Help with welding Aluminium

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So, I need some help figuring out what i'm doing wrong here.welding with a miller diversion 180, all stock parts, except for a shortened tail.Blue 2% lanth tungsten, groung on a freshly resurfaced bench grinder wheel6061 aluminiumwe already used a flap disk, steel wool, and acetone to clean up the material25 cfh pure argonjust rebuilt and cleaned the torch1/8 wall tubing, round and square1/16 wall on the other carI set the welder just under 180, then control the acr with the pedal, it usually sits around 80-100 amps for 1/16 wall, and 90-150 for 1/8 wallI didn't have "weldporn" quality welds before this, but this is just bad.any tips, better ways to clean, or is this aluminium secretly some other material?btw, this is not a new build, the car has been around for a few years, if that can have anything to do with this.Last edited by tomrev; 09-18-2015 at 10:30 AM.A grinder and paint makes a man the welder he ain't.
Reply:List the thickness of the alum and the amps you have the machine set at..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:Just added it to the listA grinder and paint makes a man the welder he ain't.
Reply:Contamination, dirty base metal(never stated you wiped everything down the alcohol or acetone. Welding amps to low. Please list more information about welder settings.
Reply:there are no other settings, everything is preset on the diversion. and i wiped down all of the material i was welding with an acetone. it was the third bullet pointA grinder and paint makes a man the welder he ain't.
Reply:Did you use a chop saw with a black cutting wheel and didnt clean up the edges?
Reply:We used an angle grinder with a cut off disk, but we cleaned up the edges. And a hole saw for the notches on the round tubeA grinder and paint makes a man the welder he ain't.
Reply:It's most likely from your bad rod and torch angle. And from not cleaning up the joint good enough after cutting. Keep the torch perpendicular to the filler rod and try to hold the torch at close to 90 degree as possible
Reply:Clean the edges with carbide burr. No way for contamination that way. Also you wasting your money using 25 cfh of argon, you will be just fine with a 6 or 7 cup at 15cfh. The pics posted here are done with 5 cup at 10 cfh. You don't need all that gas flow unless you gota pull the tungsten way out. And the carbide burr marks you see are over kill, I was just testing a theory. It will weld cleaner tho but looks ugly lolLast edited by motolife313; 09-18-2015 at 12:38 PM.
Reply:I don't recommend using steel wool to clean aluminum. A clean stainless steel wire brush is better. But, the steel wool is probably not the culprit here.While you were welding this, did you stab the tungsten with the filler rod? Or did the tungsten get contaminated from something else?The last picture looks like a gas problem...quite a bit of black stuff in the weld. No gas leaks?I noticed that the upright piece of sq. tube has quite a bit of corrosion, or some other reason that pitted it. If that isn't completely removed, it will not weld well.I teach and qualify welders to pass their structural aluminum tests, which have to pass xray. You would not believe how hard it is to get an aluminum butt joint to pass an xray test. Everything has to be pristine, and the technique required is insane!Rich
Reply:heres a good example of ( I'm guessing bad rod and torch angle) this was a couple weeks back we had a family reunion and I let my cousin play with my welder. My weld is the right and guess who's on the left? Same piece of metal same filler rod same tungsten, same cup 5 and 10 cfh. Just handed him the torch and rod after I finished mine and said here you go keep a tight arc.  We didnt even clean it. I even went first so it was preheated for him. I think the machine was set at 200 amps and I was using it all and it was still a slow go.it was 1/8 ALLast edited by motolife313; 09-18-2015 at 12:58 PM.
Reply:Forget steel wool. Use stainless steel brush used only for aluminum.   Don't need flap disc unless it's anodized and you are removing that coating.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:thank youLast edited by tomrev; 09-18-2015 at 07:37 PM.
Reply:I pay more attention to that next time, thanks.A grinder and paint makes a man the welder he ain't.
Reply:Originally Posted by steelsurgeonI don't recommend using steel wool to clean aluminum. A clean stainless steel wire brush is better. But, the steel wool is probably not the culprit here.While you were welding this, did you stab the tungsten with the filler rod? Or did the tungsten get contaminated from something else?The last picture looks like a gas problem...quite a bit of black stuff in the weld. No gas leaks?I noticed that the upright piece of sq. tube has quite a bit of corrosion, or some other reason that pitted it. If that isn't completely removed, it will not weld well.I teach and qualify welders to pass their structural aluminum tests, which have to pass xray. You would not believe how hard it is to get an aluminum butt joint to pass an xray test. Everything has to be pristine, and the technique required is insane!Rich
Reply:Turn gas down. How far is tungsten sticking out? Size cup? Practice on another piece of ally, because it looks like you aren't sufficiently puddling the base metal.Last edited by tapwelder; 09-18-2015 at 08:19 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by tapwelderTurn gas down. How far is tungsten sticking out? Size cup? Practice on another piece of ally, because it looks like you aren't sufficiently puddling the base metal.
Reply:Originally Posted by tomrevtungsten is about 1/16 stick-out, to 1/8 depending on the joint being welded.stock cup, i'd tell you, but there's so much stuff on the out side, i wouldn't be able to see any labels.I've been practicing on other pieces, and its been coming out a lot better.
Reply:X2 on that^^ you could even pull it out 3/8. Shat with that 25 cfh your running you could pull it out .5" no problem with a 7 cup
Reply:25 cfh can cause turbulence and pull air into the puddle.I run around 15 cfh almost all the time no matter what welding I am doing. I can have tung stick out to near an inch sometimes and still have no contamination.Just get a good torch angle and pay attention how the argon would be flowing out of the torch over the material. Bad torch angles can pull air into the weld area.12v battery, jumper cables, and a 6013.I only have a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/VPT/244788508917829
Reply:Dang. That is nice!!!!!!!!!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:Are all the tubes vented?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 shovelonDang. That is nice!!!!!!!!!
Reply:You are on AC, right?  If you are, then you have bad gas (out of the bottle), or the torch is sucking air, or not allowing proper gas flow.  Since you just played with the torch, that is a #1 suspect.Last edited by Weldordie; 09-21-2015 at 06:27 AM.
Reply:Too much gas flow? Around these corners I wonder if it is getting windy with turbulence pulling in air. I'd want a gas lens with #8 cup, and 16-18 CFH argon. As I approach a corner I turn the torch to bring gas to both faces. Tight arc, good perpendicular angle might help.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.What's the inside of the tube look like?You mentioned these pieces were in service before. Did you thoroughly clean the inside of the weld area too?Be wary of The Numbers: Figures don't lie,. but liars can figure.Welders:2008 Lincoln 140 GMAW&FCAW2012 HF 165 'toy' GTAW&SMAW1970's Cobbled together O/A
Reply:So, OP... did you ever find a reason/solution for your problem?
Reply:[QUOTE=VPT;6303271]25 cfh can cause turbulence and pull air into the puddle.I really wanna see someone test this!  Jody made a video about sheiding gas coverage and using a piece of titanium. I'd like to see someone test it becuase I don't see this happening. Id like to test it myself but I don't know where to get a little piece of scrap titanium.
Reply:I think the OP may have a lot of water in his metal. I've seen this before with stuff left outside...Must preheat to get rid of the water, then it welds up ok.Chay