Metal cutting - oxyfuel cutting, plasma cutting, machining, grinding, and other preparatory work.
Post Reply
exnailpounder
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Dec 25, 2014 9:25 am
  • Location:
    near Chicago

Aluminum is an absolute sponge for oils. I would NEVER use any oil based product to prep any AL I was going to weld.
Ifyoucantellmewhatthissaysiwillbuyyouabeer.
Jim FLinchbaugh
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Sep 01, 2016 11:56 pm
  • Location:
    Kalispell Montana

exnailpounder wrote:Aluminum is an absolute sponge for oils. I would NEVER use any oil based product to prep any AL I was going to weld.
Thats what I thought to, but when you preheat a casting to 450 to weld it, it must cook out, because it seemed to work.
Personally, when I came home, I used chalk
geo
  • geo
  • Active Member
    Active Member
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Tue Mar 03, 2015 9:56 pm

Done lots of aluminum grinding.

When not welding I turn up the oiler for the die grinder and use wax when cutting or sanding with electric.

When prepping for welding I use water, water and soap or windshield washing fluid if some is around as a lubricant. Then, hot soapy water bath, then super hot waterbath, then the part goes in the barby at about 250F to boil out the water. I do the last part in the winter regardless.

Thing about aluminum, no matter which burr or disc, is the correct speed. Different aluminum takes different speeds too. You see the chips flying or you mud up the tool. Variable speed tools are your friend with aluminum.
Post Reply