First try at aluminum TIG

admin

My boys and I are working on a car project and I've been wanting to get a welder. Since I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted, and since I haven't even tried welding since junior high, I thought I should study up. I've been reading this forum for a while, then recently enrolled in a Saturday welding class. The class teaches oxy/fuel, stick, mig and tig.I like the idea of tig, but know that it takes a lot of coordination and practice, and I wasn't sure if I could even run a bead, much less an actual weld. Here is my first attempt. I know they are ugly, and a long way from good welds, but at least I have some hope that I could eventually learn the process with enough practice. I was just trying different amperages and filler rods and trying to learn how to see the puddle, how to feed rod and control the foot pedal. It was a Miller Synchrowave. I think the gas was 100% argon and I used a pure tungsten. A mig may be more practical for what I will likely do, but I'm leaning toward a tig machine now. I just really like that process.Dang, they look worse in the picture.  Attached Images
Reply:All mine look worse in the picture tooMakes me wonder how good the ones that already look awesome in a pic, really are in person!I really like TIG but still find that MIG is more useful in general situations on steel.  I don't like MIG at all for aluminum - TIG all the way.Dave J.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Most of those pieces look too "hot" often that's a result of having the amperage too low and taking way too long to get the puddle to form. Since alum is such a great heat sink, if you don't have enough amps, the material sucks away all your heat, and you end up heating the whole plate instead of the bead area. Also those tiny pieces will heat up very fast.Knowing your settings and material thickness would help in giving suggestions. Those pieces look awful thick for say a Syncrowave 200. They look like about 1/4". My Syncrowave 200 will do 3/16" maxed out, but it's really better on 1/8" material where I have more duty cycle, especially with my 17 series air cooled torch. 1/4" alum would be pushing the Syncro 250's at the tech school pretty hard.Tig is a lot of fun, and has a number of applications with auto stuff. Mig tends to be good for body work, though some still like to use OA for that because the seams are easier to form with a dolly and hammer afterwards. Take advantage of the opportunity to "play" with what they have. You can always come back and take another class if you want to concentrate on one area, or learn a different process than what you concentrate on now..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Please fill out this form and take a seat...your number will be called next  AmperageTungsten blend/sizeArgon Flow CFHAC balance (if applicable)Pulse (if applicable)EP/EN currents/ratios (if applicable)material thicknesspre-weld prep routinetorch size/style + air or water cooledcollet body stylecup stylepre-flowpost-flowpictures/videos of torch angle, travel direction, speed descriptionsThis needs to be the universal "TIG checklist" for anyone asking for TIG advice from the many TIG gods here.  Last edited by Oscar; 02-23-2013 at 07:48 PM.
Reply:I will make some new coupons next week and keep track of the different settings. I was changing a lot of things around just to experiment. When I have some actual welds to show I will post them up!
Reply:Looking forward to it.If you get stumped, Jody from weldingtipsandtricks has a ton of arc shots of tig. Very easy way to get a visual feel of what sort of travel speeds, wetting, filler distances, etc you should look for.Between him and some older guys at goddard is where I learned.Funny you're doing a F5 Cobra too Going to be doing all the turbo piping for a buddy'sHTP Invertig 221-DV -- get's dragged everywhere.Syncro 200 -- "The Boat Anchor" at the lab.Lincoln 125 MIG
Reply:Originally Posted by Commodore8888Funny you're doing a F5 Cobra too Going to be doing all the turbo piping for a buddy's
Reply:ok, here is my 2nd try. A little bit better, but still need work obvously.Machine: Lincloln Precision Tig 225Amperage: 110Tungsten blend/size: 3/32 2% Thoriated, sharpened about same angle as a pencilArgon Flow CFH: 18ishAC balance: about 75% toward penetrationPulse: nonematerial thickness: 1/8"pre-weld prep routine: Brushed with SS brush used only for aluminum. No acetonetorch size/style: Magnum PTA-17 air cooledcollet body style, cup style: don't knowpre-flow: auto, seemed like about 2 secondspost-flow: about 9 secondsTorch angle: tried to keep it about 10 degrees from vertical, push. Some straight, some back and forth, no circles or weave.Rod: 3/32 R 4043My thoughts, it's better, but I still need work keeping a consistent size bead and coordinating the torch, filler and foot pedal. The foot pedal did not seem to have very good control, more like an on/off switch. I had trouble keeping the heat consistent and felt like I had to rush the end of the welds to keep them from overheating. I also need practice feeding the filler. I am not smooth in either feeding it as it melts off or dipping. Any comments are much appreciated.Thanks! Attached ImagesLast edited by dallas_; 03-02-2013 at 05:28 PM.Reason: spelling
Reply:Nice. Try tapering off the pedal at the end and terminate the weld slowly while swirling the torch over the puddle to eliminate the crater.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:Much better. Your amps are still too low for 1/8" though. It's showing up in the "graininess" I see in some of those beads. That's telling me you are cooking the bead some because the material is getting too hot from the low amps.For 1/8" I usually set the max amps at 150 for students so they can simply floor it to get the puddle going and then back off. I prefer to set my machine higher since I like the puddle to form a bit faster and I have the control to back off faster than most of the students do, Your machine should be able to adjust amps with the pedal. If it really is acting as an on off switch, chances are you have a setting wrong on the machine. I see this from time to time at the tech school as the day kids like to occasionally F with other students by messing with the machine settings. Usually if this is the case, they have the machine set to panel vs remote for amp control and the pedal will simply act as an on/off switch then..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Dallas, I tried my first aluminium tig today also... Very exciting I'm using 1/16 E3 purple tungsten , 1/8 coupons , and 1/8 4043 filler.So far things have gone pretty good , I was at 75% on the EN balance but went down to 65% and frequency Hz at 100. Attached Images
Reply:Nice beads Dallas and MisterB.If you change to 5356 the grainy beads will go away.  Even with a pedal set up right, I always have to speed the whole thing up as the Aluminum piece gets hot, especially on the thin stuff.  Maybe I'm doing something wrong.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Originally Posted by Drf255Nice beads Dallas and MisterB.If you change to 5356 the grainy beads will go away.  Even with a pedal set up right, I always have to speed the whole thing up as the Aluminum piece gets hot, especially on the thin stuff.  Maybe I'm doing something wrong.
