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So after about a year of fondling and caressing the floor model at my LWS, I finally bought a Syncrowave 200 and this week I started learning TIG... First, let me say that I've NEVER welded with TIG before. In fact, I've never even SEEN a TIG welder operating and I've had no training whatsoever. My only learning comes entirely from reading (welding books and this website). Photo 01 shows the disaster that occurred! I was fully warned that TIG is the hardest process to learn but being relatively proficient at MIG and stick (and maybe a bit cocky), I thought I could pick it up somewhat quickly. I was wrong and became frustrated when all I could produce was ugly globs of pigeon-poo. Fortunately, I had three things going for me: A big pile of aluminum, 3 days off from work and more stubbornness than 5 people. After 1 hour and 42 minutes of welding (according to the digital display), I was able to produce the butt-weld in Photo 02. I know it's not great and I still have a long way to go (my T-joints and Lap joints are still horrific) but it's progress and I'm proud of it. Critiques are appreciated (I know the end at the left is overheated. I should have eased up on the footpedal a bit, but I was trying to fill the crater). Cheers,Dave Attached ImagesLincoln AC225 & MigPak 140, Lincoln Magnum SpoolGun, Miller Spectrum 375-X Plasma, Syncrowave 200 TIG, Millermatic 252 MIG, Miller Digital Elite, General 7x12" horiz/vert bandsaw, 3' box/pan brake, 20 ton press, milling machine, 12x28 lathe, etc.
Reply:You are definitely improving faster than I did at Tig welding! I learned from a guy who used to do the tig welds on the Space Shuttle landing gears (They were titanium done in an enclosure that was flooded with inert gas) and even with his help I could rarely get two good welds in a row. Getting the machine settings right for each thickness is crucial and then using the correct diameter filler rod and electrode that matches your welder and material is key. You obviously have some native talent based on the last photo. Keep up the practice and enjoy the hobby.DougMiller Syncrowave 350Millermatic 252/ 30A spoolgunMiller Bobcat 225g w/ 3545 spoolgunLincoln PowerArc4000Lincoln 175 Mig Lincoln 135 Mig Everlast 250EX TigCentury ac/dc 230 amp stickVictor O/AHypertherm 1000 plasma
Reply:Congrats on the new machine Dave.Make sure you're comfortable as it's a huge help in keeping a steady hand. Might want to try some 4043 filler too as it flows better than the stronger 5356. And maybe it's just me but it looks just a tad cool too. I assume you're using the pedal to control the heat and not just mashing it.Nice for under 2 hours and never having a TIG torch in your hand before.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Looks pretty good! Get some zirconiated tungsten, it will carry more amperage than pure. Unless I'm welding some thick aluminum I always sharpen my tungsten and it will ball per the amperage you use. Sharpened tungsten = more focused arc which can be benificial at the end of a weld when the amperage is reduced because of the heat in the plates. And if it were me I would forget about the pulsing until you get the hang of tig welding unless you are doing really thin stuff. Have fun, looks like a nice welder.
Reply:Id also suggest getting rid of the pulse, its not doing you any good for now. It has its uses, but not when trying to learn AL.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:Thanks for the advice guys. Re pulsing: I tried numerous different settings, most of which used zero pulsing and some came out fairly decent. It just so happened that one of my experiments with pulsing came out looking the best. Re zirconated: I'll definitely give it a try. I have some Thoriated that I haven't experimented with as of yet (I bought 10 reds on Zapster's advice that they work well for him). I'll give zirconated a try too. Re 4043 rods: I will give those a try as well. I'm assuming they are a bit more rare, since I didn't see them at either of the two LWS's that I frequent. I'll ask one of the guys at the counter for them. Re "tad cool": That was certainly my initial problem that resulted in the "pigeon poo" in the pics- I was so scared of melting through the aluminum (past experiences with the MIG and gas) that I had the amps set low and didn't want to put much power into the pedal. The result was a barely fluid surface on the aluminum and a melted filler rod fusing with essentially a molten "skin". Once I got over my phobia of power/burning through, I cranked it up and it worked much better. I'd suspect I could probably go even higher, move faster and get better results, so very keen observation Duane. Thanks. Thanks for all the good advice and comments. I'll post the pics of all my other "coupons" (including the no-so-nice ones) later.Lincoln AC225 & MigPak 140, Lincoln Magnum SpoolGun, Miller Spectrum 375-X Plasma, Syncrowave 200 TIG, Millermatic 252 MIG, Miller Digital Elite, General 7x12" horiz/vert bandsaw, 3' box/pan brake, 20 ton press, milling machine, 12x28 lathe, etc.
