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first time trying tig, suggestions for Al?


Tue, 31 Aug 2021 09:34:21 GMT
Rank amateur here. I'm just a guy in his garage building cars and other stuff out of metal. I've recently found I could really use TIG for some things, so I bought one. The Lincoln 180C (even with a spool gun) just wasn't covering all my bases. Pretty common I'm guessing: the more equipment and skills you get, the more you realize you need more.....I made sure it had plenty of punch (250 amps at 60% duty) and it will still do thinner materials (bottoms out at 5 amps). I needed to be able to do steel and aluminum, so I went AC/DC. I don't have the money to buy red or blue with those specs (I'm just a schmuck in his home garage after all), so I went with an Everlast Power TIG 250 EX. I went for the best I could afford on my budget and this was it. Yeah, it's not red or blue but it gets decent reviews on the web and I'm only using it as a "hobbyist", which means infrequent use at best. I'm getting ready to try a few beads,but would like a little guidance on where all those knobs should be set. Here's the panel for ref:Tungsten: ceriated, 3/32Filler: 5356, 3/32. Shop didn't have 4043. Supposedly all the local shops predominantly buy 5356, so that's what they carry. I'm not doing anything structural, so hopefully it's good enough to start out with and learn some technique.To be welded: Aluminum (prob 6061), 0.050 thickness.So does that sound like around 50-60 amps AC? My understanding is the rule of thumb for TIG is 1 Amp per thou, a bit more than 1 amp/thou for Al. I also have 1/16 tungsten (ceriated) and 1/16th filler rod (5356). Would that be a better choice on 0.050" instead of the 3/32"?What about freq/cleaning action, etc?I understand it's a learning process for me right now as much as anything else, I'm just looking to start somewhere in the ball field instead of trying to figure my way in from the parking lot.Last edited by gr8twhite; 12-01-2019 at 10:08 AM.
Reply:That’s actually a nice machine.  I used one for a while. Prefer it to the EXT because one glance and I can see what all my settings are simultaneously. .050 is not what u want to learn on.   Get some 1/8” and cut into 6” coupons to practice .  Only do one bead on each coupon and then let it cool.    If you have a bunch of coupons.   When u finish the last one the first will be cool again.   Ad an extra 25 amps for aluminum in top of the rule you posted for steel.  Smaller tungsten would be better for the thin stuff.    Thin aluminum is a real challenge.   Perfect fit up and clamping so no gasps is also very important.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:That's a great machine, it welds Aluminum just fine  As southpaw says don't try to learn on .50 stock it's too unforgiving. Are you familiar with the videos you can watch on "weldingtipsandtricks"? Watch Jody's Many teaching videos on learning to weld anything (alum,ss,tig/mig/stick) before you try to self-teach...
Reply:50 thou aluminum will be tricky to learn on but here's a starting point.  I have an Everlast PowerPro 205 that's about 10 years old now.  Very similar machine.  Works fine with no problems.This will get you in the ballpark.  Cleaning and main amperage will need the most tweaking depending on the aluminum you're working with.  Settings:Amps:  Play around between 40 and 60.Start Amps:  20End Amps:  20Up Slope:  1 secDown Slope:  2 secPreflow:  1Postflow:  2 or 3Pulse:  OffRemote:  2TMode:  ACSelect:  HF StartPulse Freq:  N/APulse Balance:  N/APulse Amps:  N/AFrequency:  45-65 HzCleaning:  35 - 45 start with 40. Ray...And a rock feels no pain; and an island never cries.
Replyfirst time trying tig, suggestions for Al?on’t even mess with the slope, start, end amps, etc.  Use a pedal!Set your post flow to about 5 seconds.Frequency 100-120 works well for aluminumSet your balance 20-35% on that machine. The higher the balance the more amps you need to weld.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:That Everlast is way to complicated for me.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:I've got some 1/8" wall square tube 6061left over scraps. Maybe I'll start a few beads on that stuff to begin with....
Reply:Well, tried to run a couple beads. Yeah......I've got lots of practice to do......lol!
