.25" AL Thread/Rate my welds, answer my questions

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Here are the particulars:Dynasty 200 DX200 AmpsAC 65 balance100 Freq3/32 1.5% Thoriated 18 CFH argon.25" AL test coupons from a weld test firmgas lens..Okay, the pool took a few seconds to form, but the tungsten seemed like it burned off immediately and distorted (see pic 3 below) way out of shape. The actual welding buzzed very loudly. At least 20 times louder than steel with the same amps. So, what happened? What am I doing wrong and why is it so loud?  In the later pics with the sooting, I turned the amps down and frequency down to about 125A and 60 on Freq.  The argon actually blew the filler drop away from the puddle in one pic (about 15 CFH). Longer beads were on 200A:Side view:1.5% Lanthanated damage after 1 in. bead:125A 60 Hz, notice last glob was blown away from pool by argon:Setup:Last edited by bluduk15; 03-02-2011 at 10:22 PM.
Reply:Okay, found a little info on the noise.  The 200A threw me off a bit, I wasn't expecting it to be so loud. What about the sooting though?  Also, when the puddle starts it looks like there is stuff floating in it.  I cleaned the surface with a dedicated SS wire brush, then blue paper shop towel with acetone. I brushed with the grain and accross the grain of the AL coupon and it looked pretty shiny.
Reply:To me it LOOKS like you dipped your tungsten into the aluminum and then kept welding. I don't know if that is what you did, but it just LOOKS like that. The stuff floating in the puddle means the weld has been contaminated. If it is not contaminated, there will be nothing but shiny liquid aluminum. Make sure your argon hose is fully screwed into your machine (this messed with me the other day). Also, try taking your torch completely apart and putting it back together. When I got my PT185 I thought I forgot how to weld overnight. I switched torches to my hobart torch and all was well. Switched back to the lincoln torch and it was horrible again. I took the lincoln torch apart to see if anything was messed up, nope. Put it back together and have not had a problem with it since. I don't know what it was, but taking it apart and putting it back together fixed it. The Dynasty is an inverter right? So you can't use a pure tungsten...I ran an old miller Heliarc welder (old school tig) at work and tried the lanthanated tungsten cause the guy at the supply store recommended it. He said it would ball up MUCH smaller than pure. When i tried it, I got the EXACT same result you did there. I decided to keep going with it anyways just to see. It eventually balled up into the same size ball that the pure tungsten did and welded the same too. No advantage, but took longer to get the same size ball. Yes, the higher the amps, the louder it is. It doesn't look like you have hardly any cleaning from the machine going on, on some of those welds. Notice there is no frosty looking area outside the weld bead, unless you cleaned it off. It doesn't look like you cleaned it though. See if you can set the machine to more cleaning and less penetration.Last edited by DiabolicZ; 03-03-2011 at 12:37 AM.
Reply:Rate my welds/Answer my questions.Is that a DIRECT ORDER?Who the he11 do you think you are?Your birddroppings look like sh1t and your questions show a total lack of knowledge about tig welding aluminum.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Ah SUNDOWN always you with the words of encouragement.Anyways ive tried all tungstens and use diff ones for diff metals. I found that the Ceriated orange band work great for Alum work. They ball nicely and are easy to work with. Try those and tells us how it works out...
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIIRate my welds/Answer my questions.Is that a DIRECT ORDER?Who the he11 do you think you are?Your birddroppings look like sh1t and your questions show a total lack of knowledge about tig welding aluminum.
Reply:what size filler are you using and are you starting with a ball on your tungsten?  Your torch angle and filler size is most likely the cause of the filler melting before reaching the pool.  It also looks like you are dipping the tungsten into the weld pool, don't be afraid to use a little more distance on the torch to metal gap.Chuck Norris was born in a log cabin that he built with his own bare hands.
Reply:When you are TIG welding on aluminum (AC) there is a louder buzzing sound than when welding DC on steel or stainless steel.That is normal.As far as "rating" your welds....This is not Yahoo or Facebook or Myspace.It is a welding forum.AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:Originally Posted by bluduk15Okay, found a little info on the noise.  The 200A threw me off a bit, I wasn't expecting it to be so loud. What about the sooting though?  Also, when the puddle starts it looks like there is stuff floating in it.  I cleaned the surface with a dedicated SS wire brush, then blue paper shop towel with acetone. I brushed with the grain and accross the grain of the AL coupon and it looked pretty shiny.
Reply:Originally Posted by bluduk15Okay, found a little info on the noise.  The 200A threw me off a bit, I wasn't expecting it to be so loud. What about the sooting though?  Also, when the puddle starts it looks like there is stuff floating in it.  I cleaned the surface with a dedicated SS wire brush, then blue paper shop towel with acetone. I brushed with the grain and accross the grain of the AL coupon and it looked pretty shiny.
Reply:Another blissful ray of sunshine from the Internet badazz! Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPAnother blissful ray of sunshine from the Internet badazz!
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloOkay, what is your upslope, downslope, starting amps, ending amps, and tungsten size?Here are parameters I work with on .25 alum. with an inverter welder: Freq. about 70; amps for .25 200A. Balance 65-70. (67) Upslope.3 second. Downslope .1 Starting amperage 35.1/8" tungsten. I use red. Gold will work well also.The welds with the 125A show the puddle is not heating up enough quick enough, and not cutting in to the aluminum. As for sooting, there are 3 ways to get this: Tungsten too thin for amperage and it flames up. Dunk tungsten. And, aluminum creep; where the tungsten is so close, when you add filler it actually sucks in toward the tungsten. Aluminum is blown off the puddle by the cleaning action of the AC balance, and it coats the tungsten. Result is sooty welds.Try these settings, and get back to us.
Reply:Originally Posted by bluduk15Thanks, will try those and report back. If I didn't dunk the tungsten should I expect it stay relatively sharp for at least a few inches of welding?  The reason I tried the settings I did was because of this video from Weldingtipsandtricks.com. I guess I need to go for the 2%:
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIIRate my welds/Answer my questions.Is that a DIRECT ORDER?Who the he11 do you think you are?Your birddroppings look like sh1t and your questions show a total lack of knowledge about tig welding aluminum.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloYou do not need to worry about the tungsten staying sharp, and I do not think the Lanthiated is that much of an issue; I am welding anodized aluminum right now, and it dirties up the tungsten something awful, whether you dunk or not. The tips will always deform, split, ball a tip, get a tiny little booger off to the side. That's normal. The higher the balance (Within reason) the more heat going into the part, and less into the tungsten. It can be good for you(Better penetration, cooler torch) and it can be bad for you (dirty tungsten, sooty weld). It is a lot of trying SMALL changes  on the machine, and small changes in technique.Try some small changes, then look at the results.