Reply:I don't think you are going to get a more stable arc than with the green tungsten. I used the red thoriated for a long time, and it does work better on the thick stuff, but for 1/8" and less I use green. 4043 filler will make you happy too. 5356 is supposed to be "stronger", but in my experience has been more brittle and does not like to be in an environment that exceeds 200 degrees regularly.My name's not Jim....
Reply:I have an older transformer style TIG welder, I recently got some zirconiated, I can say with certainty, I like it more than I like pure tungsten for AC welding. I don't know how red tungsten will do on that machine, but I hate it on AC on my machine. The arc is very unstable -most- of the time. I am pretty satisfied when welding with pure tungsten, but the zirconiated tungstens are great. The arc seems to be very nice. I am sure you have played around with various levels of argon flow, when I use zirconiated it seems I need a bit more than I would with pure.I am still trying to figure out the most ideal way to prepare the tungsten for zirconiated, when they say it balls up real well, they mean it. What I have been using for a little while now is sodium nitrite. Sodium nitrite is what chem sharp is. If you aren't familiar with this stuff, check it out. You can get a pound of it for 15 dollars or so (with s+h) which will last a welder a -very- long time. When I use the sodium nitrite I keep it in a thick older glass. After you sharpen a tungsten with this substance there will be a small amount of hardened sodium nitrite in the glass, I use a spoon and I thoroughly crush it up. I have been thinking of using http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VXIX0U/...SIN=B000VXIX0U a mortar and pestle setup for this as well for obvious reasons. If you get a mortar and pestle I would be sure it would made of something like a glass or very hard plastic as this substance is -extremely- corrosive. Occasionally the balled end of the tungsten I am shaping falls off, into the glass, when it falls in it's -extremely- hot and it's causing the sodium nitrite to 'activate' or react to the heat as it does which would likely corrode the hell out of a metal mortar.Miller 330 a/bp water cooledI believe in gun control, I hold my gun with two hands. If you want to know why, click here.Buy American or bye America.
Reply:>>Make sure you're comfortable as it's a huge help in keeping a steady handI don't think you are going to get a more stable arc than with the green tungsten>Which gloves do you use?If you're in my part of the world<<Actually I live in the Toronto suburbs here in Ontario, however my parents used to live in Richmond, B.C.Regards, take care.Working on cars and bikes is my hobby, learning to weld the pieces together is my quest.
Reply:Yeah aquafire, I just use a stainless steel toothbrush, but I wonder if the oxide that I brush off will just sit in concentrated piles all over the place. I usually brush away from the weld, and then spray a few good sprays of acetone from a spray bottle and wipe it up well with a paper towel, I do this two or three times. A lot of folks here really press on the matter of how important it is that your piece is clean when welding aluminum. I've been trying to find stainless steel wire wheels that I can attach to a power drill but so far all I have found are wire wheels that don't seem to be made of stainless steel. I have looked into flapper wheels, they seem to be a version of oddly shaped sand paper. They seem like a viable option but I am worried about the glue getting onto the work piece.Those tig gloves remind me of the tillman 24c.I have seen the fibers all over my workpiece, I can usually blow most of it off without much trouble, or even a dry paper towel seems to work fine. I don't know of any perfect method for cleaning aluminum, but some people use 'scotch -brite stainless steel scrubbing pads'. I've read they give the filler a quick run down through one of these, then spray with acetone and wipe off. And they generally use this as you would a wire wheel or stainless steel tooth brush. I haven't tried it yet but I have some for when I feel the need.Miller 330 a/bp water cooledI believe in gun control, I hold my gun with two hands. If you want to know why, click here.Buy American or bye America.
Reply:pinjas; I've been thinking about using a stainless brush in the angle grinder for cleaning aluminum.I used to use a hand brush for cleaning welds, then I wised up and use a brush in the angle grinder.I am not going to screw around using muscle power to clean the alum when I can use the angle grinder.Until now I had not had any impetus to look for an SS brush.. but with your comment, I did a quick Google search and found this place in Britain that has what you're looking for; a drill mounted brush.It is a bit spendy, but considering it's SS, I guess it's not that bad.Anyway; here's the link I found http://www.rightlines.ltd.uk/Wire-Br...e-Mounted.aspx
Reply:Originally Posted by razerpinjas; I've been thinking about using a stainless brush in the angle grinder for cleaning aluminum.I used to use a hand brush for cleaning welds, then I wised up and use a brush in the angle grinder.I am not going to screw around using muscle power to clean the alum when I can use the angle grinder.Until now I had not had any impetus to look for an SS brush.. but with your comment, I did a quick Google search and found this place in Britain that has what you're looking for; a drill mounted brush.It is a bit spendy, but considering it's SS, I guess it's not that bad.Anyway; here's the link I found http://www.rightlines.ltd.uk/Wire-Br...e-Mounted.aspx
Reply:Originally Posted by pinjasHow exactly do you attach a brush to an angle grinder?