Replyfirst time trying tig, suggestions for Al?ost a pic
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313Post a pic
Reply:I took some lessons about 6 weeks ago and the number one thing to master is getting comfortable. You need to be able to comfortably be able to rest your hand at the right height and be able yo slide your hand easily in the direction of your weld. Start out by just making puddles and controlling the size where you can get it a consistent width. Once you master that add in the stick. They started me out with 1/16 rod on 1/8 coupons. After you get good at that move onto butt joints and then T joints. Good luck,
Reply:It's all about arc length. After a while it comes naturally, like how close your chin is to your dinner plate. No way you are going to sit back and drop food all over your lap. And likewise no way you are going to stick your nose in your gravy. Your arc length is usually dictated by the metal thickness, tungsten diameter, and filler diameter. So for .050" you would use a 1/16th tungsten, and 1/16th filler. So trim you arc length to 1/16". I usually figure on the filler being the dictator. Larger filler for thicker metal, larger arc length. Generally though your arc length will settle between 1/16" and 1/8". Just today I was welding some 2" thick magnesium. My filler was 1/8" so my arc length was 1/8" so that I could jam my rod into the puddle without hitting the tungsten. Holding that arc length and compensating for puddle rise comes naturally with experience. Kind of like bring your fork to your mouth. Not much thought to it anymore once all of the other elements are factored in.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:With that thickness.  You should have a nice shiny puddle in 1-2 seconds.   If longer you aren't using enough amps.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonIt's all about arc length. After a while it comes naturally, like how close your chin is to your dinner plate. No way you are going to sit back and drop food all over your lap. And likewise no way you are going to stick your nose in your gravy. Your arc length is usually dictated by the metal thickness, tungsten diameter, and filler diameter. So for .050" you would use a 1/16th tungsten, and 1/16th filler. So trim you arc length to 1/16". I usually figure on the filler being the dictator. Larger filler for thicker metal, larger arc length. Generally though your arc length will settle between 1/16" and 1/8". Just today I was welding some 2" thick magnesium. My filler was 1/8" so my arc length was 1/8" so that I could jam my rod into the puddle without hitting the tungsten. Holding that arc length and compensating for puddle rise comes naturally with experience. Kind of like bring your fork to your mouth. Not much thought to it anymore once all of the other elements are factored in.
Reply:Oh, and here’s the mess I made of some 1/8” trying to get myself sorted:Attachment 1707974Backside:*shiver*Man, thats just nasty! Lol!
Reply:The piece with 3 beads and no filler rod shows you might want to turn-up your cleaning just a little.  Also, that piece is really dirty.  That looks like T6061-T6 which has a slightly hardened and oxidized surface.   Clean it with a stainless wire brush and wipe it with acetone.  The triangular piece got way over-heated and then it oxidized real bad.  Once it gets that way, you can't weld on it.  The surface gets a skin and the aluminum underneath just melts.Get more practice material and keep at it....And a rock feels no pain; and an island never cries.
Reply:Originally Posted by Ray CJThe piece with 3 beads and no filler rod shows you might want to turn-up your cleaning just a little.  Also, that piece is really dirty.  That looks like T6061-T6 which has a slightly hardened and oxidized surface.   Clean it with a stainless wire brush and wipe it with acetone.  The triangular piece got way over-heated and then it oxidized real bad.  Once it gets that way, you can't weld on it.  The surface gets a skin and the aluminum underneath just melts.Get more practice material and keep at it.
Reply:Here's what you have to keep in mind though...That little triangular piece just adsorbs So Much Heat, because of it's size, VERY Quickly. Before you start your 2nd bead, it's Way overheated already. You want Big, at least 1/8", Clean pieces for learning (like 6X4") and have a bunch of them so you can weld a bead and put that piece down to cool off while you try another.
Reply:Originally Posted by BaTuHere's what you have to keep in mind though...That little triangular piece just adsorbs So Much Heat, because of it's size, VERY Quickly. Before you start your 2nd bead, it's Way overheated already. You want Big, at least 1/8", Clean pieces for learning (like 6X4") and have a bunch of them so you can weld a bead and put that piece down to cool off while you try another.