Reply:Blu:I havn't got to plug my dynasty in yet- Im jealious !Since you might me in the ballpark of the max thickness for aluminum you might try moving your balance to about 80-85% to reduce the tungsten temp and give the aluminum a boost in heat.  That may or may ot be enough cleaning.  I think I remember 60% usualy gives a cleaning zone quite a bit outside the ead.   You can even try it at 90% but the puddle may not be clean and fluid enough to behave.    Also if you havn't noticed it before, sometimes if you get the rod too close to the tungsten and thereis a big wet drop hanging fom the rod the electrostatic forces will SUCK the liquid drop straight upinto the electrode.  This is way worse than just dipping.  The liquid aluminum seems to climb up thetungsten all the way up to the bushing.  It seems to mess up the puddle way worse than just dipping.I guess avoid the hanging wet drop on the rod.   It is easy to not see the drop suck up but you allwayssee the puddle all polluted and all kinds of funny colors ( and soot too)  Hang in there and maybe try some 1/8 or 3/32 sheet !Tim
Reply:Don't worry about what your welds look like...go grab a basic welding book that covers GTAW and allot of your questions will be answered.On a side note, anytime your weld pops and black soot is formed...you hit contamintation. You need to stop and re-grind and clean your metal.
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIIRate my welds/Answer my questions.Is that a DIRECT ORDER?Who the he11 do you think you are?Your birddroppings look like sh1t and your questions show a total lack of knowledge about tig welding aluminum.
Reply:I am still waiting to see ONE weld by the MASTER sundown.....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:wow...i thought this was a fourm, where people could come and ask questions, and get help with learning about welding...some of you guys are douchbags.seriously.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterI am still waiting to see ONE weld by the MASTER sundown.....zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by bluduk15Thanks for the help. I tried again tonight with 2% Ceriated and got some decent results. I'm perplexed now because when the arc starts from the foot pedal (SSC Controls), it seems to jump to full power and I don't have the amp control that I did with steel. Is this just an AC thing? It really inhibits me from preventing the crater at the end because it just cuts out.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloYou should look at the amps-actually, have somone else look at your amps as you run a weld. Deliberately back off the pedal (You can hear and see the arc lessen a lot, but to hear someone telling you 180, 165, 123, 86, etc. can help you identify how low and high you need to take your pedal work. Aluminum LIKES to crater. It melts at 1100f. so you make it a lot hotter than it can hold it's shape to. And, it is much softer, and since the heat spreads, you see more flaaing weld bead at the end. Best bet is to let it cool for 2-3 seconds, keeping the torch pointed right at it, and then light it back up just a bit and add a small dab right onto the crater. It simply does not work well to trail off the amps and close out a weld like you can with SS. Just cut the arc, and keep the torch pointed right on your weld bead for the postflow gas.
Reply:Since there seem to be some posters who would like to "attack" my comments, I'll address a couple issues.1.  Bluduk is NOT a new poster.  He's been a member of the forum for years.  2.  When a poster needs help, he generally ASKS for it, not issues instructions to the membership like "RATE MY WELDS/ANSWER MY QUESTIONS".  To me that comes across as a demand for effort on the part of other posters rather than a request for help.  No poster on this board "owes" Bluduk a dang thing.3.  Why does Bluduk NEED anyone else to RATE MY WELDS.  If he's done any research on tig welding, or looked at the thousands of beads posted in this forum, he should know already that his don't "measure up".4.  Other than asking, "what am I doing wrong" most of Bluduk's other verbage was about how he was doing things.How many postings have there been in the last 30 days explaining to the new tig welders what each of the functions of the Dynasty (or any inverter for that matter) do to effect the bead.Bluduk seems typical of many of the new tiggers on the board.  They want answers NOW. and have not put forth the effort to gain knowledge on their own.  They want to "jump over" all the building blocks (the foundation) and get right to the task at hand.  Has he even read the Tig Handbook, put out by Miller that would answer many of his questions.  I know for a fact that I've recommended it to at least a dozen new tiggers over the last 30 days.Does the OP even understand how the basic settings on his machine affect the bead.Balance-  Does he understand that increasing the balance setting (on the Dynasty) increases the time the machine spends in DC- thereby increasing the heat in the arc?  How too low a balance setting will quickly erode a tungsten?AC Freq-  Does he understand that increasing the frequency will result in a tighter arc and allow for deeper penetration?Tungsten-  Does he understand why Miller includes ceriated tungsten with the Dynasty 200?   Does he understand that as he goes up in amps (200) he needs to increase the size of the tungsten.Capability-  Does he understand that 1/4" aluminum is at the upper range of his machine.  Why would he, when he didn't get the results he was hoping for, DECREASE his amps to 125?Gentlemen(and ladies), trying to LEARN TO TIG WELD by posting questions on an internet board (without formal traning (schooling), working one on one with an experienced welder, or a lot of independent study) will nearly always produce a welder who's lacking in the basics.  Many posters, trying to be helpful, simply put out a bunch of BS that hinder/confuse a new welder.  They're not trying do this, but they just don't have the knowledge or experience themselves.  Frankly, I've seen about as much "bad advice" put out as I have "good advice".  How's a new guy to tell the difference?As far as pictures, let me address that.  I can assure you that in the last 60+ years (both in the military and in marine sales and service) I have taken MY SHARE of pictures.  I don't post a lot of pictures for several reasons.  1.  I have never been one of the "Look at what I did" type guys.  There are seveal posters who do unusual (and great work) who do post and the board benefits from them.  That's not me.  There are plenty of "great welds" posted on the board that people can compare their welds to.  Never felt that adding mine would benefit anyone.  When there have been cases where I felt a photo was appropriate (tungsten grinder, filtration system for plasma, gas mixing setup, etc) to help with the explanation, I've posted.  While some of the work that I do (engine beds, fire suppression racks, bow rails, tower/T top repair, etc) may generate a "wow" from some posters, it's just WORK for me.  I am my own worst critic, followed closely by my paying customers.  They're the only ones I feel I need to impress, and since I've been doing this type work for some time and much of my work is "repeat business/direct referral", I guess I'm doing something right.Over the last 55+ years of welding (tig welding since 1966) I've had some excellent mentors along the way.  Some of them produce work that I can only aspire to and are at the top of the game (marine fabrication and industrial fabrication).  I have learned from each and every one of them.  They demanded committment and if it wasn't there, they had no time for you.  There's no "spoon feeding" in the school of hard knocks.I come on these boards to try to pass on a little of the "knowledge" gained over decades.  