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Thread: Aluminium Welding
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19th Oct 2008, 03:30 PM #1
Aluminium Welding
Im 53 am I to old to learn welding
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19th Oct 2008, 04:01 PM #2Senior Member
- Join Date
- Apr 2008
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- Perth
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Welding
Never too old Bloke, to learn anything. If you have never done welding before get as stick welder first, practice, practice, practice on scarp steel varying the thickness of the metal and changing the amps setting. Once you have reasonably mastered that move on. Alloy welding is a different field, you need a Mig for that and there are plenty helpful Blokes in this forum that can help you out with what you seek.
DD
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19th Oct 2008, 04:08 PM #3
You are never too old to learn anything. Jump right in and have a go. Aluminium is more of a challenge so I'd start with mild steel first to get the basic techniques down then you will have to re learn to do the Al.
MIG, TIG or Oxy .... all have pro's and con's depending on the material you are working with.
I'm sure you'll love it once you get past the learning curve. PS always more to learn no matter how much you know.
all the best
Kevin
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19th Oct 2008, 04:20 PM #4
Thanks for your confidence but would I have to go to tec..
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19th Oct 2008, 08:03 PM #5Senior Member
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- Apr 2008
- Location
- Perth
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Welding
Nope, i never. Back in the early eighties I was standing around with a bunch of blokes in Cape York watching a bloke trying to weld a piece of truck spring onto the end of an earth auger, he was using a Linclon welder with a tractor pac and handing the welder around until it got to me when he asked "Can you weld"? "No I said"? to which he replied "What good are you then"?.
When I got back to WA I stopped in at Karratha CIG depo and bought a gas kit along with a Transarc tradesman welder, came with a book. Sat down and read through it, also gave you projects to build. I still have that book and the first thing I made was a new handle for the welder. Now the welds are not pretty and I don't want to change it because it shows me where I started when I first struck an arc to my present day welding. I didn't go to tec or trade school and years later when I bought a Mig to do alloy welding I got some good videos on the subject and set off practicing on off cuts etc until I mastered it and began repairing blokes ally boats with it but thats another yarn.
So jump in and have a go, like I said in the previous post, practice, practice practice on scrap metal then have a go at making something.
DD
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19th Oct 2008, 08:16 PM #6
youll never know if you never have a go
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19th Oct 2008, 09:38 PM #7
I'd say that if you want to learn welding - aluminium is not your ideal starting point.
Aluminium has the problems that if you do it with oxy, you need flux, you won't be able to see how hot the metal is (aluminium doesn't go red as you heat it), its melting point is very easy to overshoot leaving you with a nasty puddle, you need to think about using backup pieces...in all, its not what I'd call beginner friendly.
Leaning aluminium welding with TIG is also not all that friendly..unless you really like the high frequency tingle you get while doing it!
If you need to fix something made of aluminium, I'd suggest using one of the fluxless rods such as these: http://www.durafix.com.au Easy and (relatively) cheap.
If you want to learn welding, see if there is a nearby school or college that offers a course - this way you can try out oxy, MIG and arc welding without having to spend up to buy the equipment.
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19th Oct 2008, 10:38 PM #8
If you are not dead,you are not too old.
How much you willing to spend may determine the type of process that you can ultimately afford
What you want to weld and to what quality
How badly you want to learn it
Are the determining factors.
Talk to us
Ask questions.
Grahame
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19th Oct 2008, 11:00 PM #9
At the central coast there's no ally welders,So I'd thought I should do something about it.
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20th Oct 2008, 12:03 AM #10
Hobby welding and professional, commercial welding are two very different things. By all means go to TAFE and learn to weld but don't expect to be welding and charging people next week. It takes quite a bit of experience to get to a saleable standard.
Don't mean to discourage you but you need to be realistic. Welding/Boiler making is an apprenticeship. Hope i haven't misunderstood your intentions.
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21st Oct 2008, 08:25 AM #11
NCArcher,Not at all
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21st Oct 2008, 08:10 PM #12
I take it there are lots of aluminium boats and few skilled welders to repair them.
Don't sell your self short
I have had some exceptional students who picked up the skills quickly.These were people who really enjoyed learning and using the skills - more than just a job.
It would not hurt to do some research and see just what is required in terms of a market.
Small boat crack repair and prop and outboard skeg repair come to mind.
Grahame
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