Reply:Get a bucket of water and dunk the practice piece after every bead.Looking at the condition of the pieces you used is also a great way to see how aluminum absorbs heat and how pre-heating can either be good or bad depending upon the application.Millermatic 252 MIGMiller Dynasty 200DX TIGMiller Spectrum 625 PlasmaAltas 12x36 Metal LatheBridgeport Milling Machinewww.psacustomcreations.com
Reply:Just taking a glance at how many regulators there are in the machine I can imagine how tricky a process TIG is. I know nothing about it besides what the process is and how the pros can get some of the prettiest welds I've seen with it. I see in the machine writings there's a foot pedal that can be used, is it for fine tuning the amperage? I'd think it would be easier to adjust the arc moving the tungsten electrode closer or away from the piece, like in MMA. Does the pedal really make it easier?
Reply:If you’ve never tig welded before, Aluminum is not what you want to start with. Get proficient welding steel and then go to aluminum. Steel is way more forgiving. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by 7635toolsIf you’ve never tig welded before, Aluminum is not what you want to start with. Get proficient welding steel and then go to aluminum. Steel is way more forgiving.
Reply:Originally Posted by IanCaioJust taking a glance at how many regulators there are in the machine I can imagine how tricky a process TIG is. I know nothing about it besides what the process is and how the pros can get some of the prettiest welds I've seen with it. I see in the machine writings there's a foot pedal that can be used, is it for fine tuning the amperage? I'd think it would be easier to adjust the arc moving the tungsten electrode closer or away from the piece, like in MMA. Does the pedal really make it easier?
Reply:Originally Posted by Ray CJThe pedal makes it much easier.  In some cases, it's the only way to go.   Changing the electrode distance changes heat but also changes gas coverage and bead profile.  This may or may-not always be the right thing to do.   The real reason pedals are so helpful with AL is because you might need (for example) 150 Amps to get a puddle going and in about 1" of travel, reduce it down to roughly 130 Amps and after another inch of travel, level off to 115 Amps.   Making those kinds of heat changes by varying the electrode distance is not a good recipe for consistent beads.Originally Posted by 7635toolsIf you’ve never tig welded before, Aluminum is not what you want to start with. Get proficient welding steel and then go to aluminum. Steel is way more forgiving. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by KelvinOn the other hand, starting with steel can teach you some habits (creeping up on the heat, etc) that can be hard to abandon when you switch over to aluminum. I think there's something to be said for starting on either one. The initial learning curve will be steeper if you start with aluminum, but switching from aluminum to steel is probably easier than learning on steel and then trying to weld aluminum...I learned on steel, and had a devil of a time when I tried to switch to aluminum until I realized you need to wail on it right off the bat...
Reply:Not enough amps.  Set at least 150 for1/8th aluminum and use a stainless steel brush to clean the aluminum before welding.  Mark the brush for aluminum use only.  Floor the pedal to start.   Then back off a little when you almost instantly get the shiny blob.  Your beads are wide  and sunken because your are NOT using enough amps.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Originally Posted by gr8twhiteHmmmm. Great minds think alike?First try. Issues? Yep. Easier? Yup.
Reply:well, cranked it up to 150 amps to try it out. Cratered the Aluminum badly and blew right through in some places. tried backing off with the foot pedal and got into either no puddle or blowing right through (or cratering). Yep, back to 125 amps we go. Now I'm getting a bit of dig on the parent material and black smut in the weld and big black burn marks on either side of it. Upped the argon to 15 CFM on a #6 cup,  no difference. I'm holding my torch near 90 degrees, I'll try a bit more push angle. I'm also finding the 5356 filler rod might not be helping me out any. As soon as the arc gets anywhere near it, you get a blue/green aura/halo/flame. I think it might be the magnesium content being a touch too high for me at the moment and its not helping me in any way. Tomorrow, I have to go into town for a doctors appointment and I'm going to stop off at on of the bigger stores and pick up a couple pounds of 4043. I do know that I can MIG with a spool gun and 4043 fairly decent, as long as it's 1/8" or better. I drop 5356 into the spool gun and I can't weld Al worth spit. So maybe, just maybe, if I get some 4043 the learning process might be a little easier.Well, that and much, much, MUCH more work on my technique..........Last edited by gr8twhite; 12-09-2019 at 05:53 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by gr8twhitewell, cranked it up to 150 amps to try it out. Cratered the Aluminum badly and blew right through in some places. tried backing off with the foot pedal and got into either no puddle or blowing right through (or cratering). Yep, back to 125 amps we go. Now I'm getting a bit of dig on the parent material and black smut in the weld and big black burn marks on either side of it. Upped the argon to 15 CFM on a #6 cup,  no difference. I'm holding my torch near 90 degrees, I'll try a bit more push angle. I'm also finding the 5356 filler rod might not be helping me out any. As soon as the arc gets anywhere near it, you get a blue/green aura/halo/flame. I think it might be the magnesium content being a touch too high for me at the moment and its not helping me in any way. Tomorrow, I have to go into town for a doctors appointment and I'm going to stop off at on of the bigger stores and pick up a couple pounds of 4043. I do know that I can MIG with a spool gun and 4043 fairly decent, as long as it's 1/8" or better. I drop 5356 into the spool gun and I can't weld Al worth spit. So maybe, just maybe, if I get some 4043 the learning process might be a little easier.Well, that and much, much, MUCH more work on my technique..........