I don't have much patience with the guys who are looking for shortcuts and are not willing to put forth the effort to improve their skills.  No, I don't post a bunch of "look at me" photos.  I try to provide sound, technically accurate advice.  I'm not here to make you "feel good".  Attack the advice I give if you feel it's in error (there's plenty to evaluate).  But, at the same time, understand that I'm not here to "give you a trophy" for not putting forth effort on your own.  The "hardest learned lessons" are the ones that stay with you the longest.Now back to Bluduk,If he had "asked" for help, rather than ordered a response, here's a few tips I would have given.First off, get rid of the 1/4" material.  It's at the machine limit and can be addressed after you become proficient in other areas.Start with mild steel coupons til puddle control, amps, feeding filler, angle of attack, arc length, etc, etc. become second nature.  Then work with different joint configurations.After you're comfortable with MS, then you can advance to aluminum.To start, get some 1/8" material and learn puddle control with no filler.  Get used to AC (it's different than DC).Learn what each of the settings on your machine do and how they effect the bead.Amps (rule of thumb is 1A for each .0001 of material) set at 125 for 1/8" aluminum.Balance (if material has been properly prepped) set between 7-8.  The etch zone adjacent to the bead will tell you if you're set correctly.  About 1/16" to either side of the bead is fine.  Setting at 6 will put excess heat into the tungsten, causing degredation.  You simply don't need all that cleaning (DC+).Set your AC frequency to 80-100.  Understand that as you go up in frequency, the arc becomes more constricted allowing for deeper penetration.  This is where an inverter outshines a transformer based tig welder.  The transformer machines (Syncrowaves for instance) are fixed at a frequency of 60HZ.Turn your pulser off.  You don't need it for aluminum of this thickness.  If you want to use slow pulsing (.6-1.5PPS) for practice with dip timing, do it on the steel before you get to aluminum.Turn your sequencer off.  You're going to control your upslope/downslope with your foot pedal.  You'll find that as you progress with an aluminum bead, you'll find yourself backing off on the amps to keep from overheating the material.  Remember that aluminum likes to be welded hot and fast.  Trying to weld too slow (too few amps) just creates an excessively large HAZ which is undesirable in aluminum welding.  As you get to the end of the bead, add filler to the puddle as you taper off the amps.  This will prevent the "crater" you so often see.Select the right tungsten and filler.  3/32 tungsten is adequate for 125A.  The arc starts fine with this size tungsten/amp combo.  Above 175A look at moving to 1/8" tungsten.  The higher starting amps should insure good arc starts with the larger tungsten.  When you dip your tungsten (and you will)  STOP and regrind.  You can't weld aluminum with a contaminated tungsten.  For this material, try 3/32 filler.  It's large enough to not melt before you get it to the puddle, but not so large as to excessively cool the puddle.As far as the tungsten to use, there's been much written on the different forums on that subject.  I prefer the 2% lantanated (in my Dynasty 200) for aluminum.  Second choice would be the ceriated.  I've found the thoriated formed multiple small ba11s and split much more than these other two.  You may want to go to millerwelds.com and read an article posted by Miller Schwartz (program mgr for miller) about the different tungstens and see what they say.  While on the site I'd recommend clicking on the Resources tab and checking out Miller's Student Pack.  It's $25 including shipping.  It includes an excellent Tig Handbook, a GMAW Handbook, a GMAW-P Handbook, as well as a bunch of other useful goodies (like welding calculators).  Best $25 you'll ever spend on welding.  The Tig Handbook would answer 90% of the questions you will have with tig welding (but only if you read it).Now, if you or ANY other poster wishes to attack the "advice" I've given here, or in ANY other post, have at it.  Attack the "contents/recommendations" not the fact that I'm not "politically correct" or "not nice".  Not saying that it's always the case, but all too frequently I've found that the "really nice guys" are the ones who know the least about the subject.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.Originally Posted by SundownIIISince there seem to be some posters who would like to "attack" my comments, I'll address a couple issues.1.  Bluduk is NOT a new poster.  He's been a member of the forum for years.  2.  When a poster needs help, he generally ASKS for it, not issues instructions to the membership like "RATE MY WELDS/ANSWER MY QUESTIONS".  To me that comes across as a demand for effort on the part of other posters rather than a request for help.  No poster on this board "owes" Bluduk a dang thing.3.  Why does Bluduk NEED anyone else to RATE MY WELDS.  If he's done any research on tig welding, or looked at the thousands of beads posted in this forum, he should know already that his don't "measure up".4.  Other than asking, "what am I doing wrong" most of Bluduk's other verbage was about how he was doing things.How many postings have there been in the last 30 days explaining to the new tig welders what each of the functions of the Dynasty (or any inverter for that matter) do to effect the bead.Bluduk seems typical of many of the new tiggers on the board.  They want answers NOW. and have not put forth the effort to gain knowledge on their own.  They want to "jump over" all the building blocks (the foundation) and get right to the task at hand.  Has he even read the Tig Handbook, put out by Miller that would answer many of his questions.  I know for a fact that I've recommended it to at least a dozen new tiggers over the last 30 days.Does the OP even understand how the basic settings on his machine affect the bead.Balance-  Does he understand that increasing the balance setting (on the Dynasty) increases the time the machine spends in DC- thereby increasing the heat in the arc?  How too low a balance setting will quickly erode a tungsten?AC Freq-  Does he understand that increasing the frequency will result in a tighter arc and allow for deeper penetration?Tungsten-  Does he understand why Miller includes ceriated tungsten with the Dynasty 200?   Does he understand that as he goes up in amps (200) he needs to increase the size of the tungsten.Capability-  Does he understand that 1/4" aluminum is at the upper range of his machine.  Why would he, when he didn't get the results he was hoping for, DECREASE his amps to 125?Gentlemen(and ladies), trying to LEARN TO TIG WELD by posting questions on an internet board (without formal traning (schooling), working one on one with an experienced welder, or a lot of independent study) will nearly always produce a welder who's lacking in the basics.  Many posters, trying to be helpful, simply put out a bunch of BS that hinder/confuse a new welder.  They're not trying do this, but they just don't have the knowledge or experience themselves.  Frankly, I've seen about as much "bad advice" put out as I have "good advice".  How's a new guy to tell the difference?As far as pictures, let me address that.  I can assure you that in the last 60+ years (both in the military and in marine sales and service) I have taken MY SHARE of pictures.  I don't post a lot of pictures for several reasons.  1.  I have never been one of the "Look at what I did" type guys.  There are seveal posters who do unusual (and great work) who do post and the board benefits from them.  That's not me.  