You can Mig Weld Aluminum with a CC (Stick Power Supply)
- Larry Gruner
- Sep 10
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 27
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If you work in the welding industry, whether in production, maintenance, in-house repair, or mobile welding, a spool gun is a game-changer. It is a wire feed and a MIG gun combined into a handheld unit. When you can execute a job that slows your competition down, you are the man they will call on first. There are situations where you need to make a weld but cannot get your standard MIG gun in. You don't or cannot weld it stick. You're stuck! You need a spool gun with a long enough spool (100 feet or longer), which is standard. Longer leads are available on special order. You need a gun capable of welding alloy from 0.025 through 1/16", any alloy you can supply on an industry standard four-inch spool, solid or fabricated (flux-core) alloy.
A myth in the welding industry is that you cannot weld wire (steel or aluminum) with a DC constant current (stick welder) power supply. The sector has been welding both steel and aluminum wire with CC power supplies since
World War II.
What you need is a variable voltage wire feeder. You set the arc current on the power supply and the arc voltage (which equals the arc length) using the wire feeder speed control. If the arc is lengthened, the wire feeder speeds up the wire to maintain the required arc length.
It works best in automated or semiautomated procedures; it is commonly used in submerged welding. It may take some time to become proficient by hand, but it is well worth the time.
No, you can't use this unit.
For example, you need to quote an aluminum job without aluminum mig equipment. Do you go into debt or spend your precious funds on a new machine you may only need for this project? Have you priced new machines and spool guns? Almost all fab shops have power supplies tucked away in a corner, or your buddy may have one that he will loan you. All you need is the gun, and you're in business. If your local welding supply is not comfortable with welding equipment or the welding process, call us!
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