Reply:Originally Posted by dallas_My boys and I are working on a car project and I've been wanting to get a welder. Since I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted, and since I haven't even tried welding since junior high, I thought I should study up. I've been reading this forum for a while, then recently enrolled in a Saturday welding class. The class teaches oxy/fuel, stick, mig and tig.I like the idea of tig, but know that it takes a lot of coordination and practice, and I wasn't sure if I could even run a bead, much less an actual weld. Here is my first attempt. I know they are ugly, and a long way from good welds, but at least I have some hope that I could eventually learn the process with enough practice. I was just trying different amperages and filler rods and trying to learn how to see the puddle, how to feed rod and control the foot pedal. It was a Miller Synchrowave. I think the gas was 100% argon and I used a pure tungsten. A mig may be more practical for what I will likely do, but I'm leaning toward a tig machine now. I just really like that process.Dang, they look worse in the picture.
Reply:Ok, finally got a welder so hooked it up this weekend and practiced according to your instructions. Feels like it's getting better. Still have a long way to go, but thought feedback would be good to keep me from developing bad habits. Here are the specs:Dynasty 200DX1/8" aluminum acetoned and brushed3/32" rod 5xxx series (sorry forgot the actual number)150 ampsBalance 80%Hertz 75Postflow 9 seconds100% argon 18 cfm3/32" 2% thoriatedWP 20 water cooled torchDang, why do they always look worse in the pictures?   Attached Images
Reply:Proof that I actually practiced.   Attached Images
Reply:Not bad, but I think you are still a bit on the cold side. Don't back off the pedal quite as much. Top one looks the best of the bunch. I say that because the toes are washed in better and the last half looks just a shade too hot. The other beads look too cold for the most part. I'd also like to see the dips a bit closer together myself. That might help with some of the issues at the toes.A good way to tell how you are doing is to flip that but joint over and look at the back. I'm betting it's still a nice clean cut line from what I see in that picture. But joints are the hardest to do well. I'd suggest you start 1st with lap joints, then T joints followed by outside corners before you try but  joints. Each joint builds on the skills you learn doing the ones before.I'm also wondering a bit about your settings. I see a lot of cleaning action for an 80% balance setting on a Dynasty. That's way more penetration vs cleaning than is possible on say a Syncrowave with the balance maxed out, but the etched zone is about what I'd expect at say maybe 50-60%. Between the high balance, the extra hertz, and the amp setting, I'd expect no issues at all with you having enough heat to get those beads to wash in well. If anything I'd expect them to be too hot. if you were doing this right. That tells me you are being to timid with the pedal and need to run more amps.Sorry you added the 2nd pict while I was posting. My comments deal with the 1st pict. I'll need to look at pict 2 and see what I see there..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Pict 2 is a hodgepodge of all sorts of things. I see some beads that are on the cold side, some on the hot side, some with nice tight ripples and some where you needed to dip more frequently.  One did you let the pieces cool enough to handle with your bare hands? If not, that would explain why many of these seem to be a bit hotter than those you posted in pict 1. It would also explain the "soft" look to several of the beads that I see.The one I marked with a green line looks the best of the bunch, but may be a bit cold. Hard to tell with it lumped on top of everything else. The two sections circled also don't look that bad, but again with all the other beads around it, it's hard to see what actually is there. Attached Images.No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWPict 2 is a hodgepodge of all sorts of things.
Reply:DSW, thanks for the detailed evaluation. That really helps. This is the back side of a practice piece, you can see where I got too hot on the other side so I did get too cautious on this side. I'll try to run a little hotter and feed more rod.I just did the butt joint because the pieces heat up so quick I wanted a little bit bigger piece to practice on. When I get a little more consistent with the beads I'll try the laps then T's.
Reply:I like checking these threads out..Reminds me of the time...............We all need to start somewhere........zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Ha!  And I like checking your threads out.Someday maybe I'll be able to weld like that.Naw...... who am I kidding.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWNot bad, but I think you are still a bit on the cold side.
Reply:I'd agree with your assessment. Beginning does look slightly hot. You backed off too much and the middle was too cold and the end was getting close but still a bit on the cool side. The toes look better than the 1st set you posted the other day.You are getting there. Just keep practicing..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan