Blown06

iTrader: (32)

I'm willing to pay for your time and travels to Pearland for a 1 hr tutorial.

I can tig weld no problems. But I'm convinced that there is some problem with either my machine or something cause I'm having some strange issues with aluminum welding. I basically would like a pro to come out and weld some aluminum and see if will do the same thing for them as it does for me.

honda_head

Hit up Collin @ Toxic Fab, tell him brad sent ya. I already told him your scenario, and he said he'd help out.

sales@toxicfab.com is his email

Blown06

iTrader: (32)

Email sent. Thanks man. Hopefully he can help me get to the bottom of my aluminum welding problems.

Blown06

iTrader: (32)

Brad,

Thanks for the info, but it looks like collin is too busy to help me out in the fashion that I need.

I've already been through the try this, try that stuff and still no luck. I really need someone who knows what they are doing to physically be here to either show me what I'm doing wrong or make a determination that something is not right with my rig.

68rscamaro

If I was closer I'd be happy to come help you out but that's not really an option. Can you post pics of your machine and setup. I think myself and probably lots of other folks may be able to help. Don't take this as an insult or anything like but you're using argon and the machine set on AC?

Blown06

iTrader: (32)

Yes, argon and a/c welding for aluminum. I don't do any thick stuff so I don't think I need a helium mix. Or do I?

I'm running a Miller Dynasty 200 DX. I welded up a project for a friend last week that was mostly 1/8" wall, 1" square tubing, 6061. Machine settings where 150 amps, 75 balance, anywhere from 125 to 250 Hz. Using 1/16 filler (tried 4043 and 5356), 3/32 Red tungsten. Gas flow set to 12 using a gas lense.

My problem is that sometimes the weld looks so dirty, that you'd think the gas was turned off or I got a bad bottle (that has happened).

Regardless of prep, I just can't get a clean consistent puddle formed. I've done the stainless brush, acetone stuff and it seriously makes little if any difference than if I just welded with no prep.

My mild steel, 4130 and stainless welds are fine. Aluminum just doesn't puddle nice and clean.

I'll also add that this problem seems a little sporadic. Sometimes the pieces weld decent and sometimes it is just a bird **** mess. This leads me to believe that it is me, but I'm not really changing anything from when it is working to when it is not.

Also, it is not the filler that is adding the contamination, dirtyness is there before I even add.

When it is working, it still seems like it could be much nicer. I see pictures of stuff that looks contamination free. I've asked guys like Aaron at 6061.com and Marcella about their prep and the only answers I ever get are "I don't really do anything but wipe it down with acetone and work away". Blows my mind.

honda_head

Red tungsten is the problem. Needs to be pure (green), lanthanated (gold) or e3 (also green).

Another option, is stop using acetone. Try denatured alcohol. Its $20 a gallon but seems to wipe away much cleaner and easier to work with than acetone, not as toxic either.

Blown06

iTrader: (32)

I'll give these tips a try. I may have some time this weekend to try it out and I'll report back.

I've been watching a ton of videos on tig welding aluminum (watched them in the past as well) and one thing that stuck out this time is that it may be that I'm not giving enough time to properly establish a puddle.

I picked up on a comment on one vid that the guy said that the puddle will "drop" when it is ready. So I'm gonna give that a try as well.

One thing that I have noticed, especially on this last project, is that sometimes it'll start getting dirty and the puddle that I'm working will seem to solidify. I'm not sure that it literally does that, but it becomes such that I can't seem to manipulate it. In which case I dial up the heat and it still does nothing. When it does this, the weld becomes very dirty with black spots. When it does this I can't seem to get it to clean up, and even moving the torch over on the base metal to grab something fresh, it just seems solid. Solid is a bad word to use as it will take filler......just garbage.....I hope that made some sense. Almost like the oxide layer becomes so thick, I just can't get to the aluminum.

Also, another problem that I've been having is that when I go to add filler, it just ***** up on the rod before I can even get it into the puddle. At first I thought this might be a problem with my torch angle, but holding the torch straight up and down didn't even fix this issue when it happens. When this happens sometimes the molten ball on the end of the filler rod will fall and burn the **** out of whatever it lands on.

What the hell is wrong with me?

honda_head

Aluminum is def a pain in the *** to work with, and honestly it's a confidence thing. You're constantly walking the tight rope of too penetrated vs not enough heat. Maybe try bumping your gas by 5 cfh, and go up about 25 amps. If you're using 3/32 tungsten, be around 65 balance and 100 frequency, 100-130 amps on 1/8" thick material. Debur and clean the material, make sure your gloves are fairly clean, and you have a bottle that isn't less than 10% full.

You are right about the filler balling up on you, its usually a combination of torch angle and the filler being to high up off the material (or too close to the electrode vs the material). Try to visualize in your head that you are dipping your filler under the puddle/electrode, and make sure you do it with authority! haha. if it ***** up, just tap it on the table without turning your arc off and go back at it. if i have time today i'll try to make a video so you can see what all i do.

