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Yes, I know, best way to do it is with a TIG or get a man in.
Thing is, I want to build a trailer to transport micras. As a tight git, I want to have a go myself and I want to make the trailer small and light so aluminium is the best thing to make it from.
What I want to know is does anyone have any experience MIG welding aluminium?
(Cos I have a decent MIG and I know how to work it)
Would it be less hassle making the trailer out of steel?
(Less messing about but heavier)
Or getting someone to weld it for me?
(Expensive)
Or buying one ready made?
(Might not find one to match my needs for my budget, might end up with a pile of cack!)
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imho far better to make it out of steel, would need such big sections of ally to get comparable strength it'd need a meaty MIG and cost ££s, and the weight saving wouldn't be that great.
There's info on ally MIG on the MIG forum though, mig-welding.co.uk/forum
Ally must be super clean, stainless brush that's not been used for anything else, then there's the gas & wire.
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'66 Amazon <-> '94 LS400 <-> '86 Suzuki 1135 EFE
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Thanks Bob. Had a look on the MIG welding forum and I think you are right. The weight saving/extra hassle ratio isnt good! LOL!
I suppose if I made a decent strong steel frame I could make the deck plates out of aluminium which would keep the weight down a bit.
The mig welding forum is fantastic though!
Cheers!
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Yeah and the welds are brittle-ish too. Steel has that springiness that makes it a good choice n'all. A sight cheaper too, which is nice ;D Ally floor skin rivetted or bolted would add strength to the whole deal though. Checker plates pricy as well. Or praps it'd work to make two wide channels for the wheels, instead of skinning the floor. One thing, probs thought already, but make it big enough for other cars. Could be handy one day. Like my bike one is sized so 8 x 4 steel sheets plop straight in. There's regs nowadays about trailers, again there's info on the MIG forum somewhere, one of the guys is in the trade if I recall. Also they don't mind folk asking qq's that were asked before, it's a good place  |
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'66 Amazon <-> '94 LS400 <-> '86 Suzuki 1135 EFE
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Yes l've welded ally with mig welder full 100% argon it can be a sod with nib's galling up and wire kinks  . and iffy welds.  Steel much better for mig. I would only entertain ally with a tig welder  |
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a well set up mig welder can weld ally no problems, but it has to be decent equipment, cheap stuff just wont cut it, the only thing to rmember with ally is clean, clean clean !
oh and wirebrush with a stainless brush immediatley before welding
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MrSpeedy
East Midlands
www.vintagediesels.co.uk
Posts: 4,791 
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All the Aluminium MIG welding I've seen is generalyh done with the wire spool on the torch. Ali wire is to soft (unless you're on big stuff) to push along the lance.
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A friend of mine has had reasonable results welding aluminium with a standard non-torch feed MIG welder. He said to get a welding tip .1mm larger than the wire you're using and 100% argon for gas. Just keep everything relatively level and straight to prevent kinks.
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make it out of ali and bolt it together?? Best of both worlds....
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Current fleet:
'58 A35 (half mine)
'67 11 window splitscreen vw (half mine)
'77 mini 1000 (not quite 1000 any more!!)
'86 Armstrong MT500
'89 XR4X4
'94 Corrado VR6
Some sort of sevenesque kit car (no age yet!!)
'01 Mondeo estate 2.0 (engine eventually destined for kit car!) - scrapped, engine only left!
'98 E300 estate, rusty but seemingly reliable, fast-ish tat hauler. eventual engine donor
A35 van, or whats left of it after it lived in a field for many years
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Aug 10, 2011 11:44:28 GMT
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make it out of ali and bolt it together?? Best of both worlds.... Yes. And it's not like there aren't stronger grades of ally available. Your x-sections don't have to be huge. Not checked out material prices myself but I had some tube welding done last week professionally and was told there's not much difference in price strength for strength between mild, stainless and ally at the moment. Have to say if it was me I would consider getting a base from a caravan breakers and modifying that. Last time I had one, a double axle frame with wheels and floor still intact was £80 IIRC. |
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. and iffy welds. 
