Tig ali bumps in bead.

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I am welding Ali 1.6mm with 1.6 rod and 2.4 tungsten on a 160 miller econotig acdc. The weld is going on OK but after I have finished and check my weld, there are tiny lumps in my weld pools giving it a bumpy feel and texture. I am used to using inverters and syncrowaves and have not seen this before. Is this because it is a cheapo welder without square wave technology or am I causing the problem.thanks
Reply:could be a number of things...is there any way to post pics of the problem??...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:See attachment. Attached Images
Reply:well from what i can tell..the last pic tells the story..first off.... juuuust a little more heat...and when you end the weld it looks to me that you need more "post purge" time...set it at around 3 seconds and when you stop the weld don't move the torch untill the purge is over..sometimes i kik the pedal real quick if its a real hot one..just for the extra 3 sec......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:Thx ZapsterI got it wrong then, I thought I was putting too much heat in. I had tried different flow rates on the argon but had no joy. I will try a little more heat tommorrow. thank you for your help.
Reply:please let us know what you find out... ...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:and by the way you don't need a square wave machine to get fantastic welds..check out the intake pics that i madedone with a Airco circa 1958..square wave? whats that? lol...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:after reading and re-reading and reading the  posts... you mention only argon...is that all you use?  you really should have a 75-25 tank of gas...unless you're using a mixer...straight argon is rather "cold" for aluminum...thats why more heat is needed ..but you beat on the machine more than needed..and clean the crap out of it 3 times beforehand with acetone..just for  's...zap!Last edited by zapster; 07-11-2006 at 09:35 PM.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:75-25....... Ar/He ?We need to protect Freedom of Speech, otherwise, how would we know who the A-holes (like me) are.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterand by the way you don't need a square wave machine to get fantastic welds..check out the intake pics that i madedone with a Airco circa 1958..square wave? whats that? lol...zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by BBchevy39675-25....... Ar/He ?
Reply:Now I don't have to hang my head anymore! Thanks for that! Whoopee!  always happy to help... ...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:I find I like mid '80s era Lincoln TIG 300/300 way better than the synchrowaves (250, 350, 351) they have where I work.  The old  non-squarewave seems to hold an arc at much lower amperages, and seems to get more heat out of the same tungsten diameter than the millers no matter how you adjust them.  So, I would have to agree with you Zap!
Reply:I have a mid 80's Cyber-Tig if you're interested.
Reply:Originally Posted by PanozengI find I like mid '80s era Lincoln TIG 300/300 way better than the synchrowaves (250, 350, 351) they have where I work.  The old  non-squarewave seems to hold an arc at much lower amperages, and seems to get more heat out of the same tungsten diameter than the millers no matter how you adjust them.  So, I would have to agree with you Zap!
Reply:[QUOTE=zapster]after reading and re-reading and reading the  posts... you mention only argon...is that all you use?  you really should have a 75-25 tank of gas...unless you're using a mixer...straight argon is rather "cold" for aluminum...thats why more heat is needed ..but you beat on the machine more than needed..and clean the crap out of it 3 times beforehand with acetone..just for  'sYou know why argon is "Cold" on aluminum ? Because Argon is 10 (ten) times as dense as Helium. Look it up in a hand book the the big gas companies give out . I did .And you're right about the cleaning. it needs to be sterile.[SIZE="5"Yardbird"
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterwell guys ...the older machines are so simple to operate..and they will give you great results with the right set up  the hobart i have now is a whole diffrent but the same animal...but i'll get it figured out as soon as the gas mixer shows up  ...zap!
Reply:don't use acetone.. it can give you very porous welds on aluminum.. use methyl hydrate if possible
Reply:Originally Posted by guy-finnigandon't use acetone.. it can give you very porous welds on aluminum.. use methyl hydrate if possible
Reply:oh really?.. so how much welding education do you have?
Reply:Originally Posted by guy-finniganoh really?.. so how much welding education do you have?
Reply:ya i'm pretty sure i'm a certified aluminum mig welder and that's what i do every day all day and i've found out from experience that acetone gives porous welds.. maybe you're not trained to notice what a porous weld looks like.. i'm sorry that you never learned that.. oh ya.. all 4 of my welding teachers in college say not to use acetone
Reply:whatever..i've never had a weld fail and i'm not about tooyou just carry on with your method...and so will ihave a nice day..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:Both are common solvents however, acetone is the only one of the two specifically listed by lincoln and miller for cleaning aluminum.  I have used acetone for years and never had any problems with it.  Lincoln's website suggests cleaning aluminum with acetone or other hydrocarbon solvents.Guy, do you have any more information about what your instructors say causes the porosity when using acetone?http://www.lincolnelectric.com/knowl...nt/tigalum.asphttp://www.millerwelds.com/education...s/story59.htmlSmithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:sorry to all i got  i suppose there are diffrent methods...but...  i dont think its available at the local hardware store... ...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.Is acetone good for cleaning SS zap?
