The limited experience I had MIG welding aluminum with a spool gun was done in spray transfer mode during welding class (we were practicing fillet welds on 1/8" and 1/4" aluminum). I haven't seen short circuit transfer used with a spool gun on aluminum however. You won't be using spray transfer with that little Lincoln unit regardless. It seems like the wire flies out of the spool gun too when welding the thinner material, which as CGCINC pointed out, lessens your ability to slow down or control the weld (like you can with TIG). On thicker material (1/4" up) you have a lot more control as you can use oscillating and circular motions to make larger (and prettier) beads, similar to MIG welding steel. For hobby stuff, you might want to have your buddy TIG weld your items since you don't want to spend money on another welder. You will need more than the $200 spool gun too (like a separate Argon bottle and wire). What about selling the Lincoln and buying a bigger MIG welder through Everlast? "I'll take sales commission for $300, Alex (That was a joke, Alex Trebek is the host of the TV game show "Jeopardy"
). Oh, and I'd like to borrow your new welder when it arrives.
Originally Posted by youngnstudly
The limited experience I had MIG welding aluminum with a spool gun was done in spray transfer mode during welding class (we were practicing fillet welds on 1/8" and 1/4" aluminum). I haven't seen short circuit transfer used with a spool gun on aluminum however. You won't be using spray transfer with that little Lincoln unit regardless. It seems like the wire flies out of the spool gun too when welding the thinner material, which as CGCINC pointed out, lessens your ability to slow down or control the weld (like you can with TIG). On thicker material (1/4" up) you have a lot more control as you can use oscillating and circular motions to make larger (and prettier) beads, similar to MIG welding steel. For hobby stuff, you might want to have your buddy TIG weld your items since you don't want to spend money on another welder. You will need more than the $200 spool gun too (like a separate Argon bottle and wire). What about selling the Lincoln and buying a bigger MIG welder through Everlast? "I'll take sales commission for $300, Alex (That was a joke, Alex Trebek is the host of the TV game show "Jeopardy"
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