Reply:Some brushes attach just like grinding wheels.. you clamp it on with the retainer ring/nut that comes with the grinder. Some brushes have their own threaded hub, so that just screws onto the shaft of the angle grinder where the nut would go.I suppose so... though perhaps not a lot better. Like when wiping a surface with a cloth and solvent; for max dirt removal, one must go in the same direction (with the cloth) so that it collects the material to be removed, and does not release it when you would hypothetically reverse direction. For the final cleaning of the alum with a solvent, sure. As for when brushing, I doubt it will make any difference. Perhaps others could comment on this point.Did I answer your question? I wasn't sure if the second question was related to the first.
Reply:Hah, I thought you meant you were attaching a literal stainless steel brush http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg to an angle grinder. I usually wipe in a circle after grinding, maybe I'll change that.Miller 330 a/bp water cooledI believe in gun control, I hold my gun with two hands. If you want to know why, click here.Buy American or bye America.Congrats on the new machine! I am learning on a Sync 200 as well, I like it so far but would really like to try out one of the new Inverter machines... On alum I use 1.2pps, tri-mix "arc-time" 3/32 electrodes, 3/32 4043 filler rod. Regarding the pulse mode, if you hold down the pulse button (I think) while the machine turns on, you can configure the peak time percentage and background amps percentage. I Think I ended up with around a 35% peak time and a 35% background voltage, it works well for me but I'm still learning.. It really helps me get a more consistent puddle and time when to 'dab' the filler..On the "lead suspension" stuff Pinjas I checked out your other thread. I think a setup like that wouldn't be too bad. I've resorted to looping the lead over my shoulder/neck, which isn't perfect but works well. One thing I have read is the concern from EM radiation coming from the leads, that wrapping the leads around your body could possibly cause health issues... Although I think the research is still inconclusive it causes any long term effects, but something to be aware of...Regarding phosgene -- this is caused by the presence of a 'tetrachloro-something or another' chemical in the brake cleaner. I believe that the federal laws have changed over the years and this chemical is no longer used. I know the brake cleaner I buy at Kragen/Checkers/O-Reilly specifically says 'non chlorinated' on it, and the phosgene producing chemical is nowhere to be seen on the label. I use acetone for cleaning the aluminum anyway. Can I put the acetone in a plastic spray bottle, or will the acetone eat/dissolve the plastic??"hope for the best, prepare for the worst"Some of my equipment:Miller Millermatic 140Miller Syncrowave 200Lincoln PowerMIG 215
Reply:Originally Posted by pinjasHah, I thought you meant you were attaching a literal stainless steel brush http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg to an angle grinder. I usually wipe in a circle after grinding, maybe I'll change that.
Reply:pssst,The carb cleaner or brake cleaner or acetone are to remove grease and oil.They do NOT remove the oxide layer. To remove the oxide layer, you can either use a different type of chemical or you can remove it mechanically via stainless steel wire brush (hand held or on a grinder). And then after mechanically removing the oxide layer from the aluminum, you remove the dust and any other oil or grease with some more carb cleaner or brake cleaner or acetone.When using the solvents, beware of their flammability and possible break-down products if exposed to heat or UV from the arc.4043 is 'softer' and more fluid as a filler than 5356. 5356 is not recommended as a filler for use where service temperatures exceed 150F. 4043 usually welds 'cleaner' than 5356 because it doesn't have magnesium in it. 4043 is not recommended for work that will be anodized after welding, because the 4043 filler in the weld turns black. If you are going to anodize and dye it black anyway, then no problem with 4043 from that aspect.http://www.lincolnelectric.com/knowl...uminumwire.aspOh, and pretty good progress for less than two hours of TIG! The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:I surely did, the tense I used was past, meaning I thought previous to reading your post and clicking your picture did I misunderstand the wording you use. I have seen plenty of that kind of sort of attachment, but they never specify as to what the bristles are made of. I have contacted a few companies concerning what they are made of, and they are generally clueless. I don't know what the reason is, but plenty say that the wires need to be made of stainless steel. My guess is that it has something to do with stainless steels strength.Mello: I have looked pretty hard for a solution to spraying acetone, right now I am using a cheap spray bottle, it's been working for nearly a month I think. I might have found a few solutions, but they only make claims of 'resisting' acetone at best. I bought this spray bottle at home depot for 5 bucks, it was supposed to last 5 years, I used it for a day, the following day it would not spray. I am not so sure about the plastic dissolving into the acetone and contaminating the weld. But I can't find a viable option otherwise. Some say just wet a rag and wipe down the area, I am starting to feel like I should. Or maybe just pour a small amount of acetone into a glass bottle, like a soda bottle or glass beer bottle and keep the top, poke a hole into it and just splash it on a bit in the area and then wipe it up. Either way, the spray bottles just don't seem like a possibility that will work. The reason why acetone is so popular in welding is because not only does it do an -excellent- job of cleaning metals, but it also evaporates extremely quickly, eliminating the likelihood of igniting it in a form of a puddle on your work piece. At least that is the way I see it. What products would be good for getting rid of the oxide, safely, in some sort of spray form?Miller 330 a/bp water cooledI believe in gun control, I hold my gun with two hands. If you want to know why, click here.Buy American or bye America.
