TIG Tack Welding Autogenous Aluminum

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Hello, I am taking a TIG welding class and our coupons are 1/16" AL 6061.  I am reading the puddle better than I expected and am working on my "T" joints.  I have seen in some videos that people will hold the upright piece in their hand and fuse the pieces together without filler.  When I try that, on any joint really, the pieces melt away from each other instead of into each other.  For example, when setting up a butt weld, the melted edges part like the sea.  On a lap, I can get a puddle under the top edge and can get the top edge to melt but they won't touch each other.  On a "T" joint, the bottom will puddle and the upright will melt up away from the bottom.  I asked my instructor and he says I have to go slow and wiggle the tungsten but I'm not getting it.  Any help?
Reply:Originally Posted by DirtyamahaHello, I am taking a TIG welding class and our coupons are 1/16" AL 6061.  I am reading the puddle better than I expected and am working on my "T" joints.  I have seen in some videos that people will hold the upright piece in their hand and fuse the pieces together without filler.  When I try that, on any joint really, the pieces melt away from each other instead of into each other.  For example, when setting up a butt weld, the melted edges part like the sea.  On a lap, I can get a puddle under the top edge and can get the top edge to melt but they won't touch each other.  On a "T" joint, the bottom will puddle and the upright will melt up away from the bottom.  I asked my instructor and he says I have to go slow and wiggle the tungsten but I'm not getting it.  Any help?
Reply:It will come with hood time bud. It's a little more than just wigglin the cup. Its all about timing, heat, and reading the puddle. I would suggest whipping up one of these and give it a dab of filler for now. And it will come in handy forever. Make multiple onesfor different apllications as you need. I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Originally Posted by weldermikeIt will come with hood time bud. It's a little more than just wigglin the cup. Its all about timing, heat, and reading the puddle. I would suggest whipping up one of these and give it a dab of filler for now. And it will come in handy forever. Make multiple onesfor different apllications as you need.
Reply:LOL! Zap we have a saying in NY. If you aint cheatin, you aint playin hard enough! I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:I usually hold a really tight arc and hit the pedal hard to get the pieces to fuse, long as the fitup is good it works fine. Just don't try to bend the piece around with those tacks because they will break really easy on aluminum.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterThat's cheatin'.......zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterTacking aluminum without filler is VERY tough...Without proper fit-up you can basically forget it.The heat is on one piece or the other and building what I call "The Bridge" is tough without a dab here and there..I hope you guys are not trying to weld it all without filler because failure will happen really fast.......zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by SquirmyPugI usually hold a really tight arc and hit the pedal hard to get the pieces to fuse, long as the fitup is good it works fine. Just don't try to bend the piece around with those tacks because they will break really easy on aluminum.
Reply:Check out Jody's youtube video on the subject. He essentially "bump" welds the tacks. It is essentially a burst of HF.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:Originally Posted by shovelonCheck out Jody's youtube video on the subject. He essentially "bump" welds the tacks. It is essentially a burst of HF.
Reply:Originally Posted by DirtyamahaDo you happen to have a link?  I already searched his channel for aluminum tacking before I posted and didn't find anything.
Reply:can you give more info on this.  I have been struggling with clamping T-joints in aluminum.  This looks perfect for what I have been struggling with.  Is it better to use steel, alum, round stock, tube, better to be heavy etc.  Or is it just as simple as it looks?
Reply:Originally Posted by Brent878can you give more info on this.  I have been struggling with clamping T-joints in aluminum.  This looks perfect for what I have been struggling with.  Is it better to use steel, alum, round stock, tube, better to be heavy etc.  Or is it just as simple as it looks?
Reply:Sometimes actually jabbing the tungsten into the puddle after striking a really hit, short arc can help ensure the puddles in the two sides actually get bridged together.  (The only downside is expect a bit of tungsten contamination when doing this, but sometimes it can be worth it)
Reply:Originally Posted by Brent878can you give more info on this.  I have been struggling with clamping T-joints in aluminum.  This looks perfect for what I have been struggling with.  Is it better to use steel, alum, round stock, tube, better to be heavy etc.  Or is it just as simple as it looks?
