Spatter

[klemchuk]

HI;

I"m welding aluminum using a Millermatic 175 with a spoolgun and the spatter is a problem. Can anyone point me in the right direction to eliminate the problem. I saw an item on TV that showed fuel tanks being welded without any spatter. It looked like an automated mig setup.

Thanks in advance
Don

[macona]

They are using pulsed power sources. Got an extra $5k lying around?

Something like a XMT-350MPa, XMT-304 with a Optima, MM350, Powermig 350MP, etc.

Mig pulse is kind of useless for steel but works real nice for aluminum. I was welding .080 aluminum with my machine with .047 wire with no burn through and a nice little bead about 3/16" wide. Some of the newer power sources make mig welds that look like tig welds.

[10KPete]

Have you tried varying the wire feed speed to minimize the spatter? That and some spatter spray always worked for me.

I think you'll always have a little spatter.

Pete

[macona]

One other thing is aluminum likes to ran in spray arc. Its tough to do this with a machine that small.

[10KPete]

Yep, I had Miller 250's and spray transfer was OK.

Pete

[torker]

Don...you need to try different wire speeds. Too much wire or too little will cause more spatter.
Also check that your argon is set to the recommended flow for your machine.

BTW...THE best alu spool setup I ever used was a 304 with Optima and a Python push/ pull gun...run in spray mode.
Russ

[Ken_Shea]

Don,
Have you tried any of the various anti-splatter Dip?

Splatter can be a problem with mig welding and only worse when the settings are not correct.

Ken

I just happen to have a spare 16oz tub of Crown 69 :)
PM me your address and I will send it to you.

It last a long time.


EDIT:
Just saw where Pete (10KPete) mentioned the Spray Anti-Splatter, that is actually more convenient then the dip, it does cost more but the nozzle does not need to be hot as you spray it directly on the material to be welded.

[klemchuk]

Thanks for all the advice. I don't have 5k just laying around. I did play with voltage & wire speed and got acceptable results most of the time. I do have 2 Millermatic 200s laying around. They are old machines though. One I got 15 years ago used , the other is about 12 years old. Would either of these work better?

Thanks
Don

[mark61]

That anti-slpatter dip/ spray. I have not done much alum. welding. Over the years at various places I have worked mig welding steel they had me use from store bought spray, a mix of plan old dish soap and water to what ever sray oil like WD40, Chestron penatrating oil around the area to be welded. I try not to get it in the weld zone. The paint on type seems to work the best but probably cost the most.

mark61

[10KPete]

Thanks for all the advice. I don't have 5k just laying around. I did play with voltage & wire speed and got acceptable results most of the time. I do have 2 Millermatic 200s laying around. They are old machines though. One I got 15 years ago used , the other is about 12 years old. Would either of these work better?

Thanks
Don

Age doesn't really matter with that sort of equipment. As long as the wire feed bits are all OK the electrons don't care how old the rest is. I bought my MM250's back in '81 and wish I had one of them now!

What really makes a rig is the stability of the output and how well a setting will hold. The rule of thumb used to be that the bigger the transformer and other parts, the more stable the arc. Now the new inverter stuff is way different and I have no clue on those.

Pete

[10KPete]

That anti-slpatter dip/ spray. I have not done much alum. welding. Over the years at various places I have worked mig welding steel they had me use from store bought spray, a mix of plan old dish soap and water to what ever sray oil like WD40, Chestron penatrating oil around the area to be welded. I try not to get it in the weld zone. The paint on type seems to work the best but probably cost the most.

mark61

Anti-spatter materials are formulated so the weld isn't contaminated by them. I wouldn't have dared use any of the stuff you mentioned 'cause the welds probably wouldn't have passed testing! Well, we did a lot of critical stuff though and not much agricultural work.

Pete

[macona]

Yeah, the MM200s will be much better. Just watch it though. The max amps on that spool gun is pretty low.

What size wire are you running?

[klemchuk]

I'm usin .023 wire and welding .125 sections in a fillet joint.

[10KPete]

Oh geez! Your little rig oughta handle that just fine. You're gonna have to mess with the settings and stuff but goin' to a bigger power supply ain't goin' ta help ya.

Pete

[seattle smitty]

If you run out of the good anti-spatter spray, go into the kitchen and steal the spray can of "Pam" non-stick for food; works reasonably well, but it's gooey, and you don't want it in the joint to be welded.