Reply:well, that's a little better:Tried 100 amps and the result was the "bead" on the Left. Cleaned the material with SS brush and it could barely punch through to pull a puddle. I didn't even try to add filler. Seems like the Al got hot enough by the end to actually bead a little bit, or maybe because I had drifted towards the edge there wasn't as much mass to suck up the heat. Dunno, I just know it wasn't working for me. Second attempt I split the diff between 100 and 125 at 110 amps and it made a shiny puddle when I walked on the pedal so I tried feeding some 5356. The results are the bead on the right. Still lots of issues, but at least that let me run something like a bead and somewhat under control. I bumped up the freq and cleaning just a smidgen (barely an increase of "5" on the scales), Argon was bumped up to 20 CFM on a #6 cup. I had to just tromp on the pedal and pretty much keep it there the whole run. I backed off a little bit and that's where you see the black flecks starting and bigger gaps in my "dabbing". Once the flecks had started, it seems I couldn't get them back out again, even at full pedal of 110 amps. I believe I was also "ramping" towards the last half of the bead, which probably helped introduce more contaminants.I started with a Tungsten sharpened to a point this time instead of slightly blunted and I felt like I had more arc control. I think I'll stick with that for a while until I get my technique down a little better. Then I can start fooling with grinds and angles on my tungsten. I want that tight controlled arc since I'm just starting off. When I blunt the tip, it seems like the arc is a bit too unstable for me at my current skill level. I can work on making the arc wider once I get better at controlling it, I don't need to be "fighting" any more variables than I need to right now. Still a long way to go, hopefully some 4043 will make things a little more obvious to me or at least let me concentrate more on technique and less on what the actual consumables are doing. I've used up about half of a 3/32 tungsten (ceriated) in two days. My dipping and dabbing sucks. Well, I guess that's not all true, I'm getting pretty good at dipping the tungsten! Not exactly a "skill" I want to get good at! Getting lots of practice sharpening though.....LOL!But I am starting to get more comfortable with "sliding" my arm instead of curling my wrist to make it travel.....moving at the wrist seems to be a hard habit to break for me....probably a hold over from my MIG experiences.Last edited by gr8twhite; 12-09-2019 at 07:46 PM.
Reply:Watch this guy's video closely.  It will give a lot of insight about what you're doing.   I view AL welding like melting the ends of 2 sticks of butter and making one stick out of it.   If you watch the inside of this pipe weld, you'll see what I'm talking about.   Also, notice how clean his work area is.  With AL, it has to be that way.   Table, TIG cup, filler rod and work piece need to be clean.  He says he cleans the pipe with scotch-bright to make it look better afterward.  I can basically guarantee that if he didn't clean it, you would see junk and scale in the finished weld.FWIW, I can do an OK job of AL welding but honestly, I avoid it whenever possible.  I'm just not that crazy about working with Aluminum in general....And a rock feels no pain; and an island never cries.
Reply:Originally Posted by Ray CJWatch this guy's video closely.  It will give a lot of insight about what you're doing.   I view AL welding like melting the ends of 2 sticks of butter and making one stick out of it.   If you watch the inside of this pipe weld, you'll see what I'm talking about.   Also, notice how clean his work area is.  With AL, it has to be that way.   Table, TIG cup, filler rod and work piece need to be clean.  He says he cleans the pipe with scotch-bright to make it look better afterward.  I can basically guarantee that if he didn't clean it, you would see junk and scale in the finished weld.FWIW, I can do an OK job of AL welding but honestly, I avoid it whenever possible.  I'm just not that crazy about working with Aluminum in general.
