For starters looking at this http://cgi.ebay.com/Miller-3035-SPOOLGUN-NEW-IN-BOX-ALUMINUM-WELDING_W0QQitemZ120536247877QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH _DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c10852e45

Do I need a special regulator? What gas? Is it worth it compared to TIG? I bought a used cabover camper and it is pretty trashed. Considering using it as a template and just building one with an aluminum frame. Been welding steel for 20 years but have never dabbled with alloys..

the big question is how thick of aluminum?
i have never had much luck spool gun welding thin (1/8in and under) aluminum. tig welding aluminum is the best way i think.

you use argon to weld aluminum and no you dont need another regulator.

yea, pretty thin for weight reasons. Good info..

but a TIG and you will tig weld as much as you can. can you rivet the panels?

Yea, it's just the frame and I suppose it could be 1/8"

I have the same spool gun that came with my 210 and it works pretty good. Welding aluminum is funny, but kind of fun too. I haven't done a ton of it, but I've made a few equipment racks for work out of AL and they turned out pretty good.

Tig'd thin AL at collage back in the day for a camper frame. Got pretty good at it. Tig is definatly the way to go for that. It was 7075 "H" channel at that... wasn't "supposed" to be able to weld it but I managed... still holding up as far as I know.

Just get a small bottle of strait argon (I traded a CO2 Tank for it, and if/when its empty I can "trade" back). Get some AL mig wire (small spool for the spool gun) and go to down.... for the thicker stuff. With practice I'm sure you could do thinner, but I've only done AL C-channel and plate with mine. Works good.


Prep is important. Get some Stainless Steel wire brushes and set them aside for ONLY doing aluminum work. Scratch the weld area as much as you can, removing as much oxidation as you can. Crank up the heat and feed and hold on. You need to move faster than steel.