How Not To Weld Aluminum: Spool Gun Edition

The WELD™ app is more than just a resource hub - it's a community of passionate welders just like you. Connect with fellow welders and experienced advisors, get your questions answered, and find inspiration to keep pushing yourself forward.
The app also provides a range of educational resources, including tutorials, tips, and how-to videos, to help you improve your welding skills and knowledge. And with the convenience of being able to access all this content right from your mobile device, you can learn and improve your skills anywhere, anytime.
Join us for insightful podcasts and follow us on social media to stay in the loop on the latest trends and techniques in the welding world. Don't miss out on the incredible benefits of being a premium subscriber to the WELD™ app - join us today and take your welding game to the next level!

Disclaimer:

Always exercise caution when using any tools, equipment, techniques, or processes shown in this content. If you are unsure, seek advice from a licensed professional. Any reliance on the information presented is entirely at your own risk. By watching this content, you expressly and voluntarily assume all risks, including but not limited to death, disability, and/or serious physical injury related to the use of any tools, equipment, techniques, or processes. In the event of an injury, seek medical attention immediately.

ALWAYS USE CAUTION WHEN UTILIZING ANY DISPLAYED TOOLS, EQUIPMENT, TECHNIQUES OR PROCESSES. IF EVER IN DOUBT, CONSULT A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL. ANY RELIANCE ON THE PRESENTED INFORMATION IS STRICTLY AT THE VIEWERS OWN RISK. EACH VIEWER EXPRESSLY AND VOLUNTARILY ASSUMES ANY AND ALL RISKS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DEATH, DISABILITY, AND/OR SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY RELATED TO THE USAGE OF ANY TOOLS, EQUIPMENT OR TECHNIQUES OR PROCESSES IN THE PRESENTED CONTENT. IN THE EVENT OF AN INJURY IMMEDIATELY SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION.

[OliverlifestyleJa]

Thanks for sharing the fundamentals about welding my friend, it was very interesting

[garthland]

I run a touch of aluminum at work, all push-pull [similar to spool gun but more user friendly]. My 2 cents; too much gas flow (over 40 CFM)causes turbulence and introduces contaminants. Always end return or backstep your weld, never leaving your 'crater' at the end of your weld.4043 requires less volts to wet in than 5356. Run pulse if it's available. Great video!

[miguelheras]

Great demo and explanation I have learn in this video a great deal hoping to improve my aluminum welding and minimize my grinding.
THANKS I will be watching your videos more often in the near future

[andyb]

Very informative and interesting video, thank you.

[markdaigle]

super video will have watch it a couple of times to remember all tips/ gonna probably copy and print out, thanks

[Goldwingrider]

Thank you for sharing, I just purchased spool gun, mig/tig welder for hobby … I wanted try aluminum weld one day…. Been stick welder since youth. Started mig welding for year now… loved it.. now next try spooling… aluminum!! Honestly… I’m nervous bout it … I think gonna find it interesting 😆

Learned something here!! Thanks

[LoBeau]

Very good video. Basic understandable information and an interesting presentation style.

[jimireland]

Took Stick welding in high school many decades ago, my granddaughter is an apprentice millwright and an artist so we split on a new Mig welder so she can practice at home, our first project will be to repair some broken aluminum tubing using a spool gun. Your advice is most appreciated, and very timely to boot! Thank you and the welding community, fun times ahead!

[ypaulbrown]

fantastic Dustin, cheers, Paul 'Paulie' Brown

[carpediemarts]

So how are amps regulatee with a constant voltage power supply?

[evanburton]

You’re wrong on electric current flow. Electrons travel from negative to positive. You explained DCEP wrong. The current is actually flowing from your work up to the electrode (wire) allowing it to penetrate the oxide layer of aluminum. The current is not flowing from your wire into the part.

[johnlegere]

Would have been nice to see method to eliminate crater

[jgren]

So what is the model of that 45 degree gooseneck, barrel? ? I cannot find any thing under that description

[kFritz]

so if my puddle pool is "flat" OR "river like" that means to hot?

[garygoudeau]

DCEP vs DCEN. First time I've heard this terminology. I've always heard polarity referenced as straight or reverse. Am I correct in thinking that DCEN is straight polarity and DCEP is reverse polarity? I've had a spool gun for many years. Haven't welded aluminum yet with it. Also I didn't realize flux core runs on DCEN. Really appreciate this video. It will help immensely.

[morgansword]

My old body quit in 05 when I got my lower back crushed! That said, I did some kind of effort to fab stuff as a mechanic doing what we did. I never really had a hands on aluminum welding job nor even tools to do it with so just some questions from a seventy three year old man. I see the Chinese sell aluminum radiators and they are real close to fit as our own prices of radiators is so high, its driving away much of our business. When its a thousand dollar difference for the hobby kid, you know where he goes. I understand that they "aldolase" (some name of a chemical) they use to protect their products. So modifying something can not be done cause their metal is contaminated. "Can that stuff be removed"??

[marklugo]

Some good points but several failures of information. Mig aluminum, unless for purely decorative applications, should be done in spray. Or pulsed spray. Unfortunately that never entered into the picture very much. The one pass he made where he turned it up was actially the closest to the proper weld he made. Short circuit should not be used to weld Aluminum. Every good, authoratative, text will tell you that. Short circuit looks good but will leave issues under bead. And he misstated how electrons and the arc flows. He understands a few things, enough to be dangerous. Soot can be caused by other issues and it's not always technique or gas flow.

[drott]

Hey title man: How not *TO* weld Aluminum.

[gioni]

Why are you using a spool gun when a normal Mig gun can be used.?