Reply:Originally Posted by jakeruSometimes actually jabbing the tungsten into the puddle after striking a really hit, short arc can help ensure the puddles in the two sides actually get bridged together.  (The only downside is expect a bit of tungsten contamination when doing this, but sometimes it can be worth it)
Reply:Originally Posted by jakeruSometimes actually jabbing the tungsten into the puddle after striking a really hit, short arc can help ensure the puddles in the two sides actually get bridged together.  (The only downside is expect a bit of tungsten contamination when doing this, but sometimes it can be worth it)
Reply:Originally Posted by jakeruSometimes actually jabbing the tungsten into the puddle after striking a really hit, short arc can help ensure the puddles in the two sides actually get bridged together.  (The only downside is expect a bit of tungsten contamination when doing this, but sometimes it can be worth it)
Reply:Sure - You guys should try it next time you want to tack weld two pieces together using only one hand with TIG  (usually when using the other hand to hold the pieces in position) and are having a hard time to otherwise get the puddles on both sides to "bridge" together.Zap, IME, the tungsten tip usually does not snap off in aluminum doing this (like it often will on steel).   In any event, a tip broken off this way can usually easily removed with needle nose pliers.The resulting tack only needs to be strong enough to free up the other hand, so that a more substantial tack weld right next to it can be made using filler rod.
Reply:I won't be trying it.
Reply:Originally Posted by jakeruSure - You guys should try it next time you want to tack weld two pieces together using only one hand with TIG  (usually when using the other hand to hold the pieces in position) and are having a hard time to otherwise get the puddles on both sides to "bridge" together.Zap, IME, the tungsten tip usually does not snap off in aluminum doing this (like it often will on steel).   In any event, a tip broken off this way can usually easily removed with needle nose pliers.The resulting tack only needs to be strong enough to free up the other hand, so that a more substantial tack weld right next to it can be made using filler rod.
Reply:Tig tacking aluminum w/o filler is easy. Sometimes you have to move the torch back and forth a quarter inch or so, if you hold the torch still it will just open a hole. Use as high of a current setting as realistically possible and floor it, don't ease in on the pedal, you don't want the surrounding area to have a chance to heat up or a hole will open up. The high current blast will have some arc force that will actually push the puddle together across the 'gap'. Torch angle is important because of this. If the torch angle is wrong it will simply push the metal away from bridging the gap and it'll never happen.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:I do it Jody's way.Bump the amps up and a quick blast on the pedal. Works fine every time. Don't ease on the pedal. Floor it.Edit.. realized Mike just said all this already.
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverTig tacking aluminum w/o filler is easy. Sometimes you have to move the torch back and forth a quarter inch or so, if you hold the torch still it will just open a hole. Use as high of a current setting as realistically possible and floor it, don't ease in on the pedal, you don't want the surrounding area to have a chance to heat up or a hole will open up. The high current blast will have some arc force that will actually push the puddle together across the 'gap'. Torch angle is important because of this. If the torch angle is wrong it will simply push the metal away from bridging the gap and it'll never happen.Originally Posted by DirtyamahaI tried this and it works!  I put my machine on 130 amps and stomped on the pedal.  I originally used 180 amps and melted my tungsten.  If I hit the pieces on the edges, I could easily get the tack but it would also melt some of the edge away.  If I tried on the face of the pieces,  I couldn't consistently get a tack but I think that's just practice.  I put up 6 coupons in a T formation in something like 30 seconds.  Thank you!
Reply:Originally Posted by DirtyamahaI tried this and it works!  I put my machine on 130 amps and stomped on the pedal.  I originally used 180 amps and melted my tungsten.  If I hit the pieces on the edges, I could easily get the tack but it would also melt some of the edge away.  If I tried on the face of the pieces,  I couldn't consistently get a tack but I think that's just practice.  I put up 6 coupons in a T formation in something like 30 seconds.  Thank you!
Reply:Originally Posted by jakeruSometimes actually jabbing the tungsten into the puddle after striking a really hit, short arc can help ensure the puddles in the two sides actually get bridged together.  (The only downside is expect a bit of tungsten contamination when doing this, but sometimes it can be worth it)
Reply:I am guilty of contaminating the tung to spot aluminum. Normally toward the end of the day on some crap project that is giving me a hard time. I'll peddle an arc and the aluminum will start to separate, I'll get frustrated, floor the peddle and jab the tung and pull away all within a split second.
Reply:What I do sometimes (though I usually only do thin aluminum tube) is just hit the pedal hard enough to get the torch started and the arc going, roll a little circle on the joint and hold that there for 3-5 seconds, then move in with the tungsten nice and tight now that the metal is starting to get hot and then do the jam on the pedal at normal welding amps.when i was just jamming it, it wasnt working well for me...either not hot enough or too hot (higher than normal welding amps) on the thin 1/16" aluminum tube.