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More from Frank Armao
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Backing bar weld for large-diameter pipe
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 20, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Learn how to perform a backing bar weld for large-diameter pipe, a type of application commonly that commonly uses copper or stainless steel backing.
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Adding weld strength with aging
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 20, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Q: I plan to fabricate components using 6061-T4 and then age them after welding. I have heard than I can increase the welded strength this way. Is this true? What is the aging treatment? If I buy 6061-T4, which is aged at room temperature, will it keep aging in my shop? Will I eventually need to...
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Searching for 4043 yield and tensile strengths
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 19, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Q: I have been trying to find the yield and tensile strengths for 4043 filler metal, but so far I’ve been unsuccessful. Can you help me? Why is this data so hard to find? A: Believe it or not, the data exists. Weld metal data for virtually all aluminum filler metals was developed in the 1960s....
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Welding steel to aluminum—Is it feasible?
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 19, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Can you weld steel to aluminum? This is a common question in fabrication that our experts address. Learn more about welding steel to aluminum here.
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Guestimating aluminum alloys
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 18, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Q: If someone hands you a piece of aluminum, is there any easy way to tell what alloy it is? Everyone tells me I need to buy very expensive equipment to do this. A: Unfortunately, the people you are speaking with are correct. However, that’s assuming you need to know what alloy you have exactly....
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Where in the world is the 5052 filler alloy?
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 17, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Q: I am about to begin a project that requires me to weld a lot of 5052-O sheet material. There’s just one problem: I can’t find 5052 filler. Can you tell me why this is and what I should use instead? A: I can understand why you might think that you should weld 5052 sheet with 5052 filler...
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Taming 6061-T anodized tubing
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 14, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Q: I’m having a very difficult time welding 6061-T aluminum tubing that has been anodized. The weld won’t flow out correctly, I can see a lot of porosity, and the weld has a black color to it. What can I do to make the weld better? A: The problem you are describing is a common one. Let’s...
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: What’s so bad about welding 2024 vs 7075?
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 12, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Some aluminum alloys, such as 7075 and 2024, should not be welded. Our experts explain why welding 2024 vs 7075 alloys is not a good idea.
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Don’t know the alloy? Make an educated guess
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 12, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Q: I need to repair an aluminum casting, but I have no idea what specific alloy it is. What filler metal should I choose? A: You can’t tell what an aluminum alloy is just by looking at it. Realistically, you’ll probably have to choose the filler alloy without being sure which casting alloy you...
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Aluminum flux-cored wire welding with FCAW/SAW
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 11, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Can you weld aluminum with flux core? Our experts answer a question about on aluminum flux-cored wire welding with FCAW/SAW. Learn more here.
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: What Is the Black Residue on Aluminum?
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 10, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
What is the black residue on aluminum? learn how to differentiate between residue and oxide on your aluminum wire from the experts at FMA.
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Sizing up processes, power source capabilities for aluminum welding
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 7, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Q: I have a small shop at my home and would like to add a piece of welding equipment to increase my capabilities to weld aluminum. But, I’m confused. I don’t know whether to buy a gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) machine or a gas metal arc welding (GMAW) machine. Any suggestions? A: In general,...
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Aluminum TIG with DCEN
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 6, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Q: I do a lot of aluminum GTAW, and I have always used alternating current (AC). Recently a friend told me that I can GTAW aluminum using direct current electrode negative (DCEN). Is this true? A: Yes, it is true, but using DCEN requires some changes in the process. Let’s find out what they are....
- From The Welder
Choosing the right tungsten for aluminum TIG welding
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 5, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Need to know the right type of tungsten to use for an aluminum TIG weld? Our experts explain what to know about tungsten for aluminum TIG welding here.
- From The Welder
Aluminum Workshop: Busting the universal filler myth
- By Frank Armao
- Nov 4, 2014
- Aluminum Welding
- Article
Q: My friend told me that he never worries about what grade of aluminum alloy he is welding on. He always uses 1100 filler. He says since 1100 is essentially pure aluminum and doesn’t contain any alloying elements, that you can use it to weld any aluminum alloy. Is this true? It would eliminate a...
- Podcasting
- Podcast:
- The Fabricator Podcast
- Published:
- 04/16/2024
- Running Time:
- 63:29
In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Caleb Chamberlain, co-founder and CEO of OSH Cut, discusses his company’s...
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