Easy Welding Rods Aluminum Review [Top 5 Picks In 2022]

Aluminum is one of the abundant nonferrous metals, which is tricky to fix with other metals for its low hardness and less compatibility with high heat. Many fabricators often face the question – what is the best filler metal for the aluminum projects. The answer actually depends on the specific application, base metal, and filler characteristics.

Since aluminum has a much lower melting temperature than mild steel, matching the type of welding rod is a tough job.

So, what is an aluminum welding rod?

An aluminum welding rod is a generic name used to refer to electrodes or filler metal that is used to join aluminum materials. Consumable rods melt to form the bonding material between two pieces.

Let’s check out the easy welding rods aluminum review to find out the best for you!

1.  HARRIS 0535650 5356 – The Best Overall

• aesthetic welding appearance for the anodized ones
• Great mechanical properties
• The ductility of 5356 is around 25 percent
• Can be used for 6XXX base alloys

2. HARRIS 0404350 4043 – The Runner-up

• Contain 5% silicon alloy
• gives better puddle control
• Easy usage
• Attractive bead profile
• Low sensitivity to weld cracking with the 6XXX series base alloys

3. Alumaloy 30 Rods – Budget-Friendly

• Comes with tensile strength around 39,000 Ibs/sq.in
• Has compression strength around 60,000 Ibs/sq.in.
• Suitable for any non-ferrous material.
• Easy to use

4. Blue Demon ER1100 – Affordable One With Less Cracking

• 0% pure aluminum filler alloys
• Great for 1100 base material
• Budget-friendly
• Not sensitive to cracking

5. Simple Welding Rods USA Made – Great For Non-Ferrous Metal

• 39,000 psi tensile strength
• 60,000 – 75,000 psi compression strength
• Melts easily
• Offers smooth slag-free joints

Best Easy Welding Rods Aluminum Review:

There are several welding rods for aluminum come from the 1XXX, 3XXX, 4XXX, and 5XXX families that can meet the needs of specific applications. Go through my detailed review to find the right one.

1. HARRIS 0535650 5356 – The Best Overall

Dimension: 38×2.50×2.50 inches

Tensile strength: 28,000psi

Temperature range: 150-degree F

Are you looking for excellent shear strength and tensile strength? Do you prefer an aesthetic welding appearance for the anodized ones? Then you should look no further than the Harris 0535650 5356. This one should be used to have the best color match. The Harris 4043 may become an unattractive black color after anodizing.

Sturdiness

The 5356 is the most common from the 5XXX family. These are simple AlMg binary alloys. So, the higher the Mg content, the more robust the welds.

This rod may leave behind a black weld residue for the presence of Mg.

However, the Harris 4043 is less prone than this to develop porosity in the weld.

Ductility 

Since the Harris 4043 and Harris 5356 come with the same price tag, you may get confused about which one you should go for. If you are into mechanical properties, you should go for 5356. The ductility of 5356 is around 25 percent, whereas that of 4043 is between 6 and 10 percent.

Shear strength 

Talking about the shear strength, the 5356 gets the point here as well. Its shear strength is approximately 50 percent more than its competitors. This also comes with excellent tensile strength.

Usability

The 5356 alloy is suitable for three main types of applications. At first, you can join 5XXX base materials. This rod is used for welding intermediate-strength alloys like 5083 or 5086.

This one can also be used for 6XXX base alloys like 6063 or 6061 to gain incredible mechanical property.

Finally, you can use it to weld 5XXX and 6XXX alloys when the joint will be anodized after welding.

This welding rod is probably used widely. However, it is slightly tough in terms of usage but comes with greater tensile strength in comparison to 4043. It has a faster melt-off rate and feeds easier than the 4043.

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2. HARRIS 0404350 4043 – The Runner-up

Strength: Tensile Strength 27,000 psi and Yield Strength 18,000 psi

Temperature usage: 1170°F (632°C)

Welding position: All position

Suitable for: mainly 6XXX series

Whether for industry works or simple DIY repairs, the welding needs high-quality materials that can smoothly get your job done. Harries 4043 aluminum GTAW (TIG) welding alloy is the all-position welding rods that contain 5% silicon alloy. This ensures that you can use it on heat-treatable base metals.

It is quite renowned among the welders as its silicon alloy increases ease of welding and gives better puddle control. It gets the point in terms of weld parameters.

However, you may have to think before using it, as it is primarily used to weld the 6XXX series of alloys and provides weld chemistry that is highly crack-resistant.

Usability

You may also think of the silicone material these rods have, as it is not very likely. But the silicon increases puddle fluidity, resulting in a more attractive bead profile. Additionally, they are less prone to develop porosity in the weld than the 5356 filler.