There are plenty of "great welds" posted on the board that people can compare their welds to.  Never felt that adding mine would benefit anyone.  When there have been cases where I felt a photo was appropriate (tungsten grinder, filtration system for plasma, gas mixing setup, etc) to help with the explanation, I've posted.  While some of the work that I do (engine beds, fire suppression racks, bow rails, tower/T top repair, etc) may generate a "wow" from some posters, it's just WORK for me.  I am my own worst critic, followed closely by my paying customers.  They're the only ones I feel I need to impress, and since I've been doing this type work for some time and much of my work is "repeat business/direct referral", I guess I'm doing something right.Over the last 55+ years of welding (tig welding since 1966) I've had some excellent mentors along the way.  Some of them produce work that I can only aspire to and are at the top of the game (marine fabrication and industrial fabrication).  I have learned from each and every one of them.  They demanded committment and if it wasn't there, they had no time for you.  There's no "spoon feeding" in the school of hard knocks.I come on these boards to try to pass on a little of the "knowledge" gained over decades.  I don't have much patience with the guys who are looking for shortcuts and are not willing to put forth the effort to improve their skills.  No, I don't post a bunch of "look at me" photos.  I try to provide sound, technically accurate advice.  I'm not here to make you "feel good".  Attack the advice I give if you feel it's in error (there's plenty to evaluate).  But, at the same time, understand that I'm not here to "give you a trophy" for not putting forth effort on your own.  The "hardest learned lessons" are the ones that stay with you the longest.Now back to Bluduk,If he had "asked" for help, rather than ordered a response, here's a few tips I would have given.First off, get rid of the 1/4" material.  It's at the machine limit and can be addressed after you become proficient in other areas.Start with mild steel coupons til puddle control, amps, feeding filler, angle of attack, arc length, etc, etc. become second nature.  Then work with different joint configurations.After you're comfortable with MS, then you can advance to aluminum.To start, get some 1/8" material and learn puddle control with no filler.  Get used to AC (it's different than DC).Learn what each of the settings on your machine do and how they effect the bead.Amps (rule of thumb is 1A for each .0001 of material) set at 125 for 1/8" aluminum.Balance (if material has been properly prepped) set between 7-8.  The etch zone adjacent to the bead will tell you if you're set correctly.  About 1/16" to either side of the bead is fine.  Setting at 6 will put excess heat into the tungsten, causing degredation.  You simply don't need all that cleaning (DC+).Set your AC frequency to 80-100.  Understand that as you go up in frequency, the arc becomes more constricted allowing for deeper penetration.  This is where an inverter outshines a transformer based tig welder.  The transformer machines (Syncrowaves for instance) are fixed at a frequency of 60HZ.Turn your pulser off.  You don't need it for aluminum of this thickness.  If you want to use slow pulsing (.6-1.5PPS) for practice with dip timing, do it on the steel before you get to aluminum.Turn your sequencer off.  You're going to control your upslope/downslope with your foot pedal.  You'll find that as you progress with an aluminum bead, you'll find yourself backing off on the amps to keep from overheating the material.  Remember that aluminum likes to be welded hot and fast.  Trying to weld too slow (too few amps) just creates an excessively large HAZ which is undesirable in aluminum welding.  As you get to the end of the bead, add filler to the puddle as you taper off the amps.  This will prevent the "crater" you so often see.Select the right tungsten and filler.  3/32 tungsten is adequate for 125A.  The arc starts fine with this size tungsten/amp combo.  Above 175A look at moving to 1/8" tungsten.  The higher starting amps should insure good arc starts with the larger tungsten.  When you dip your tungsten (and you will)  STOP and regrind.  You can't weld aluminum with a contaminated tungsten.  For this material, try 3/32 filler.  It's large enough to not melt before you get it to the puddle, but not so large as to excessively cool the puddle.As far as the tungsten to use, there's been much written on the different forums on that subject.  I prefer the 2% lantanated (in my Dynasty 200) for aluminum.  Second choice would be the ceriated.  I've found the thoriated formed multiple small ba11s and split much more than these other two.  You may want to go to millerwelds.com and read an article posted by Miller Schwartz (program mgr for miller) about the different tungstens and see what they say.  While on the site I'd recommend clicking on the Resources tab and checking out Miller's Student Pack.  It's $25 including shipping.  It includes an excellent Tig Handbook, a GMAW Handbook, a GMAW-P Handbook, as well as a bunch of other useful goodies (like welding calculators).  Best $25 you'll ever spend on welding.  The Tig Handbook would answer 90% of the questions you will have with tig welding (but only if you read it).Now, if you or ANY other poster wishes to attack the "advice" I've given here, or in ANY other post, have at it.  Attack the "contents/recommendations" not the fact that I'm not "politically correct" or "not nice".  Not saying that it's always the case, but all too frequently I've found that the "really nice guys" are the ones who know the least about the subject.
Reply:bluduk,Just a couple comments and I'll be gone because I didn't come on the board to argue with you or anyone else.Maybe it's a "generation thing" but I learned early on in life that if I needed help it was better to "ask for it" rather than "demand it".  Frankly, your "subject line" screamed RUDE to me "Rate my welds/Anwer my questions".  That, in my book, is a demand and not a question.  "Old welders" are a lot like wheelbarrows.  Hard to push and easy to tip over.You say you've read Miller's Tig Handbook.  Frankly, that surprises the heck out of me.  Maybe you need to go back and read it again.  If after reading that source and seeing hundreds of "correct welds" posted on this forum, you still needed someone else to "Rate my welds", I don't know if there's much hope for you.As seems so typical of many of the "new welders" to the site, you seem to want to just skip right over the basics and get right to building the high rise, without ever pouring a foundation.I'll leave it at that.I wish you luck along the road to tig welding.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIIbluduk,Just a couple comments and I'll be gone because I didn't come on the board to argue with you or anyone else.Maybe it's a "generation thing" but I learned early on in life that if I needed help it was better to "ask for it" rather than "demand it".  Frankly, your "subject line" screamed RUDE to me "Rate my welds/Anwer my questions".  That, in my book, is a demand and not a question.  "Old welders" are a lot like wheelbarrows.  Hard to push and easy to tip over.You say you've read Miller's Tig Handbook.  Frankly, that surprises the heck out of me.  Maybe you need to go back and read it again.  If after reading that source and seeing hundreds of "correct welds" posted on this forum, you still needed someone else to "Rate my welds", I don't know if there's much hope for you.As seems so typical of many of the "new welders" to the site, you seem to want to just skip right over the basics and get right to building the high rise, without ever pouring a foundation.I'll leave it at that.I wish you luck along the road to tig welding.