Replyfirst time trying tig, suggestions for Al?id you look at WeldingTipsAndTricks for videos?I think there's much better, beginner, videos out there (that pipe guy is down the road for you yet...  )Jody makes about the Best videos around, especially for beginners...
Reply:Originally Posted by BaTuDid you look at WeldingTipsAndTricks for videos?I think there's much better, beginner, videos out there (that pipe guy is down the road for you yet...  )Jody makes about the Best videos around, especially for beginners...
Reply:Originally Posted by BaTuDid you look at WeldingTipsAndTricks for videos?I think there's much better, beginner, videos out there (that pipe guy is down the road for you yet...  )Jody makes about the Best videos around, especially for beginners...
Reply:Originally Posted by IanCaioJust taking a glance at how many regulators there are in the machine I can imagine how tricky a process TIG is. I know nothing about it besides what the process is and how the pros can get some of the prettiest welds I've seen with it. I see in the machine writings there's a foot pedal that can be used, is it for fine tuning the amperage? I'd think it would be easier to adjust the arc moving the tungsten electrode closer or away from the piece, like in MMA. Does the pedal really make it easier?
Replyfirst time trying tig, suggestions for Al?pening up the arc length doesn't work on TIG the same way as it does with MMA. It cools off the puddle, yes, but it puts a whole load more heat into the surrounding area, makes a bigger heat-affected zone, burns more chrome out of stainless, makes a wider weld bead, and melts back your filler rod so you can't dab into the puddle properly etc, just a whole load of bad things. The purpose of TIG is high quality welds, so you're defeating the object.On steel, the amps can be set constant - you don't need a foot pedal at all. The machine controls the slope up and down of amps, when you tell it to with a torch switch.On aluminium, the heat transfer properties mean that it's easier with a pedal - although don't let anyone tell you that you NEED a pedal, it's simply not true. Loads of us (including myself) have done plenty aluminium work, just using a simple torch switch and setting the amperage range and slopes to suit the job.
Reply:Good info for beginners gents. Since I'm at the very beginning of my TIG journey, understanding the WHY is just as important as the HOW for me. Keep 'em coming.....
Reply:The arc is a portion of a series circuit. In the physics of a series circuit, the point of highest resistance gets most of the total voltage. High resistance limits current (measured in Amps) Melting a given commodity of metal requires a specific number of watthours.This sounds like irrational rambling. It comes down to the ratio of volts vs amps changes the properties of a weld. Fewer volts/more amps means a deeper penetration, less total heat input, meaning less distortion, less metal losing its temper. A very short arc, high amperage places the heat in a narrow place. With aluminum, there are benefits of intense heat and moving fast. Heat won't have as much time to dissipate throughout the piece.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:Well, still not great (or even good for that matter) but getting a little better every day:It’s the bead run lengthwise. The cross bead is old mig work.  I can now at least dab rod into the puddle without “q-tipping” the electrode. Still having a little trouble knowing when the puddle is ready to move, but getting better at it. Same with moving my torch arm, still unstable and ramping, but getting better with practice...Last edited by gr8twhite; 12-16-2019 at 03:13 PM.
Reply:Your arms position is 50% of it so get comfortable, without welding move through the joint or where ever it is you're going to lay the bead, Start to Finish a few times. Think about your Elbow and where to place it so the "swing" forms a straight line (move it in/out from your side until you find a place that's just right). Prop your torch hand on something that will allow you to slide the torch along in that straight line.The biggest difference between Steel and Alum, besides the lack of the feedback you get from steels color changing as it heats (and Over Heats) is that, for a pretty weld, you want to move Faster. You want to use all the Heat you need to progress along quickly as you're adding filler (it does make it more difficult). And you can't afford to be "floating" along with an unsupported hand and do this while maintaining proper arc length.Like anything else, it takes time and practice to get the muscle memory right. See the "shiny", dip - move - dip - move at the same pace, without dawdling too long, to look like you know what you're doing. And with Tig, especially with Alum, everything has to be right (arc length, cleanliness, torch angle, speed, amperage, gas, tungsten/filler sized correctly, Comfort,,, it All adds-up  )Last edited by BaTu; 12-16-2019 at 03:47 PM.
