My aluminum bead pics.

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Playing around today, and I find that using 3/32 rod seems to help a lot. That or it's that I upped the gas to 15-18cfh. Also tried using a blunt tip on the electrode but I didn't see a difference.Still trying to get the hang of small round parts like thisAnd on this, the bottom is 1/8" and the top plate is .100Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Outside corner is pretty nice! On the rounds, practice a few "dry" welds first to get your arm used to the movement. I typically  lower the amperage, that way I can go slower and have time to move my torch accordingly. Start on the inside of the two AN fittings so you dont need to move around them mid-weld. "Anybody can talk $h!t behind a monitor, I let the quality of my work speak for itself"Lincoln Square Wave 255 and 355 Tig Lincoln 255 Power-Mig w/ spool gun Koike 5 x 10 CNC plasma Hyd-Mech DM-10 bandsaw Ineco QB-76 NC tube bender
Reply:The bead on the outside corner looks a bit cold to me. That or you didn't have the joint prepped the way I would. How many amps? Your round parts need a lot more work. You are not consistent with torch movement and filler there yet..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:You are better off with 1/16" filler......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:How do you know when to use 1/16th vs 3/32 vs 1/8th filler? By amps or material thickness? The round bungs I tend to do a few dips then rotate and do it again. It's come a LONG way since my first attempt but yes they can be much better! I have tried keeping the torch consistant and tried moving it up and down. Haven't figured out the right combination yet.The outside corner was done between 100-110 amps. I wait for the 1/8" material to puddle and move the torch towards the .100 and dip and go.Here are 2 other angles of that same bead. Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:You can use a 1/16" filler for welding almost anything. It just means you're going to be pushing your rod in more for every time you go to fill. If you have something like a 1/2" thick aluminum is just become a bit unpractical. I used to try to use 3/32" filler for most of my jobs, but over the years I learned I was just using it to sorta camouflage the real problems.First one being, with aluminum you can easily tell that your torch angle is wrong because it can easily ball the filler if you have too much angle. Which is why I was normally using the 3/32" filler. Being thicker it allows for a bit more margin for error in torch angle. The issue that comes with that though is that for a weld like you're doing, its really too much filler at once and usually develops a cold weld. Now depending on how you weld, or if you realize it, you would normally start adding more heat to puddle to try and make up for the cooling. Well now you have too much heat for when the filler isn't added, so you normally always teeter totter in between that heat and that wouldn't give you a non consistent weld. The other thing too, is now that the filler is smaller, when you're pushing the rod into the puddle, it gives you more time to push in normally digging the filler deeper and giving you better penetration. At least that's in my experience
Reply:ThanksTorchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Originally Posted by dj55bYou can use a 1/16" filler for welding almost anything. It just means you're going to be pushing your rod in more for every time you go to fill. If you have something like a 1/2" thick aluminum is just become a bit unpractical. I used to try to use 3/32" filler for most of my jobs, but over the years I learned I was just using it to sorta camouflage the real problems.First one being, with aluminum you can easily tell that your torch angle is wrong because it can easily ball the filler if you have too much angle. Which is why I was normally using the 3/32" filler. Being thicker it allows for a bit more margin for error in torch angle. The issue that comes with that though is that for a weld like you're doing, its really too much filler at once and usually develops a cold weld. Now depending on how you weld, or if you realize it, you would normally start adding more heat to puddle to try and make up for the cooling. Well now you have too much heat for when the filler isn't added, so you normally always teeter totter in between that heat and that wouldn't give you a non consistent weld. The other thing too, is now that the filler is smaller, when you're pushing the rod into the puddle, it gives you more time to push in normally digging the filler deeper and giving you better penetration. At least that's in my experience
Reply:i will add my input. Using 1/16th is sometimes too small for something like inside fillet welds. You need to bump the pedal all the way down to form the puddle and back it off. Depending on the thicknesses of the metals, your amps might be too high and the filler rod will melt before you dip, and when you try to keep the filler from melting you pull it out of the cover gas. For automotive stuff, i stick with the 3/32
Reply:Dj55bthanks for the great info, going to try it with 1/16,Last edited by gman6011; 05-13-2013 at 01:34 PM.Reason: noob tyring to reply to post
Reply:Stacking the dimes nice weld
Reply:Here's showing 1/16" with various thickness First picture shows welding .025" or .030" Can't remember exactly but pretty thin stuffSecond picture is .064" to 1/2" (Customer supplied the beautifully butchered flange)Third, fourth, and fifth picture shows welding .080" (Fifth is just showing what the car was) Attached Images
Reply:Here's some thicker things. I believe these were all 1/8" thick or so. Attached Images