Reply:Sooooo.....is SDIII going to post a pic of his welds or what? Establish some credibility my friend  Continually refusing to do so only lessens your credibility. With the amount of posting you do it's probably in the best interest of the community that you post some pics. It would prevent a lot of threads getting off track. If you're really interested in contributing positively to this forum I believe the time has come for you to post some pics -David
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIIMaybe it's a "generation thing" but I learned early on in life that if I needed help it was better to "ask for it" rather than "demand it".  Frankly, your "subject line" screamed RUDE to me "Rate my welds/Anwer my questions".  That, in my book, is a demand and not a question.  "Old welders" are a lot like wheelbarrows.  Hard to push and easy to tip over.
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIIRate my welds/Answer my questions.Is that a DIRECT ORDER?Who the he11 do you think you are?Your birddroppings look like sh1t and your questions show a total lack of knowledge about tig welding aluminum.
Reply:Originally Posted by i4sillypwrSooooo.....is SDIII going to post a pic of his welds or what? Establish some credibility my friend  Continually refusing to do so only lessens your credibility. With the amount of posting you do it's probably in the best interest of the community that you post some pics. It would prevent a lot of threads getting off track. If you're really interested in contributing positively to this forum I believe the time has come for you to post some pics -David
Reply:Originally Posted by BrettIm afraid I beleive you are 100% incorrect there David.Read Sundowns post , everything about welding is spot on.Bin the pulse, stick to 2.4mm Electrode and filler , realize that 1/4" it the limit (and you are pushing it at that).Foremost get Formal Education.In the same vein as my post to SD ... Who do you think you are demanding a pic?Im not after a fight , I've actually got a life in the real world.My point to SD was there is a line between brutally honest and rude. Oh well I said it he can agree or not , I am sure he is not going to lose any sleep over what a faceless person on the other side of the world that he  will never meet (?)  said .  So should you.... and I.Brett Thtompson.
Reply:Originally Posted by BrettIm afraid I beleive you are 100% incorrect there David.Read Sundowns post , everything about welding is spot on.Brett Thtompson.
Reply:Good post Sundown. However it is .001" (one thou) per amp, not .0001"(tenth of a thou).www.tjsperformance.comDynasty 300 DXHTP 240HTP Microcut 380Hyperthem 85JD2 Hyd Bender and HF Hyd Ring Roller all in one =(Frankenbender)Bpt. Mill/DRO4' x 8' CNC Plasma TableInstagram: tjsperformanceYT: TJS Welding and Fabrication
Reply:ha, personally I appreciate sundown telling me when my stuff looks like crap... yeah he has no bedside manors at all, but give me brutal honesty over stroking any day  I wish I could have him stand over me as I weld & have him yell at me for everything I'm doing wrong, hell I'd even pay him to do that... I guess his brutal nature don't come across so well on the interwebz to some though miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:Originally Posted by bluduk15The nit being picked here is not the quality of SDIII's advice, it's the timing.  SDIII didn't give advice until he had been called out for being rude (not by me).
Reply:I find it funny that no one actually thinks SD is wrong, just that he was "rude."Seriously? get over it.  There's more to life then worrying about being polite all the time.SD has proved himself to be much more knowledgeable than about 90% of this forum, and I dont think anyone can disagree with that either.To the OP, you would do yourself a favor is you remove that piece of aluminum from under the piece your trying to weld on, or got some thinner material in general.  A 200DX is screaming to do 1/4" aluminum, and it takes some experience to get a good weld with an underpowered machine.1/8"-3/16" is what you should look for, or find a way to isolate the piece you are working on so that the heat builds up faster, making welding easier and more fluid.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:This thread just became the high light of my day )Miller Xmt 350Lincoln Ln-25Ahp 200xSmith Gas Mixer AR/HTig is my Kung FuThrowing down dimes and weaving aboutInstagram http://instagram.com/[email protected]
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterI am still waiting to see ONE weld by the MASTER sundown.....zap!
Reply:Ok my fault gents i didnt bother to see the mini book he posted. SUNDOWN  are you really this mad at life and other welders? Im just curious cause you seem rather um... disgruntled so to speak. You read to deep into things and way over judge someone rather quick. Now bear in mind i take your "experience" into consideration however you are also the most negative person on all forums. When i read a new post i try to help .You sound like an  "Angry World of Warcraft" critic like yourself. Im guessing by your comments on every forum that you are on that your an angry sad pathetic LONELY LONELY man because lets face it no woman would deal with you. These forums are here to help people not let you go on some BS rant on how bad they are. GET A DAMN LIFE i wasnt born with a TIG torch in my hand but im pretty damn good at it now. You were not born a welding god as you claim to be k lil man and i stress lil man. Now go on and do your rountine of 5am wake up coffee , metamucil cause you cant be regular, Price is Right and then the news... had a boss like you ... Guess what i took his job LOL LOL. Either teach ,help or encourage or go the hell away . Cant stand old bitter bastards like you ok so either help or GO AWAY you pathetic angry lonely man...Go pet your damn cat cause thats all ya got... And the cat only cares cause you feed it  ....GET A DAMN LIFE..... Eh Internet welders are sad...... Im sorry to all others on this Forum BUT im sick of this POS so called welder gentlemen and ladies .........SUNDOWN... KISS OUR COLLECTIVE ***...  Damn wait i gotta explain this to his ignorant ***. Collective means all of us.. How about that Mr. Welder i just educated you on a term you had no IDEA about lol. Guys screw him keep asking the questions we will help as much as we can we are here to help each other  and not discourage anyone from learning more . Progress makes us better and we all learn from each other . None of us will ever weld the same as the next guy . We use the process to our advantage and make it happen.  Sorry guys Rant over im just sick of negative people... Cheers to you all...
