Spot welding 2024 aluminum

[b17redux]

I am working on a project rebuilding a B17 to restore it to flight worthy status and it requires 2024-T3 aluminum to be spot welded. The sheet metal parts are .032" each for a total thickness < .065" with a spot weld diameter of .125". These parts were originally spot welded together and new wing skins will be fabricated that require thousands of these spot welds.

Can anyone give advice on the amount of current needed to produce these welds so I can research the welder needed for the job? I have read in some places that 10,000 KVA or more would be needed. Any advice on welding timer controls would be welcomed also.

Thanks in advance.

[red light]

i'm going to have to do some digging. my first thought was to go to the lincoln elecric website and look in their knowledge base.

www.lincolnelectric.com

i'll try and post back what i can find.

later,

rob "redlight"

[red light]

well from what i have found on the internet this is quite the undertaking. you can't weld it. it has to be spot welded. the welders are expensive. the welders have to be big because of how efficient aluminum is in transferring electricity. it has been done before and it being done as we post but it takes alot of money and know how from what i have read. sorry to tell you this cause i know it is not what you want to hear.

rob "redlight"