questions on alum tig

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hey fellas my name  is scott & i haven't posted here in some time . I a am millwright & got hired @ a new job  ,  just the other day . So , Tig welding alum ...........I can get'er to puddle & run a beed , but I could be doing something wrong . The machine is a new "miller syncro wave " ( what does syncro wave mean ? ) & I was impressin the "wheel" today , none of the maint. team can finger out how to get the alum. to puddle . For 1/4 " plate i had machine cranked ......& still wouldn't puddle .......after preheating the dog$hit out of it , finally it puddles & i'm off to the races SHOuld i need to put the heat to 'er like that ? my set up is as follows 1 . machine is on ac2. got the green tip tungsten rods ( pure tungnsten , i think ....but the right ones for the application ) 3. cleaned & preped steel 4. have this little welder cranked ......have my foot right to the floor boards 5. grind a blunt end on the rod Not  just this machine ........the last machine i used  was the same thanks
Reply:on aluminum that thick i would use helium or helium mix gasChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:Originally Posted by chopper5on aluminum that thick i would use helium or helium mix gas
Reply:The syncrowave allows you to set your wave closer to the negative for better penetration or more to the positive side of the wave for better cleaning action.  Also, power is king when welding aluminum.  I think you would need at least  a 350 syncrowave on the high range.  The other option which works very well with less power is dc negative electrode sharp point 2% thoriated tungsten and pure helium.
Reply:for a typical butt weld in 1/4" Al you should be looking at a current of around 260 to 300 amps.  3/16" Tungsten, 1/2 to 3/4" cup and a flow rate of around 25 CFH with pure Argon.  Miller recommends you make this weld with two passes of 1/8" rod.  The last time I welded 1/4" ally I seem to recall using abotu 290 amps.  As a couple people suggested your machine is probably struggling.  I'm not familiar with the Syncrowave.  You might get away with using an Ar/He mix or pure He....it'll be more expensive but that will let you "cheat" a bit as far as current capacity goes....good luck !  (I'm a Millwright too....we gotta stick together !!  lol)
Reply:get the 2% (red end) tungeston..3/32 size..you grind it to a "blunt" end??  believe it or not (and most wont) i grind mine to a point and start with that and let the "ball" form as i go...a sharp end will concentrate the heat in a more defined "path" and it should puddle nicelyi never ball the end prior to starting..and my aluminum welds are nice.. even.. and pretty  ...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:You said you "clean it ".  Fine. BUT- you must power brush it , untill the surface is "raw" ( get all the old shiny surface off, THEN clean it with mek, or acetone (my favorite) . I tell people that "sanitary is not good enough , "it's got to be STERILE". AND, like others said "use HELIUM".on  heavy aluminum -argon doesn't work ! it's TOO DENSE. (10 times denser than helium)(roughly) I will not argue the fine details .
Reply:And, after you clean it, THAT prepared surface is only weldable for about 24 hours, or after that, prepare it AGAIN . an unprepared surface won't melt untill about 3600 degrees , - a properly prepared surface will melt at about 850-950 degrees (roughly) . i got this info out of the "LINCOLN  book of "ARC WELDING" , & i would guess Lincoln knows something about welding .
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterget the 2% (red end) tungeston..3/32 size..you grind it to a "blunt" end??  believe it or not (and most wont) i grind mine to a point and start with that and let the "ball" form as i go...a sharp end will concentrate the heat in a more defined "path" and it should puddle nicelyi never ball the end prior to starting..and my aluminum welds are nice.. even.. and pretty  ...zap!
Reply:believe it or not (and most wont) i grind mine to a point and start with that and let the "ball" form as i go...
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterget the 2% (red end) tungeston..3/32 size..you grind it to a "blunt" end??  believe it or not (and most wont) i grind mine to a point and start with that and let the "ball" form as i go...a sharp end will concentrate the heat in a more defined "path" and it should puddle nicelyi never ball the end prior to starting..and my aluminum welds are nice.. even.. and pretty  ...zap!
Reply:that's the way i do it toChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:12 posts ?nice work fellas , thank - you very much .  don't stop on my account .......
Reply:oh we won't we just need more to say..i think we've all pretty much said it all... anything else just ask...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:Originally Posted by zapsterget the 2% (red end) tungeston..3/32 size..you grind it to a "blunt" end??  believe it or not (and most wont) i grind mine to a point and start with that and let the "ball" form as i go...a sharp end will concentrate the heat in a more defined "path" and it should puddle nicelyi never ball the end prior to starting..and my aluminum welds are nice.. even.. and pretty  ...zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by Roy HodgesAnd, after you clean it, THAT prepared surface is only weldable for about 24 hours, or after that, prepare it AGAIN . an unprepared surface won't melt untill about 3600 degrees , - a properly prepared surface will melt at about 850-950 degrees (roughly) . i got this info out of the "LINCOLN  book of "ARC WELDING" , & i would guess Lincoln knows something about welding .