Reply:http://xkcd.com/386/Make sure with xkcd comics you run the curser over it to get the hidden message.Not aimed at any one person in particular ... at us all  LOLBrett ThompsonLast edited by Brett; 03-05-2011 at 06:23 AM.A good guess is better than a bad measurement
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIISince there seem to be some posters who would like to "attack" my comments, I'll address a couple issues.1.  Bluduk is NOT a new poster.  He's been a member of the forum for years.  2.  When a poster needs help, he generally ASKS for it, not issues instructions to the membership like "RATE MY WELDS/ANSWER MY QUESTIONS".  To me that comes across as a demand for effort on the part of other posters rather than a request for help.  No poster on this board "owes" Bluduk a dang thing.3.  Why does Bluduk NEED anyone else to RATE MY WELDS.  If he's done any research on tig welding, or looked at the thousands of beads posted in this forum, he should know already that his don't "measure up".4.  Other than asking, "what am I doing wrong" most of Bluduk's other verbage was about how he was doing things.How many postings have there been in the last 30 days explaining to the new tig welders what each of the functions of the Dynasty (or any inverter for that matter) do to effect the bead.Bluduk seems typical of many of the new tiggers on the board.  They want answers NOW. and have not put forth the effort to gain knowledge on their own.  They want to "jump over" all the building blocks (the foundation) and get right to the task at hand.  Has he even read the Tig Handbook, put out by Miller that would answer many of his questions.  I know for a fact that I've recommended it to at least a dozen new tiggers over the last 30 days.Does the OP even understand how the basic settings on his machine affect the bead.Balance-  Does he understand that increasing the balance setting (on the Dynasty) increases the time the machine spends in DC- thereby increasing the heat in the arc?  How too low a balance setting will quickly erode a tungsten?AC Freq-  Does he understand that increasing the frequency will result in a tighter arc and allow for deeper penetration?Tungsten-  Does he understand why Miller includes ceriated tungsten with the Dynasty 200?   Does he understand that as he goes up in amps (200) he needs to increase the size of the tungsten.Capability-  Does he understand that 1/4" aluminum is at the upper range of his machine.  Why would he, when he didn't get the results he was hoping for, DECREASE his amps to 125?Gentlemen(and ladies), trying to LEARN TO TIG WELD by posting questions on an internet board (without formal traning (schooling), working one on one with an experienced welder, or a lot of independent study) will nearly always produce a welder who's lacking in the basics.  Many posters, trying to be helpful, simply put out a bunch of BS that hinder/confuse a new welder.  They're not trying do this, but they just don't have the knowledge or experience themselves.  Frankly, I've seen about as much "bad advice" put out as I have "good advice".  How's a new guy to tell the difference?As far as pictures, let me address that.  I can assure you that in the last 60+ years (both in the military and in marine sales and service) I have taken MY SHARE of pictures.  I don't post a lot of pictures for several reasons.  1.  I have never been one of the "Look at what I did" type guys.  There are seveal posters who do unusual (and great work) who do post and the board benefits from them.  That's not me.  There are plenty of "great welds" posted on the board that people can compare their welds to.  Never felt that adding mine would benefit anyone.  When there have been cases where I felt a photo was appropriate (tungsten grinder, filtration system for plasma, gas mixing setup, etc) to help with the explanation, I've posted.  While some of the work that I do (engine beds, fire suppression racks, bow rails, tower/T top repair, etc) may generate a "wow" from some posters, it's just WORK for me.  I am my own worst critic, followed closely by my paying customers.  They're the only ones I feel I need to impress, and since I've been doing this type work for some time and much of my work is "repeat business/direct referral", I guess I'm doing something right.Over the last 55+ years of welding (tig welding since 1966) I've had some excellent mentors along the way.  Some of them produce work that I can only aspire to and are at the top of the game (marine fabrication and industrial fabrication).  I have learned from each and every one of them.  They demanded committment and if it wasn't there, they had no time for you.  There's no "spoon feeding" in the school of hard knocks.I come on these boards to try to pass on a little of the "knowledge" gained over decades.  I don't have much patience with the guys who are looking for shortcuts and are not willing to put forth the effort to improve their skills.  No, I don't post a bunch of "look at me" photos.  I try to provide sound, technically accurate advice.  I'm not here to make you "feel good".  Attack the advice I give if you feel it's in error (there's plenty to evaluate).  But, at the same time, understand that I'm not here to "give you a trophy" for not putting forth effort on your own.  The "hardest learned lessons" are the ones that stay with you the longest.Now back to Bluduk,If he had "asked" for help, rather than ordered a response, here's a few tips I would have given.First off, get rid of the 1/4" material.  It's at the machine limit and can be addressed after you become proficient in other areas.Start with mild steel coupons til puddle control, amps, feeding filler, angle of attack, arc length, etc, etc. become second nature.  Then work with different joint configurations.After you're comfortable with MS, then you can advance to aluminum.To start, get some 1/8" material and learn puddle control with no filler.  Get used to AC (it's different than DC).Learn what each of the settings on your machine do and how they effect the bead.Amps (rule of thumb is 1A for each .0001 of material) set at 125 for 1/8" aluminum.Balance (if material has been properly prepped) set between 7-8.  The etch zone adjacent to the bead will tell you if you're set correctly.  About 1/16" to either side of the bead is fine.  Setting at 6 will put excess heat into the tungsten, causing degredation.  You simply don't need all that cleaning (DC+).Set your AC frequency to 80-100.  Understand that as you go up in frequency, the arc becomes more constricted allowing for deeper penetration.  This is where an inverter outshines a transformer based tig welder.  The transformer machines (Syncrowaves for instance) are fixed at a frequency of 60HZ.Turn your pulser off.  You don't need it for aluminum of this thickness.  If you want to use slow pulsing (.6-1.5PPS) for practice with dip timing, do it on the steel before you get to aluminum.Turn your sequencer off.  You're going to control your upslope/downslope with your foot pedal.  You'll find that as you progress with an aluminum bead, you'll find yourself backing off on the amps to keep from overheating the material.  Remember that aluminum likes to be welded hot and fast.  Trying to weld too slow (too few amps) just creates an excessively large HAZ which is undesirable in aluminum welding.  As you get to the end of the bead, add filler to the puddle as you taper off the amps.  This will prevent the "crater" you so often see.Select the right tungsten and filler.  3/32 tungsten is adequate for 125A.  The arc starts fine with this size tungsten/amp combo.  Above 175A look at moving to 1/8" tungsten.  The higher starting amps should insure good arc starts with the larger tungsten.  When you dip your tungsten (and you will)  STOP and regrind.  You can't weld aluminum with a contaminated tungsten.  For this material, try 3/32 filler.  It's large enough to not melt before you get it to the puddle, but not so large as to excessively cool the puddle.As far as the tungsten to use, there's been much written on the different forums on that subject.  I prefer the 2% lantanated (in my Dynasty 200) for aluminum.  Second choice would be the ceriated.  I've found the thoriated formed multiple small ba11s and split much more than these other two.  You may want to go to millerwelds.com and read an article posted by Miller Schwartz (program mgr for miller) about the different tungstens and see what they say.  While on the site I'd recommend clicking on the Resources tab and checking out Miller's Student Pack.  It's $25 including shipping.  It includes an excellent Tig Handbook, a GMAW Handbook, a GMAW-P Handbook, as well as a bunch of other useful goodies (like welding calculators).  Best $25 you'll ever spend on welding.  The Tig Handbook would answer 90% of the questions you will have with tig welding (but only if you read it).Now, if you or ANY other poster wishes to attack the "advice" I've given here, or in ANY other post, have at it.  Attack the "contents/recommendations" not the fact that I'm not "politically correct" or "not nice".  Not saying that it's always the case, but all too frequently I've found that the "really nice guys" are the ones who know the least about the subject.