Reply:All the Aluminium cleaners that i have seen or used are always acid based.You have to use water to wash off, then dry ( which will produce a little oxide ). Sometimes still not clean enough to weld without brushing. ( old AL pieces ). I must admit i havent used it on new AL.I think the only safe way is to brush.
Reply:pinjas; fair enough I'm sorry that my wording was unclear.As for the strands being stainless; they're definitely not SS on the ones I've used.I find strands of wire brush on various magnetic objects around the shop.
Reply:I also have a syncrowave 200. I have been very happy with it. I basically learned from scratch on it. Will be for sale soon as I have a dynasty on the way. I see you are local too. I have found best results with 3/32 brown(zirc) tungsten and also using a gas lense. On 1/8" I usually run 120-140amps. My balance is usually around 7-8. I haven't used the pulse for aluminum yet. Does anybody have some pulse settings for 1/8" aluminum on the syncrowave??
Reply:Originally Posted by pinjas...I have looked into flapper wheels, they seem to be a version of oddly shaped sand paper. They seem like a viable option but I am worried about the glue getting onto the work piece...
Reply:Thanks for the great tips Sdubfid and Mello*VIP! And wow- beautiful looking welds, Sdub! Where are you buying the Dynasty? I got my Syncro through KMS and know that one day I will probably upgrade to the Dynasty as well. Is there a better deal in the Metro Vancouver area?Lincoln AC225 & MigPak 140, Lincoln Magnum SpoolGun, Miller Spectrum 375-X Plasma, Syncrowave 200 TIG, Millermatic 252 MIG, Miller Digital Elite, General 7x12" horiz/vert bandsaw, 3' box/pan brake, 20 ton press, milling machine, 12x28 lathe, etc.
Reply:Originally Posted by AquafireThanks for the advice guys. Re pulsing: I tried numerous different settings, most of which used zero pulsing and some came out fairly decent. It just so happened that one of my experiments with pulsing came out looking the best. Re zirconated: I'll definitely give it a try. I have some Thoriated that I haven't experimented with as of yet (I bought 10 reds on Zapster's advice that they work well for him). I'll give zirconated a try too. Re 4043 rods: I will give those a try as well. I'm assuming they are a bit more rare, since I didn't see them at either of the two LWS's that I frequent. I'll ask one of the guys at the counter for them. Re "tad cool": That was certainly my initial problem that resulted in the "pigeon poo" in the pics- I was so scared of melting through the aluminum (past experiences with the MIG and gas) that I had the amps set low and didn't want to put much power into the pedal. The result was a barely fluid surface on the aluminum and a melted filler rod fusing with essentially a molten "skin". Once I got over my phobia of power/burning through, I cranked it up and it worked much better. I'd suspect I could probably go even higher, move faster and get better results, so very keen observation Duane. Thanks. Thanks for all the good advice and comments. I'll post the pics of all my other "coupons" (including the no-so-nice ones) later.
Reply:Originally Posted by AquafireThanks for the great tips Sdubfid and Mello*VIP! And wow- beautiful looking welds, Sdub! Where are you buying the Dynasty? I got my Syncro through KMS and know that one day I will probably upgrade to the Dynasty as well. Is there a better deal in the Metro Vancouver area?
Reply:DO NOT USE BRAKE CLEANER TO CLEAN METAL TO BE WELDED!!!!!!!http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm
Reply:You're right, you should use acetone to clean metal.Ever since I read that article a while ago, I checked all my random cans of brake cleaner cans in the garage and not one of them contains tetrachloroethylene, the chemical that produces phosgene. Can you even buy brake cleaner that contains this stuff anymore?"hope for the best, prepare for the worst"Some of my equipment:Miller Millermatic 140Miller Syncrowave 200Lincoln PowerMIG 215 |
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发表于 2021-8-31 23:42:54