What is needed to MIG Aluminum? (MTS200)

I've been giving some thought lately to buying a MIG welder, and I really like the feature set of the MTS200. I noticed the other day that it apparently can weld Aluminum, and that got me to thinking. In the TIG world, AC is required to break up the oxidation layer in order to weld Al. However, the MTS200 is a DC inverter, so how does this work?

When I google "MIG aluminum", pretty much every resource says that a spool gun is required since soft Al wire can't be pushed very far. However the MTS can't use a spool gun, so how is it able to push the wire?

From the manual I noted that .04 wire is recommended for welding aluminum (perhaps this large wire is why a spool gun is not needed?). I haven't MIGed before, but I assume that using a larger wire will require more heat input, which might prevent me from working on thinner material? Just curious what the implications of using .04 wire might be.

MIGing aluminum would not be my primary use for this machine, but I would still like to have access to the process and understand what the limitations might be.

Thanks
Mike

spool gun is the best , I have used my Lincoln mig welder to weld aluminum but is a pain since have to change hose liner for aluminum and use roller designed for aluminum.. i have welded some fairly thin stuff with the mig but you have to move fast when welding aluminum . i bought the i mig 205 and spool gun as a package deal .

If you want to MIG aluminum.

Straight agron, DCEP (spoolgun positive), right wire (4043 or 5356), clean good with SS new brush. I like to push the gun rather than drag it.

Not sure, but think that is everything.. Spray if you have the power.. When I get my new gun I will "try" it with the 205P. Oleg has one on the way.

What is "Spray?"

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Originally Posted by SeanMurphy265

What is "Spray?"

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCxGeyJvQsU

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Originally Posted by Rodsmachineshop

spool gun is the best , I have used my Lincoln mig welder to weld aluminum but is a pain since have to change hose liner for aluminum and use roller designed for aluminum.

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I'm not sure what you need for a spool gun, but a couple of threads have mentioned that it's not an option for the MTS200. The manual said something about a special liner for aluminum, so I will have to check into that. Does anyone know what MIG torch comes with the MTS200? The web sites says "Genuine Trafimet???? MIG torch with Euro style quick connect", but there is not a Trafimet MIG torch manual on the Everlast manuals page.

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Originally Posted by zoama585

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCxGeyJvQsU

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I've watched that video a few times in the past couple of days ;) .

Would the MTS200 be capable of spray transfer? According to this thread by Mark (http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...5955#post25955), it sounds like the MTS200 may not have enough power to spray.

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Originally Posted by everlastsupport

Spray if you have the power.. When I get my new gun I will "try" it with the 205P. Oleg has one on the way.

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Let us know how it works ....would I expect similar performance on the MTS200?


Thanks
Mike

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Originally Posted by posixPilot

I'm not sure what you need for a spool gun, but a couple of threads have mentioned that it's not an option for the MTS200. The manual said something about a special liner for aluminum, so I will have to check into that.
Thanks
Mike

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Never got to use a spool gun. I used the liner on my MIG welder. Pretty much a pain to switch over and the Alum welding never did pan out very well for me. It did get the job done. Just seemed to be a very fast mover. I also had problems with the alum wire swelling up in the MIG tip and getting stuck.

On the inside of the MIG hose where the wire feeds through looks like a coil spring. It looks like the casing of a throttle cable on a lawn mower. The Metal wire passes through it quite well. When you go to use Aluminum you use a Nylon liner that you slide inside the mig hose. Makes the wire feed smother and does not contaminate the alum wire with any steel flakes from the metal liner.

I had a cheaper MIG welder that said it could do Aluminum but it did not do it well and was a lot of trouble to switch it over. I am going to try TIG instead. I don't do much Alum just fixing what break, but want to learn.

spool gun welds aluminum great like it for doing aluminum plates or large aluminum tanks . my friend across from my shop makes large aluminum filtration tanks , he uses a large miller mig push pull machine works really nice . push pull is , machine pushes the wire and the torch gun has motor that pulls the wire also so wire comes out smooth and doesn't ball in liner. I had a clarke hotshot welder with a spool gun a few years ago , worked fairly well but the lead was way to short . gave it to my brother he still uses it . Attachment 7065 the spool gun was touchy on speed control and made sorta cheap but worked

To do this without a spool gun you will need:

1) Teflon liner, aluminum tips (oversized standard tips to accomodate the "swell" of the Al when heated.)
2) Pure Argon
3) 5356 Al, a harder wire, for better feeding through the standard gun

Currently the 200mts does NOT have spool gun capability...it is designed to work synergically, and thus it must use the standard gun.

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Originally Posted by performance

To do this without a spool gun you will need:

1) Teflon liner, aluminum tips (oversized standard tips to accomodate the "swell" of the Al when heated.)
2) Pure Argon
3) 5356 Al, a harder wire, for better feeding through the standard gun

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Well I used the liner and drilled out the tips larger... Did run straight Argon... Not sure what wire I was using. Maybe someday... Or use a TIG... ;)

U-Groove Rollers here the kits everlast list http://www.everlastgenerators.com/Mi...Alloy-Kits.php and run tip one size bigger with aluminum so like with .030 wire you run a .035 tip

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Originally Posted by performance

Currently the 200mts does NOT have spool gun capability...it is designed to work synergically, and thus it must use the standard gun.

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Thanks, Mark ... I couldn't find that plainly stated any where, so I appreciate you clearing that up.

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Originally Posted by Rodsmachineshop

U-Groove Rollers here the kits everlast list http://www.everlastgenerators.com/Mi...Alloy-Kits.php

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Cool, I definitely wasn't going to find that link ;) . I'll probably call in when I'm ready to buy and see if those fit the MTS ... They only list the IMIG models on the page.

Cheers
Mike

I would still recommend using a spool gun if at all possible.

The liner has a cost, the rollers (maybe), and 4043 is not a good option (softer wire). Over so many feet, unless you like to re-feed the wire over and over. And keep the lead straight on longer leads. A spool gun is worth the money. It is this a one shot deal or not a regular thing, the teflon liner is the cheaper route.

Longer leads on out spool guns are nice too.

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Originally Posted by everlastsupport

I would still recommend using a spool gun if at all possible.

The liner has a cost, the rollers (maybe), and 4043 is not a good option (softer wire). Over so many feet, unless you like to re-feed the wire over and over. And keep the lead straight on longer leads. A spool gun is worth the money. It is this a one shot deal or not a regular thing, the teflon liner is the cheaper route.

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Now that I think about it I modified the liner to have an inverted V cut so it was almost or lightly touching the feed rollers. It helps to keep it jamming or bird nesting in the machine. Like I said "helped".

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Originally Posted by Rodsmachineshop

run tip one size bigger with aluminum so like with .030 wire you run a .035 tip

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Now that I think about it. I did try a size larger and maybe then went to opening it up a little more.

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Originally Posted by everlastsupport

I would still recommend using a spool gun if at all possible.

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It doesn't sound like it's an option on the MTS200. MIGing aluminum would be a rare use case for me; I'm mostly looking at the MTS200 for mild steel MIG, and a backup TIG/Stick to my 256.

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Originally Posted by Brian Ski

Now that I think about it I modified the liner to have an inverted V cut so it was almost or lightly touching the feed rollers.

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Good tip ... I'll remember that when I clean out my first birds nest ;)

Cheers
Mike

Just making a point.

But you are right, the MTS does not have a spool gun plug.

And Mark spelled out the non-spool gun answer to the tee. Teflon liner, 5356 will help a lot.