I've done aluminum on my MIG before, but I don't think it will handle 1/4". [/b]
like i said...preheating is the key...i've done 5/16ths alloy on mine with preheating
The spool gun is really the way to go. I had all sorts of trouble with the correct liner and rollers. [/b]
no kiddin! i had a buddy a few years back that took the drive rollers and motor from a junk welder and used some RC car parts to make his own spool gun...it was kinda heavy though with the spool (like 15- max 20 lbs) but it worked great...this is what i may do when we get the miller, is redneck a spool gun up... B)
I did have a mild steel tip, and from what I understand, the wire will expand and birdsnest (like it did on me) if there isn't enough room for the wire to expand. [/b]
iu have .030 wire and use a .040 tip and i spray it with antispatter before i run the wire through it...works great...dont forget that you can turn up your gas flow rate for better wire cooling...
I really need to get a TIG, but for the price of a light duty TIG, I can get a killer MIG that will do 99% of what I need to do.
[/b]
i hear ya on that, the light duty (<200amp) TIG's dont even do alloy's for the most part and even some of the 200+ amp units dont have adj frequency (square or sine pattern) but i've welded with a inverTIG (HTP) and lincoln tig welders and they work great...it's just the thin alum thats a bitch...
i've also welded with a spool gun on two different Miller's (200amp and 400amp) and it turns out just fine...not as purdy as tig but good nonetheless... but it's not that great on anything thinner than 1/8th inch sheet...too easy to burn through, especially on tight inside corners where you cant see the puddle and arc