Reply:I'm OLD! I'm shaky. I never run a TIG bead without something parallel to the weld to rest my hand on. Good welds are dependent on short arc length, tungsten angle near perpendicular to the bead, ( some wiggle room there) and filler at 90 degrees to the tungsten. I see Jody lay his torch WAY down, but he teaches you shouldn't. There is a point it fails. Short arc is hardest to learn, and essential. At first you'll dip tungsten way too often. You'll later relax & hold the tungsten just above the puddle.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Replyfirst time trying tig, suggestions for Al?et’s see a t joint weld with some 3” or wider flat bar 1/8”
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313Let’s see a t joint weld with some 3” or wider flat bar 1/8”
Replyfirst time trying tig, suggestions for Al?utting 2 pieces together takes more amps btw
Reply:Well, still workin on it.I tried some 3/32 zirconiated tungstens. Seems to hold up better than the ceriated and the arc seems a little easier to control. The zirc also seems to handle the higher amperages I’m using on the AL better (ie: less melting). The torch just overall feels more forgiving with the zirc tungs.I’m still struggling with the not enough/too much amperage. I’m finding it hard to determine when the puddle is just hot enough to travel and not too hot so as to make the whole thing just go liquid. Still trying to figure out if it’s my travel speed too low or amperage too high. I’m leaning towards my travel speed being the issue.I’m also getting a fair bit of “trenching” when I try to run a bead. The bead just seems to drop down into the piece and it makes a valley the whole way. I play with the foot pedal, no change or if I let up too much I loose my puddle. Doesn’t seem to matter if I feed rod or not, it still makes a “trench”.I’m pretty sure my travel speed is wrong and causing the “trenching” too. I start moving my puddle and it seems like I have to continually feed rod to keep up with it at all. There is no “dab/move”, its feed feed feed. It almost feels like wire is going in so fast that its like a mig. I think I’m so slow, it’s just pouring to much heat into to large an area at once.I’ve started to try some cast on some old car parts I have lying around. Mostly just to try something different than the 1/8 flat stock. Just scrap stuff that was going to be melted down into ingots anyways. I get it as clean as I can, but it’s still old car parts. I can still get it to bead though. But I’m running up in the 200 amp range. This stuff is (on average) 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Needs lots of punch. I’ve gotten to where I can “sort of” make a bead on cast. The cast is even harder than the extruded (or billet if you prefer) to know when the amperage is just enough or turns the cast into a big puddle. One thing I can’t figure out is why I can’t feed filler rod on the cast pieces. I get up to the puddle, dab and the rod just seems to blow back and away from the puddle. I’ve tried 1/16 and 3/32, both 4043 and 5356. Same results: melts and seems to blow back away from the puddle. No pictures, but if you imagine the nastiest tig weld you can, I’m probably close to that. Keep in mind I haven’t even been tig-ing for a full week yet....Last edited by gr8twhite; 12-23-2019 at 05:15 PM.
Reply:Running beads on flat is a very good thing to do. It gives you control, rhythm, regularity. You can practice a lot with little prep.Eventually you need to do a filet, or a butt. Filet welds need no shaping. take two pieces, make a T joint. In filet you move when it wets to the root of the intersection. In butt welds move when it wets to center, and you have to dab filler, or it'll blow a hole. Once you get the hang it'll be fun. If the weld doesn't need strength, you can move faster, make a weld with less penetration. All you need is wet along the edges, as in it runs flat like water.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:From what you describe,,, your heat sounds too high if you don't see the puddle freeze with the addition of filler and "trenching" just adds to that...Also, yea, I know,,, putting "beads on plate" isn't as exciting as sticking cast stuff together again but, you're not good enough yet to jump to that (by "good enough" I mean you haven't got the experience you should to read the puddle and know it's all flowing right). Cast, especially automotive castings that have been long exposed to oils, is particularly difficult to learn with as all those oils have to be dealt with as the material heats and exudes them.Ya gotta pay your dues man. In this "instant gratification" world there are exceptions you have to suck-up

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