Reply:Mario.  Thanks.  If you're still having problems, PM me a photo and some details and we'll try to get your oilpan squared away.Torn7th.  I can assure you that I don't GIVE A HAPPY RAT'S AZZ what some $23/hr., know nothing (I encourage posters to read this clowns other 24 posts) thinks of me.Now onto the real reason for posting.I can assure everyone here that I didn't join the forum to "win a popularity contest' or to "gain creditability in anyone's eyes".  I joined to possibly pass on a tidbit of knowledge to those wishing to listen and apply themselves.  If my "harshness" offends you, then please use the "ignore this poster" tab.  I probably wasn't directing my comments to you anyway.Nowhere in any post on this forum or others have I ever claimed to be "the best welder", "the most knowledgeable guy", etc., etc.  Far from it.  In fact, in many threads I won't comment at all (pressure pipe, pipeliner, heavy structural, etc) because there are much more knowledgeable posters providing valuable input.  I simply read and learn.  There are unquestionably better tig welders (Kevin (KB Fab), Engloid, and BC come immediately to mind but there are many others) out there, but I don't see them spending a lot of time on "details".  I've had the good fortune to have worked with "some of the best" and learned from them.  It's also given me a better understanding of my own strengths and weaknesses.  Welding (even if we're just talking about tig) is too broad a subject to be the best in all areas.  The best marine fabricator (who's bump welding anodized alum all day) can't tig weld SS high pressure pipe as well as the guy who's doing it every day.  Simply put, the "welding arena" is simply too large and too diversified to be "the best" at everything.  With that said, I consider myself to be "pretty good" at what I do, and I do a lot of different stuff related to welding.Next, we come to the idea that "you need to post pictures to gain creditability".  Really.  I guess my comments wern't directed at "that guy" to begin with.  I didn't come here to "gain creditability".  I've never made one red cent from any other poster on this board.  As long as I have "creditability" with my paying customers, I'll be happy with that.I didn't join the forum to "make friends".  If that happens (which it has in many cases) that's great, but I've already got a lot of friends already.  As I said before, I joined to try to help some of the newer guys get better at what they do.  What I have learned is that there are a lot of guys here who are unwilling or too thick to learn.  They want everything handed to them and think they can learn "this welding business" overnight.  Some of their comments (got my tig today, next week I'm building a cage for my racecar) are frankly an insult to the professionals (and dedicated hobbiests) who've committed literally years to developing their skills.You won't see me asking a bunch of "how do I do this?" questions on this forum.  Why?  Because, like most professionals, I have a handful of guys on speeddial that I can call and get an answer to most any question.  These are guys I've worked with and I already know that their answer/response will be "on the money".  A lot of the new guys don't have that type network and it helps to have a forum where they can get answers to their questions.  Unfortunately, I see a lot of bad advice given by posters who probably know less than the guy who asked the question.  That's where I have problems with an internet forum.Now we'll come back to the photo thing and why I don't put much stock in it.  I worked in marine sales and service for nearly 20 years.  I've taken thousands of pictures and I can honestly say that, while a picture doesn't lie, it may not tell the whole story.  I've reviewed photos (porfolio's) on multi-million dollar yachts where the photos made the yacht look just like that (a million dollars).  Then, upon physical inspection, you find that "skeletons" were conviently left out of the photo.  The photo shows a fabulous salon.  When you walk on the boat, you see (just out of the photo) a major water leak in a sidewindow that has ruined thousands of dollars of teak wallcovering.  Engine room photos show a freshly painted/detailed diesel engine.  Physical inspection reveals a "freshly detailed engine" and a rusty gearbox and a leaking stuffing box.  The list goes on and on.  In short, the photographer shows you what he wants you to see.I'll use BC as an example for a couple of reasons.  First, he's a professional and will understand where I'm coming from.  Second, because he's a friend and will not take it the wrong way.  If BC posts up a photo of a welded flange/standpipe, does anyone here really think he looked thru the batch and picked his "worst" one to photograph.  No.  Of course not.  He picked the best of the best and rightfully so.  On the other hand, his customer (and I don't understand how they do it) will have a nack for looking thru the batch and finding the "worst" one.  That's the piece he evaluates BC on.  When I build a marine fabrication, does the buyer look at the part and judge my capability on my "best weld".  He11 no.  Somehow he finds the "worst one" and uses that for his basis for evaluation.  What I'm saying here is that your "worst weld" better be pretty dang good, or you won't survive in the business for long.Just the other day I saw a posting that went like, "Show me some photos of a weld done with a Diversion SO I'LL KNOW IF THE WELDER WILL DO THE JOB I NEED DONE".  After I stopped laughing, I realized that the poster was serious.  Folks.  Let me assure you that what I can do with my machine (welder) may have absolutly no relevance to what you can do with the same machine.Do photos sometimes help.  Of course they do.  Sometimes they provide detail that would take thousands of words to describe.  Where I find them to be the "most useful" is when a poster is having a problem and needs help.  Seeing porosity, or undercut, or........, can really help another poster recommend a fix.Recently, I finished up repair/rebuild on two large SS mufflers on a 50' motoryacht.  The project would have made a decent "how to" photo array.  Unfortunately, my first priority is to "get the job done" not "blowing my horn".  Frankly, I was more concerned that there was a mechanic standing there looking over my shoulder, ready to install the mufflers in the boat, and making sure that the pressure test was OK, than I was about taking photos.That's just "a bit" of how I feel about photos.  Somehow I just don't quite understand how my posting photos of my work is "more helpful" than making recommendations to a new guy about how many amps, what filler, freq, balance, etc he should try to get his work done.  If you think I'm giving "bad advice" please feel free to chime in.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:I read everything you said SDIII and here's what happened:(not really, I just tried a few things other people recommended and it worked out...)175A80 Balance100 Hz1.5 Lanthanated
