Choosing the right rod will give you the best combination of strength and cosmetics for your welds

TIG Wire Filler Rods for Aluminum Welding

TIG welding requires a precise level of control to ensure strong, beautiful welds. There are a lot of variables to get right, including the choice of tungsten electrode and filler rod. Getting these right will help you create great welds on a consistent basis, and save you time by reducing the number of times you need to switch to a new product or tweak your settings.

When it comes to TIG welding aluminum, choosing the right filler rod is a key factor that will affect both the quality of your welds and the speed with which you can complete a job. There are a few things to keep in mind when selecting the appropriate rod for an application, such as whether you'll be making a butt or fillet joint and how thick your base metal is.

You should also consider the type of power source and torch you're using, since some power sources have built-in presets that may help you determine what kind of rod you need. The rod's diameter will also impact how well it floats in the puddle, and you'll need to ensure that the current (amperage) you're applying is within the recommended range for the alloy you're welding.

There are a wide variety of filler rods available for welding aluminum, each with its own specific advantages and disadvantages. Some are designed for use with a specific type of aluminum, while others have a higher or lower carbon content that impacts their performance in certain applications.

In general, ER4043 filler rod is preferred for most applications. It has a higher tensile strength than ER5356 rod and is better suited for welding 2xxx and 7xxx series aluminum. It's also heat-treatable, whereas ER5356 rod is not.

When it comes to determining the proper diameter for your rod, you need to take into account the thickness of the stock you're welding and the type of weld you're making. Thicker stock will require more amps to penetrate, and you'll need a larger rod to achieve this. However, too much rod will draw more heat away from the arc and increase your cycle time, while a smaller diameter could cause the rod to ball up before it even reaches the puddle.

Choosing the right rod will give you the best combination of strength and cosmetics for your welds. If you're working with an aluminum component that will be anodized, you should use a 5XXX series filler rod, as these are the best for matching the weld color to the final coating. Depending on the application, you might want to consider using a non-crystalline aluminum oxide for improved adhesion and corrosion resistance. Other benefits include greater stability at high temperatures and a higher level of nickel for increased strength. This aluminum-silicon alloy is also less crack sensitive than ER5356 rod. It is commonly used for welding cast and wrought aluminum alloys, and bicycle frames. It's not recommended for welding dissimilar metals, or for use in magnetic applications.