I am mid rebuild on a 1973 109. Lots of damaged Aluminium panels and wondered if there is any experience of aluminium welding using a standard mig with Ali core wire, Argon and DC not AC!!!
Looking to purchase a welder but not experienced in welding at all, have done the bulkhead, foot wells battery box etc with a mig but need to learn how to Ali weld and need advice from experienced users. Cannot afford the expensive AC welders designed for Ali welding as they will exceed the cost of replacement panels so not worth spending the money. Nor am I looking to TIG weld.
So question is, does a standard mig work? Only want actual advice from those who have used one rather than neysayers if possible please.thank you in advance

ask over on the Migwelding forum

Plus 1, Mig welding forum the place to ask.

Tried it with a cheapo Clarke (Machine Mart) MIG welder in 1987.
Aluminium wire bunched up at the feed rollers every time I tried to use it.
Did get a few little runs in maybe an inch long before it ****ed up yet again.
Apparently there are Teflon faced torch liners available (probably not for a cheapo Machine Mart welder though)
The Aluminium wire just doesn't have the tensile strength needed.
I soon gave up and resorted to cold metal repairs ( ie countersunk pop rivets) to fix up the alloy panels, plus a small skim of body filler.
OK that's a bodge admittedly, but it works, and it doesn't distort the panels.

I have a clarke 150te and it does ally welding