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IrelandTimWelds puts aluminum MIG welds through the bend test
Four new uploads span aluminum setup, simpler TIG choices, battery-powered welding and a steel-drilling tip.
TimWelds
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Aluminum MIG Welding Doesn't Have to be a Nightmare
Things we can learn from the video
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- 0:19A spool gun and a graphite-lined standard MIG gun offer different ways to feed soft aluminum wire.
- 1:10Aluminum setup includes changing drive rolls, choosing contact tip sizing and switching to straight argon.
- 4:00Tim increases voltage during test passes until he reaches a smooth spray transfer.
- 8:35Bending the welded joint in a vise tests penetration rather than relying on the bead's appearance.
- 10:38Pulsed MIG controls heat input on thin aluminum and allows slower travel speeds.
A good-looking bead isn't enough for Tim. In "Aluminum MIG Welding Doesn't Have to be a Nightmare", he puts the joint in a vise and bends it to find out whether the weld actually holds.
The tutorial is the most watched of TimWelds' four new uploads, with roughly 12,000 views. It starts with a practical obstacle: aluminum wire is softer than steel wire and can buckle during feeding. Tim compares a spool gun with a standard gun fitted with a graphite liner, changes the drive rolls and contact tip, and borrows straight argon from the TIG welder next door.
Then comes the tuning. Test passes help him find a smooth spray transfer before he tackles a T-joint, checks the reverse side and tests penetration by bending it. "Until you test something, you just don't know," he says. Viewers pick up on that distinction between appearance and strength, while others ask about stitch welding, cooling time and adapting their existing equipment.
The rest of the week keeps the practical questions coming. "These 2 simple TIG setups cover 90% of welding jobs" favors keeping things simple. The battery-welding test is sponsored by Jackery, and it currently has the strongest daily viewing momentum among the channel's uploads, followed by the TIG video. "Steel Drill RPM Hack" rounds out the new arrivals.
TimWelds collected about 398,000 views over the week, with subscribers unchanged and daily viewing close to its usual level. Among nearby DIY channels, Milly | Belgrave Villa Renovation is having a busier-than-usual viewing spell, while 6061 is quieter. For Tim, the week's most substantial lesson ends with pulsed MIG on thin aluminum, followed by another destructive test rather than a verdict based on looks.
Published on Trari
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What viewers say
Love that you bend the weld to test it instead of just trusting how it looks. Taking the time to get your settings right before the real job saves so much time and money later. What is the biggest mistake you see people make when they first try welding aluminum?
@contractorscfoSee it on YouTubegreat explanation of welding aluminum. I'll have to dig out my spool gun and play with it.
@cpcoarkSee it on YouTubePulse sounds like a weed wacker:)
@joeshmo5399See it on YouTube
3 more comments
could you maybe do 1inch stitch welds and allow the piece to cool slightly in between using chiller bars to soak heat up? That could allow you to use hotter welds to get better fusion at the root.
@richardjohnson8009See it on YouTubeI wonder if they have these for the Miller 140 Millermatic Mig welder or should I just look at getting a cheap Tig welder?
Welding aluminum would be helpful on my Golf cart build which is aluminum diamond plate or making brackets and stuff for my Turbo Foxbody. I had to pay someone to weld
Bungs on my valve covers for the catch can@antiricergtSee it on YouTubeAny way of doing it with flux core? Don't have gas hook up on my welder.
@davidbeauchamp8842See it on YouTube
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The videos drawing views on TimWelds right now
- Channel
- TimWelds
- Subscribers
- 508,000
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 397,989
- Videos published this week
- 4
- Video published
- October 31, 2026
- Video views so far
- 11,682
- Views on its first day
- 6,090
The numbers
Here is how TimWelds' week looks across views, subscribers and its active uploads.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which shielding gas does Tim switch to for aluminum MIG welding?
Tim switches to straight argon, borrowing gas from the neighboring TIG welder.