However, these rods have qualifications for AWS A5.10 ER4043, ABS, ISO Designation AlSi5. Not only that, you can easily use it for welding automotive parts, frames, driveshafts, parts, truck trailers, bicycle frame struck trailers, and repairing bicycles. It can also be suitable for brazing thin aluminum sheets and tubes.

You should not use it for AlMg 5XXX alloys, such as 5083. However, if the joined metal will be anodized, you should use 5356 alloy. 

Working surface

If we can look into the other features these rods have, you can also see a low melting point and greater fluidity than the 5XXX series of filler alloys. On the other hand, these can become your common choice for welding 6061.

Also, these rods are embossed on each end for easy identification after use.

This filler is stronger than 1100 fillers, but this is soft enough that feeding difficulties sometimes occur in gas metal arc welding (GMAW). So, I recommend going for push/pull guns and feeders.

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3. Alumaloy 30 Rods – Best Budget-Friendly

Tensile Strength lbs/sq.in: 39,000

Shear Strength lbs/sq.in: 34,000

Melting Point: 728 degrees Fahrenheit

If you are about to start your welding career and could not spend that much, the Alumaloy 30 Rods have got your back. You can repair more by throwing less amount of metal. It is quite easy to use. However, it is only suitable for non-ferrous metals. Now, let’s check out the other lucrative features.

Durability

This one comes with tensile strength around 39,000 Ibs/sq.in and compression strength around 60,000 Ibs/sq.in. It repairs or fabricates any non-ferrous material. And the joint is quite permanent which lasts long.

Easy-to-use

Each of the rods has an approximate length of 1/8” x 8”. These are quite easy-to-use. They melt easily at 728° F and give a smooth finish. You will not encounter any distortion.

Since it does not contain any lead, tin, or cadmium, it is environment-friendly.

So, the Alumaloy 30 rods is quite budget-friendly and can seal any crack properly. This one is great for the novices as it has a low learning curve.

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4. Blue Demon ER1100 – Affordable One With Less Cracking

Melting Range: 1090°F-1215°F (643°C-657°C)

Tensile Strength (psi): 14,000-23,000 psi

Yield Strength (psi): 8,000-22,500 psi

If you are wondering about saving some bucks yet want to have an excellent product, you should go for the Blue Demon ER1100 3/32” welding rods. These are essentially pure aluminum filler alloys. It is around 99.0% pure.

Generally, these pure ones can be good candidates for the ones where excellent electrical conductivity is the primary characteristic.

Resistance to cracking 

The ER1100 is not sensitive to cracking. However, the filler alloy should match the parent material that means an operator should use 1100 filler material to weld 1100 parent material.

If it is difficult to find an exact match, a welder should use a filler alloy that is at least as pure as the parent metal. Purity is indicated by the last two digits of the alloy designation for 1XXX series.

Usability 

I recommend not to use 1100 filler alloy for welding non-1100 base material. This will result in crack-sensitive weld chemistry. You should use a push or pull torch with these alloys.

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5. Simple Welding Rods USA Made – Great For Non-Ferrous Metal

Strength: 39,000 psi tensile strength and 60,000 – 75,000 psi compression strength

Temparature usage: 728 deg F or 387 deg C

Product works: Aluminum, aluminum alloy, die-cast, bronze, nickel, titanium, zinc, copper, brass, and non-ferrous

Repairing is complicated, but if you do not have better working rods, then you will get more hassle in getting the job done. Simple Welding Rods is now such brands that try to reduce the workload and give you maximum results.

You will find these rods easier to work with as they work at a much lower temperature than other products. You may get surprised by knowing the temperature, which is just only 728 degrees F or 387 degrees C. With these, you can weld several ranges of aluminum and other non-ferrous metal parts. Also, you do not need to use additional tools and equipment.

Usability

It features 39,000 psi tensile strength and 60,000 – 75,000 psi compression strength that delivers fast work.

It can work on several surfaces such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, die-cast, bronze, nickel, titanium, zinc, copper, brass, and most non-ferrous (non-magnetic) metals.

It can work on galvanized steel. However, it does not work with steel.

Also, you can easily and quickly apply these on any handheld torch such as Oxyacetylene, Mapp, Map/Pro, or Propane.

The best part is making smooth, slag-free joints that help you achieve a high-quality finish on all projects.

However, the filler doesn’t seem to infiltrate the base metal; instead, it serves as a surface adhesive, if you like. Also, you may experience cracking.

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What To Consider While Buying The Best Easy Welding Rods Aluminium?

