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Re: miller spool guns for doing aluminum

To: shop-talk@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: miller spool guns for doing aluminum
From: "Vincent Marshall" <vlm@te-motorworks.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2006 10:25:49 -0500 (EST)
Thanks for the advice on spool guns.

While the topic is aluminum,  how is everyone dealing with fingerprinting
on their aluminum parts that don't get painted, coated, etc?

I pretty much do what Charlie pointed out as far as surface prep.  I use a
stainless brush to take off the oxide layer in the area of the weld, then
weld it.  If something like acetone is sitting near me at the time, I may
also wipe it down with that.

So, after that, I generally end up with piece that's got clearly wire
brushed areas around the welds, and the oxide layer around the rest, plus
with fingerprints in various areas.  I then end up steel-wooling the
entire part, to get it uniform and give it the brushed surface.  My issue
with fingerprints is (1) they're much harder than the rest of the surface
to brush/steel wool out and (2) once the whole part is brushed, it seems
to be even more sensitive to fingerprints.

I've had some success at (1) using solvents before steel wooling the
surface.  The stainless steel cleaner Grainger sells works surprisingly
well actually.  Don't have any here right now to list the chemical
content.

But I haven't had much success at (2).  In the back of my mind, I think
the right answer may be carry it in rubber gloves to the place that does
anodizing.  I've yet to do it that way however.

Any advice on this?

Semi related question for those who've done al w/ mig: Is mig on al as
finicky about weld area cleanliness as tig?

Thanks,
-Vin

-- 
T.E. Motorworks, Inc.
Post Industrial Laboratory
215.426.1447




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