Welding Tips and Tricks

I have a problem welding the shiny 1/8" aluminum diamond plate.

1) What is the shiny stuff?
2) I'm not sure what grade aluminum it is.
3) What filler rod would be best.

I have seem beautiful welds on this stuff, but mine look like "bird droppings". This is the only type of aluminum I have trouble with. I tried cleaning it (Acetone) and wire brushing it (SS cup brush) but the metal doesn't want to puddle consistently. I even tried using my MIG (Spool Gun). About the time a puddle begins to form, it blows through.

We usually wipe it off with acetone and wire brush the weld area and then weld it with 4043 filler wire. It usually welds fine with both inverter and solid state machines. Use just enough EP to get a small (1/16" or less) etching around the puddle and it should weld fine. If not then something else is causing a problem.

Bill, it's possible you're welding on an anodized material. It's not something I expect to see on diamondplate, but if all other factors are normal and it should weld for you "as is", it's worth considering.

Anodized requires either a hard grind for a distance from the weld for "normal" results, or a serious review of Tamjeff's posts, if your machine is capable of big pulses of power.

There's more than one way to skin a cat...

Steve S