Aluminum welding rods are available in a wide range of categories. Each of them has its specific uses and benefits. But if you are not a veteran in welding, it’s hard to determine which one will be the best. So here are some factors I’ve included in this Easy welding rods aluminum review that you should consider before buying –

Melting Point

These rods work like filler materials. You have to melt the rod to fuse the two pieces of filler material. So, the higher the melting point of the rod, the longer it will take to weld. Some rods require excessive heat, making it difficult to heat the workpiece enough to weld. Again, some of them don’t melt at the advertised melting point.

Deciphering The AWS Classification

There is an AWS classification code printed on the side of the electrode to help identify the electrodes. It contains numbers and words (such as E7011), and each of them represents a property of the rod.

Tensile Strength and Shear strength

It’s necessary to match the minimum tensile strength of the rod to the base material to prevent cracking or other weld discontinuities. You can determine a stick electrode’s tensile strength from the first two digits of the AWS classification system.

For example, the number 60 in E6011 electrodes indicates its minimum tensile strength of 60,000 psi. So you have to use these electrodes with base metal that has the same tensile strength. Again, in lap or fillet welds, the shear strength of the rod is important as the weld is usually stressed in shear.

The high magnesium-content filler alloys have the highest shear strength for fillet welds. In contrast, while pure aluminum filler 1100 provides the lowest shear strength.

Welding Position

The third digit in the AWS classification represents the welding position that the electrode can be used for. 1 means the electrode can be used for any position, 2 means it can only be used for the flat and horizontal position.

Welding Current

The fourth digit represents the coating type and welding current type AC, DC, or both) of that electrode. Ac generally can achieve deeper penetrations.

Base Metal Type and Thickness

To weld aluminum, you’ll need an electrode that has at least a close composition to aluminum. For thinner materials, soft electrodes like 6013 are preferred, while for thicker materials, hydrogen electrodes (AWS ending with 15,16, or 18) are preferable as they prevent cracking. Electrodes with larger diameters should be avoided while welding thinner aluminum.

Cracking Susceptibility

Aluminum cracking occurs as the aluminum weld solidifies. This solidifying weld’s chemistry determines the cracking sensitivity, and the welding rod has a role in deciding this chemistry. So, knowing the cracking susceptibility of filler metal is essential.

The non-heat treatable alloys are less sensitive to cracking than the heat treatable. So, it is easier to weld. In heat-treatable alloys, the filler and base alloy must be dissimilar. The high purity Blue Demon ER1000 is easy to weld with 1100 or 4043 filler alloys.

The use of a 5% magnesium content filler, such as Harris 5356, can reduce sensitivity to weld cracking.

For any crack-sensitive aluminum alloy, the weld metal composition should consist of at least 70% filler alloy.

Color Match

The joint’s exterior color is crucial, and when anodized or exposed to various environ­ments depends on its composition. Silicon in aluminum creates a darkening shade when chemically treated.

In contrast, a similar weld in 6063 with 5356 filler does not discolor during anodizing. So, matching of significant elements in the filler and base alloys is desired.

Aluminium Alloy Type

There are different alloys of aluminum, and they have different tensile strength and other properties. So you’ll need specific welding rods to weld them. A four-digit number ranging from 1XXX to 8XXX designates the type of alloy. Know about the alloy type before you purchase a rod. The welding rod you chose must be the proper material to fuse with the alloy of aluminum you are welding.

Ductility

Ductility refers to the ability of a material to sustain plastic deformation before fracturing. If forming is going to be formed after welding, ductility is an important factor to consider.

Non-heat treatable aluminum alloys show excellent weld ductility. On the other hand, welds in treatable heat alloys generally do not produce as much ductility. The 4xxx and 6xxx alloys have relatively low ductility.

The Harris 5356 Fillers provide 50% more ductility than obtained with Harris 4043 in the as-welded condition.

Specification and Service Conditions

In most of the critical application process, electrodes with particular components should be used. Again, assess the conditions that the welded part will encounter. If you use it in high heat or low temperature, a hydrogen electrode with higher ductility should be used.

Conclusion

After going through the easy welding rods aluminum review, I hope you now have a clear understanding and the objectives of various aluminum filler alloys. Here I preferred the non-heat treatable ones to the heat treatable ones.

The advances in metallurgy and welding equipment are the reasons for satisfactory welds in most aluminum without high-end welders.

You also should have a clear idea about the base material and its properties. This knowledge will help you to choose the right welding filler metal. Consequently, you can hope for a successful end result.

Let me know in the comment section below about the difficulties you are facing while doing aluminum welding!

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