Anything welding

Depends on the budget and amount you're going to use it.
If money isnt an obstacle then by all means jump straight for a Miller 350P with the push/pull gun. Load a big roll of aluminum and hook up a 300cf tank and go to town. It's a beast! The pulse mode on aluminum makes welding so much cleaner and easier. Can even do vert up on aluminum with the pulse mode.

If you need to stay a bit cheaper then the Miller 252 can be had with the 30A spool gun for around $3600 if changing 1lb spools isn't going to be too much hassle, or it can take the push/pull and handle the large rolls for a bit more. Doesnt have the pulse feature, but on 1/4" it's not a deal breaker IMO.
Won't want to go much below 250 amps for 1/4" aluminum.

Those would be my choices if Miller is your go-to. If you prefer Red, then Lincoln has a similar line to fit your needs.

 

Security bollards

Lots of welding


lots of grinding/blending, then had to hand grain as it was to large and awkward to put on the stroke sander.



There's also a 1/2" substructure, add the 11ga ss and this mother fucker is heavy.

 

Thanks for the info! I'm not sure on budget yet but im going to guess the 350p will be out as well as push/pull. Most alum welding will still be tig welded but it will be nice to have the option on future jobs to mig so I figure just a spool gun. We've got an old cp300 for steel mig that works great, I was thinking it would be nice to have one dedicated to alum, but also be used on the very very rare occasion we need to mig in the field, we do architectural metal work. I was looking at the 211, you think that would be pushing it for 1/4? None of it is structural.

 

A 211 could do it, duty cycle would be less than ideal. Aluminum takes a bit more power than steel of similar thickness, so a 211 is going to be pretty cranked up to do it. Then the spool gun duty cycle comes into play. The lower end hobbyist style machines usually have a gun with 20-30% Duty and get hot quick. The bigger machines usually get a 60-100% duty cycle gun that can take a lot more continuous welding before needing to cool off a bit.
Really the smallest I'd recommend is a 212 with the 15A or 30A gun on it.

 

Good info thanks again! I hadn't even consider the duty cycle on the gun. For this particular project I don't think it would be a problem, it's all stitch welding panels on frames but for future project that would be an issue. Thanks again for the info.

 

No problem, glad I was of some help

 

I welded the one in the pictures... A buddy did the rear shaft, and both should hold just fine

 

Pretty much done with the welding on my ARB clone bumper. Just need to cut the slot for winch farelead and paint.

It weighs 63 lbs. Am I going have to use heavier springs?

 

My new toy arrived today. I am really excited!

 

I hope you reinforce those wings some how cause they dont look very sturdy from a side hit IMO

 

Oh...the bumper.

 

I was thinking he was talking to you at first, I was like a hit? What are we racing plasma cutters now lol.

I still hate by the way.

 

Wait that's a tig, looked like a plasma on my phone at first. I don't hate you then I've got o one, though not as nice as yours.

 

Been welding MIG the last few weeks, mainly done T-bar vertical, horizontal, and overhead but today we started on open butt plates (No backstrap 1/16" gap), so I welded a few plates in a vertical position and by the end of the day the teacher said I was doing good enough to move on to overhead.
Anyone have tips for the overhead open butt with no backstrap?
I usually talk to the second semester students to get pointed in the right direction, but I'm the first student he's had do this.

 

Thanks! I can't wait to try it out.

 

I think they will be strong enough. One side is a little bit off. I tried to true it up with a sledge hammer. No luck. I guess that is the way it is going to stay.

I do know that is 100 % stronger than the plastics bumper.

The only thing it really has to do is deflect brush when trail running.

 

super jealous
I am still on a syncerwave 351. The Dynasty is so much more portable and there for more versatile. You will love that machine

 

Finished up a rear swingout bumper for a 3rd Gen 4Runner

 

ya got to show us some more pics of that project. What are ya running for a transmission? Must be a tight squeeze to get a smallblock in there?

 

earlier today at work lol. I had a helper today that overhead welding was a PITA since I had to stand awkward as heck and reach my arm out all the way. But it was fun to weld nonetheless.