Reply:Blue,you may be moving just a tad too far between dips, (travel is just 'long' by 30-50%)  the overly rounded puddle conformation (profile) shows the dip (filler rod feed length) is just a bit too long on the filler; the end craters would fill more if you added one or perhaps two third's dip to the puddle as you 'pedal out'.These beads look like a real improvement over the early exercises, so you're heading in the 'right' direction.  By slowing the travel or reducing the torch swing and easing a little on the dip the entire pattern will lay down and the ridges between puddles will be less pronounced and not as 'notch' sensitive in the final bead.This image is provided to suggest a sight picture, not that I'm all that good at TIG.  I try for a little less definition between puddles, and I use a little smaller move to get that reduced separation and increased smoothness.this is a tank top at the corner where the fills, level hardware and vents will attach, as it represents a mixed bag of weld types.  I'm trying to make the steps into a slightly more flowing bead, so I've moved a little less and added a bit less filler to each step keeping the 'ridges' just a bit lower.[FULL DISCLOSURE:  I weld with a TIG gun]I've had ridges in aluminum beads begin tears at the toe or edges of the puddle. So if the bead's foot print on the parent metal (or between two parent metal parts) is a little more line and less a series of tiny half rounds- then the bend break coupons seem to last a little longer?Overall, the bead you show is little bit pronounced, ("rise" off the plate is too vertical) I'd work to reduce that rise to a lower angle.  Also, the uniformity could use some left hand (I'm making the uninformed assumption you're right torch left is off hand?)  dip rod exercising?  (I've shown this idea on another post about off hand TIG methods here somewhere?)  I think that overall the gas coverage, tungsten to puddle distance, and balance look like an improvement and that's all we can expect of ourselves. If you combine a few subtle adjustments to your practice exercises- I'm sure your bead will go from livable to great looking, it's not bad now don't get me wrong, but we all have to practice to get that 'row of dimes' uniformity.at the ends, many welders will ease up to half pedal, or reduce their slider or roller wheels downward so the amperage is much less and then just dab the filler on top to not only fill that end crater, but even to put a small half or one third puddle sized 'top cap' on the end of their welds.  It may be style instead of hard substance but it does away with the dimple of a crater which in aluminum can lead to weld cracking.the following remarks are intended to help you with the related rate aspect of the previous remarks.  If you added just a bit of heat to the welds I've called 'too full' of filler, they'd lay down.  If you added just a bit of time to the travel, that effectively would add more 'heat' and they'd lay down, and if you reduced the filler the chill effect of that cold metal in the puddle would help it lay down.I'm focusing (here) on the tiny balance interrelationship of the level of amperage, travel time/rate, and filler along with torch angle and balance setting that results in a 'good' aluminum TIG weld.  its great to see your progress from image one to the next; seems clear to me your heading in the right direction.cheers,Kevin Morin
Reply:Thanks Kevin, I think I'm heading in the right direction as well. These were late night welds after a few I'll post some more tomorrow. What I really got from the practice was a real feel for a clean puddle that sucked the filler nicely (earlier puddles didn't have the cleaning action that these did).I made two mistakes: 1. I had my argon set incorrectly--just totally flubbed it; 2. I had the foot switch on the wrong setting so I wasn't getting the control I needed (another total flubb). A few things I would like to work on besides tightening up the stacks: I want to work on the technique for finishing the last dip without so much of a crater. I've tried easing up on the pedal about a 1/3 and adding a couple of quick dips to finish off, but it still leaves a slight crater, although it does "cap" the last "dime."I've been watching the weldingtipsandtricks.com vids and he seems to pull the electrode back a bit and add an extra bit of filler at the end.  It works for him pretty well. Covell doesn't seem too concerned about it as his vids just leave the crater in most of his demonstrations.Last edited by bluduk15; 03-06-2011 at 01:19 AM.
Reply:Blue:If you did the exact same welds in your last pic - but you did them down a seam oftwo cupons you would find that the bead maybe only penetrated about 1/2 way through the  material.  I am still working on that problem myself.  I guess the trick is to get theheat just enough to get the puddle to JUST make it to the other side but not so much that the whole puddle falls through.   On the edge of the blade there.   Have to judge it byhow the puddle looks and how close to the end of the metal you are.  If you go REALLY slow the whole piece gets hot and the puddle gets wide uncontrolably.  Keep practiceing.  Try some steel -  do lots of steel  maybe .060 or .040.Tim
Reply:Hey guys,Just wanted to respond to several members regarding this particular thread & that outcomes CAN be productive.TO bluduk15:  It is generous of you to acknowledge SDIII & the other members here who responded to your query for assistance. You, at first, took a bit of criticism & made it personal, & eventually found that it was indeed justified as your using the data provided, did solve the majority of your issues with a positive outcome. That, at least, shows progress, some maturity, & you certainly benefited from it. That is simply what 99% of the forum threads/postings/responses are dedicated to do. Yup, there are those who will take offense with a slight condemnation of their welding/information/relevence & make it a personal issue that really has no particular bearing on the subject at hand. It is also evident that mainly the youngsters/newbies, not all, are the ones who shun a bit of criticism or a simple verbal "slap-on-the-back-of-the-head" response. Some use it for their benefit, some don't.TO Mario428:  Your response is an absolute BULLSEYE!  It is evident you also have used a wee bit of criticism to your advantage......SMART. You will do well with that kind of attitude & perseverence to accept that gentle "slap" & move forward. That shows character & the nature of a person who really WANTS to learn from the seasoned/experienced mentors.TO Torn7th:  It is quite evident your vicious, vehement, & vindictive vitriol stems from your getting a bit of criticism regarding some of your FEW postings/responses. Your ridiculous bantering & personal castigating & demeaning of other members simply indicate your true nature & the meaningless character you are. You fear that "slap" & like the child you are mentally, you definitely need to get mamma to change your diaper more often so that irritating rash between the cheeks of your a$$ don't continue to keep you constantly in misery. Oh, BTW, you can rest assured you have definitely alienated many of the seasoned/experienced members here & the wealth of superb information they share. Stupidity only hurts oneself.Lastly, I kinda feel that posting or non-posting of pics aren't anything that is less informative that solid, proven data that results in a solution to a problem. There are thousands of pics for any member to look at & observe any subject material they need. Myself, I like to post pics to enhance the process, parameters of the project, & allow a member to question those for more clarity & understanding. So, as you can see, we each provide in our own manner. Seems to work quite well.DennyComplete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."
Reply:If you can't see the "thundering velvet hand" in Sundown's posts, you really have a problem; he is one of the few who really cares, and has nothing to prove or gain from what he shares.  I'm in my 60's and can count on one hand the number of people I have met along the way that gave a damn enough to be brutally instructive in teaching others what they had learned to give them the much needed, and now missing, basic foundational skills that should accompany any endeavor, especially welding.  Like he stated, there are no "quick fixes" that have lasting value.