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Originally Posted by Texas-Whisper
Stick Welding:
Advantages: The ability to weld in the wind (self shielding), forgiven to not having perfect joints and clean metal and relative easy to learn (cheap start-up cost) Fast welds
Disadvantage: not very precise on small intricate work and leaves slag that must be cleaned off. Heats up the surrounding metal more. Flying Sparks. Most cases you cant weld very thin metal. Stopping before competing a weld require you remove the slag and grind out the area.
Uses: Great for major construction of buildings and farm type work.
MIG Welding:
Advantages: More precise than stick. The ability to use self shielding wire or solid wire. Solid wire (where you use a separate shielding gas 75argon/25Co2 mix most cases) produces good results on most metals. Fairly easy to learn. Fast welds. Simi forgiven regarding metal/joint prep.
Disadvantages: Heats up the surrounding metal. Flying Sparks, depending on the shielding method you may or may not have to remove slag. Not easy to do weld very small parts with out warping. Stopping before competing a weld require you remove the slag and grind out the area. Depending on the shielding method you may(gas) or may not(flux-core) need a controlled environment.
Uses: Auto body work, farm type work, fast production work, furniture, BBQ’s etc… basic welding above stick.
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Texas-Whisper (Jimmy)
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Jimmy is Correct.
You can weld aluminum with a standard MIG welder, but you need to change your Gas to Pure Argon, Wire roll needs to be changed to aluminum wire, strongly suggest the replacement of the feed tube. Warning if your MIG welder is not 200 amps you most likely are wasting your time. Further blow out and clean clean your MIG welder inside. Aluminum takes allot of current to weld. If you want to try you should use the "Push" method in other words instead of dragging the welding tip push in to the weld. Second problem any time with aluminum is "Over heating" unlike steel aluminum will just vaporize.
Last note: People I know who weld Aluminum with MIG, generally leave one Machine ONLY ALUMINUM.
Stick Welding, in a conversation with Quarterbore, he told me of a person who welder the rails into an AK sheet metal receiver. While I am sure this could be done this I would classify this as an "Expert" task only and would not recommend this to the amateur.
Stick welding is great for very heavy projects such as a trailer hitch but is not known for it fine use.
Last note, from time to time I hear of the sales of “Special” rods for Aluminum, one other special metal, for stick and torches. Beware. Some times they work most of the time not. The bond is more like solder, and no strength is really added.
Face/ eye protecting……This speaks for it’s self. A run to the ER at 11:00 PM and your eyes feel like sand was tossed in them, is unpleasant at best. An Ark viewed unprotected for less than one second, can cause this.
I find welding fun, you should as well. I recommend start with the old “stick welder” bought at the tag sale, lots of scrap. If you have the time adult education courses at the local community collages is the best but time does not always allow this.
Have Fun and Good luck
David