead). the work displayed may be on a boat but in general this is what you find when your are working in the field. i owned a miscellaneous metals shop back in the nineties and i did a lot of aluminum work in the construction end of the business. if you didn't absolutely have to tig weld it we used a wirefeeder or spoolgun.

[EchoSixMike]

Agree. Most of what I do for welding(that isn't hobby) is repair stuff and the setup and prep(and travel) is most of the work, the welding goes fast. S/F....Ken M