Alum welding question

[heyearl]

Getting ready to built a deer stand
thinking about a alum frame 1" tubing alum 4x6 frame

problem , I dont have a welding machine to weld alum
I have a Miller 252, would need to buy a spool gun
seen the spool guns for $800

or
I can buy a Lincoln 210
for about $1200 110 vac

it would move around easier then the Miller

any thoughts from alum welders ?

[sqiggy]

Factor in the cost of aluminum tubing plus what you will need to weld it to regular carbon steel then see if it's really worth it.
I mean, once you build it with the sides, floor, and roof, it's still gonna be heavy to move. Frame alone with one inch tubing, the weight between the 2 isn't going to be a whole lot. Just my opinion.

[Mr. Whiskers]

Spool gun hands down for me

[bboswell]

I don't see the benefit to aluminum but if you go that way get the spool gun 100%

[heyearl]

Factor in the cost of aluminum tubing plus what you will need to weld it to regular carbon steel then see if it's really worth it.
I mean, once you build it with the sides, floor, and roof, it's still gonna be heavy to move. Frame alone with one inch tubing, the weight between the 2 isn't going to be a whole lot. Just my opinion.

I found surplus alum at $1.80 per ft 24ft stick = $ 43.20

CS online @ 24ft stick = $46.56

all 1in square

plus I'm looking at the weight
to be able to handle and move around 2 guys

still ?????

[aggieman08]

The main question to ask yourself is do you have experience with and are you comfortable welding aluminum?

If either or both of those answers is no, I'd recommend sticking with carbon.

[Hoggslayer]

I had the same problem. I needed to weld my aluminum boat but didn't want to spend that much money on a spool gun that would fit my Miller 212. I found this one on Amazon. It works great for the money but because the 212 has 24v voltage at 100% on the dial and the spool gun runs on 12v you can only run it at 50%. This makes the wire speed adjustment very touchy but it still works.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[hogslayer78]

Call triple s steel in Houston and get a price on the carbon steel 1" tubing. We didn't pay $46 for 2" square tubing.

[bboswell]

I found surplus alum at $1.80 per ft 24ft stick = $ 43.20



CS online @ 24ft stick = $46.56



all 1in square



plus I'm looking at the weight

to be able to handle and move around 2 guys



still ?????

Wall thickness on each?

[txwhitetail]

I found surplus alum at $1.80 per ft 24ft stick = $ 43.20

CS online @ 24ft stick = $46.56

all 1in square

plus I'm looking at the weight
to be able to handle and move around 2 guys

still ?????

You need to shop around that's high for 1" steel
tube.

[boh347]

Spool gun if you decide on aluminum. I wouldn't want to build one out of aluminum though, just in case if you ever have to make a repair in the field it would be a pain.

[sqiggy]

I found surplus alum at $1.80 per ft 24ft stick = $ 43.20

CS online @ 24ft stick = $46.56

all 1in square

plus I'm looking at the weight
to be able to handle and move around 2 guys

still ?????

Wow!!! Last time I bought 1" CS tubing I got it less than a $1 a foot. That was last summer.
Still, just a frame built out of CS, 2 guys should be able to move it around fairly easy. Unless you're making it 15 ft. tall. Then all bets are off!!!

[175gr7.62]

I'd forget the aluminum. Just too dang finicky. 90% of folks that build stuff out of steel go WAYYYYY overboard on material thickness. We built hundreds of 10ft towers for blinds up to 8x8 and always used 2" 14g square tubing. For a box blind frame I would use 1" 16g or 14g steel square tubing. 14g weighs 1lb per foot and steel runs around $0.80-$0.85/lb right now. 16g weighs 0.83lb/ft.

[Texas Grown]

Do not buy your metal on-line, unless you have an established account with a supplier. I've got a price list from my supplier right in front of me. It is a public price list.

new carbon steel: 1" square tube 14ga: $11.65 for a 20'; or $14 for 24'

Prices are good till they get their next load in.

The difference in weight of the frame will not make much difference after you skin the blind and add a roof. The skin and roof will make the biggest difference.

I built this frame for my BnL this past fall. I could still roll it over, flip it over, by my self. And I used mini furniture dollies to roll it around without any difficulty. I'm a short GOF. And I also have physical challenges sometimes now. I have also spent most of my adult life welding and fabricating for a living.

[rather-b-fishin]

I just bought 8 sticks of 1.5" 16 gauge for $17 a stick for 24'ers. Just mig weld it and it will be plenty strong. If you already bought the Alum, id sell it on craigslist or on here and order the red iron.