So my harborfreight 110 flux core welder finally quit. I got about 3 years out of it for $120 ...not bad. I stepped up and bought a lincoln 3200 at home depot (SP135). It says that this unit can be used to weld aluminum, but I was just talking to the guy at the local welding supply house and he said that without the "aluminum kit" consisting of teflon liners and different feed wheels, I couldn't do it. I was just wondering if anyone here has had any real world experience welding aluminum with this machine and how it worked? I know, I should use a tig for aluminum, but I don't have one, and I won't have one anytime soon.

 

i also am interested in who has done this, and how well welding the aluminum goes. (i have the same welder) I didn't know you needed a teflon liner, i thought you just needed a new one that hasn't had steel wire go through it, and i also heard about wheels, but i havn't looked into it yet. I think i'll roam around the net tonight if no one posts answers by then

 

Lincoln sells a kit for about $57 that includes the liner and the wheel. Upon closer inspection of the feed wheel, it has a serated valley in it to grip the wire. If you look at the wire coming out of the gun, it has the marks from the serated wheel. This would probably destroy aluminum wire so it makes sense.

 

 

the guy that told you that was right, gota have the aluminum conversion kit from lincoln. also, if you decide to do that....dont expect tig looking welds. you can defenitely strongly weld aluminum with it, but the beads are somehwta ugly, but will hold. GOOD LUCK!
Kyle