Blown06

iTrader: (32)

A video would be much appreciated.

stevieturbo

I'm crap at welding...so here's my thoughts.

In UK we use white tungstens for aluminium/AC, 0.8% Zirconiated...whatever the hell that means

I use the 2.4mm tungsten for most stuff, did for all my boost pipes and they turned out ok

For ages the filler rod was always melting when I went near the arc too. Made welding a pain in the hole.
Solution...use a thicker filler rod ! Think the ones I use are around 100thou, 2.4mm thick. Whatever that is.
Doing this single thing made such a difference, and made welding much much easier. ( havent a clue what material the actual rod is mind...would need to check )

Cleanliness....still dont understand this one. Sometimes I too get stuff that welds as if it is dirty...but isnt. I even tried welding some unprepped material once, and it welded fine.

Frequency, I find it much easier with this screwed up to the max, 200Hz on my machine.

Gas, pure argon, usually set around 8l/min, no 6 shield I think. Dont have a gas lense.

Ive a pedal to control the current. Usually a good whack to get started then can back off once a pool has started seems to work best.



Now as said, whether any of the above is right or wrong I dont know, but if the alloy is clean, generally I can make half decent welds with the above. Not always, but most of the time.
Of course I touch down and make mistakes more often than I should...but cant be helped.

Back to the original question. You might have more luck asking a welder if you can bring your equipment to his place and have him teach you.
Or some welder sales shops might have tutorial classes available where you could do the same.

Doing that means they dont have to take as much time out to travel to you.

honda_head

K made a quick video... the vid in itself is pure ****... my phone does not like the a/c current at alllllll. But you'll get the idea of how i weld, with my pace, heat, etc... at the end i show the weld close up, and should give you an idea of how the weld can turn out, even on unprepped, extremely contaminated base metal.

Filler rod i use is 3/32" (.095 or 2.4mm) 5356

stevieturbo

Is it normal to have the tungsten stick out that far ?



Should also add....trying to go too slowly was another problem I had. Once you move a bit faster and go with the heat/flow, it becomes easier.

Blown06

iTrader: (32)

Quick note and I don't know how much this matters........
I went out to the garage to take inventory before I went to the welding supply and I realized that I have been using a 1/16 red tungsten instead of the previously mentioned 3/32. I was using this with a gas lense and #7 cup.

I bought a 3/32 gas lense, #7 and #8 cups, 3/32 2%, 1/16 2% and 3/32 1.5% to give a try. The welding supply didn't have a huge supply of different tungsten to try.

I've got 2 pieces of 3/32 that came with something I bought a long time ago but I don't know what they are. The color is a dull green (not green) color.

Blown06

iTrader: (32)

You can extend the tungsten much further when using a gas lense like the guy in the video is.

Are you the same guy that was offering me a ton of advise in one of my yellow bullet threads?

stevieturbo

I am.

Blown06

iTrader: (32)

Cool. Thanks for being patient with me. I tend to ask a lot of questions, some which may not make sense. I got a lot of good ideas from stuff that you have typed.

honda_head

Extending the tungsten increases gas coverage area, but only works with a proper gas lense and cup.

Get rid of that 1/16. It's only meant for super fine tig welding. Like less than 50 amps, and small penetration.

Blown06

iTrader: (32)

I did a little practicing tonight. I thought I had bought a 3/32 gas lens, but when I pulled all my stuff out of the bag, I bought two 1/16. So I had to use a regular setup. Anyway, the gold tungsten appeared to work much better.

Now for this practice, I weld 2 pieces of 1" square tubing, 1/8" wall, 6061-T6 together. I was extremely **** with prep. Used a scotchbrite disk to prep the area (on a recommendation from a youtube video), and wiped everything down with acetone including the filler rods. I also used brand new tig gloves so everything was very clean.

I tried various settings on the machine. Different combos from 50-80 balance and 150-250 Hz frequency. 50-55 seemed to work the best. 150-250 didn't seem to change weld quality much.....except that there was an obvious difference in arc wander.

Couple questions:

1. Maybe I was getting in a hurry, but toward the end of my session, the puddle just seemed to "wash out". Was this because the work piece was getting too hot?

2. I produced my best welds with the balance at 50-55. This is lower than what is recommended, but it seemed to produce the best results for me. What are your thoughts?

3. Torch angle seemed very sensitive. I really responded well with the torch angled into the weld as opposed to more perpendicular. Does that sound about right?

4. Weld quality seemed very dependent on the distance from the work piece to the tungsten. At first and previously, it seems that maybe I was too close. Backing the torch away a bit seemed to improve the weld. What distance is optimal?

Blown06

iTrader: (32)

Question:

I ran some practice beads with 5356 and 4043 filler rod. It appears to me that the 5356 has a more dull finish to it. Does that make sense?

Also, I noticed a texture in the bead when finished. More so with the 5356 than the 4043, but the texture is kind of rough looking. I've been looking at some professional aluminum welds and don't see this texture. Whats the deal with this?