Reply:I'm with Zapster because that "Methyl-Hydrate" crap is very contaminating, and makes some very - much more intense toxic fumes than acetone which virtually vaporizes and leaves a lesser amount of residue that is - unless you remember to rinse the solvent off with distilled water and wipe with clean absorbant paper, then use a stainless wire brush to "loosen up" and partially remove some of the aluminum oxide surface layer just before welding that's the preferred method if the Aluminum is not "Dirty" or heavily oxidized... I'm looking through an older "Welding ALCOA Aluminum" Book and it states:Cleaning and Oxide removal begin with the removal of the stencil identification marks. This is best accomplished with alcohol or paint thinner. Then degrease the pieces with trichlorethylene or a benzene wash... Remember that those solvents were permissable to use back then but, not today!!!  Very much frowned upon these days because of the toxicity so I recommend to use either acetone & rinse afterwards or a citric acid based cleaner degreaser (also passivates stainless with the proper percentage of Citric acid in solution) which will usually not leave a thin layer of residue, and if there is, just wipe it off with a clean,moist, with distilled water rag or lint free towel, then air dry. Anywho, There's also an explanation and procedures for how to completely remove the more heavily oxided film layers found on aluminum castings, forgings, extrusions and similar products but, I'm just waking up so, i've got to get more coffee in me gut to write it out in here or maybe not!!! I also teach welding (been doing it for the last eight years on and off since my liver Transplant back on 10/08/1997 and for five years before that) and I always tell my students to stay AWAY form any solvent that has a "Methyl" prefix in the beginning of the cleaning solvents chemical name.  I too have way over thirty years of welding and fabricating experience so, maybe your instructors have'nt welded as much aluminum to know about how to prepare all different types of the material other than the scrap they have in the labs. Then again, you may have just misunderstood what they were trying to explain to you, or they're just pulling you leg so to speak!!!When you come off with the attitude that your education is more important than the amonut of experience one has, it's obvious that you have'nt the latter...    "Experience is the best education beyond the fundamentals" is what I always tell my students upon graduation so, go out there & get some!!!   SSBN727"Run Silent...  Run Deep!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by Jon KIs acetone good for cleaning SS zap?
Reply:Can't go wrong there!  I am picking up a band saw tomorrow night and starting my project I will acetone it all.
Reply:no acetoning band saws..  ...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:yeppers --CLEAN CLEAN-- have used acetone also works great no probs here. been doing it also, since 1974 that and a dedicated  SS brush for alum ONLY(the brush aint that old) but only for alum..  back to CLEAN CLEAN
Reply:Also chiming in with over 30 years of certified welding, including many years of welding education, acetone is best for cleaning weldments and filler metal, because of all the common solvents, it leaves the least residual.  I also agree that you should stay away from methyl alcohol.  It leaves substantial residual on the part after evaporation.My company, due to contractual obligations with our customers, is not allowed to use acetone, so we used semiconductor grade isopropyl alcohol.  It does the next best cleaning to acetone and leaves very little residual. As regards removing the scale from aluminum, Commercially there are quite a few products available from companies like Chemetal specifically for removing the scale.  At home in the garage, use a lye based drain cleaner diluted in water (careful when mixing), and then rinse COPIOUSLY with water.  It'll take the scale off line magic.  And no, it's not really dangerous, remember that drain cleaners are designed to be mixed with water.I r 2 a perfessional
Reply:As regards removing the scale from aluminum, Commercially there are quite a few products available from companies like Chemetal specifically for removing the scale. At home in the garage, use a lye based drain cleaner diluted in water (careful when mixing), and then rinse COPIOUSLY with water. It'll take the scale off line magic. And no, it's not really dangerous, remember that drain cleaners are designed to be mixed with water.
Reply:Yes, any more info on the Lye deal qould be great!Patrick
Reply:i'll stick with the acetone...thank youtoo much mixing and all..no time for that......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:My welding teacher is the head of welding at the dockyard here.. he welds steel and aluminum ships and has been doing it for since he was 16... he is now 42. He said this to the class "Do not ever use acetone to clean your aluminum or the tools you use on because it will soak into the aluminum even after it looks like it has dried up and produce a porous weld.. methyl hydrate will not"... i would only use acetone if i had time to wash it off and wire brush it vigorously but i do not so methyl hydrate works much better for me
Reply:not again...we went thru this before did'nt we?? ...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:Sorry, I hadn't checked this thread in a while.  For those of you who were interested in the lye, I use a product called Lewis's Red Devil Lye Drain Cleaner.  It's granular, and available at most supermarkets.  Read and observe all safety warnings on the label.  Again read and observe.  Now that the legalities have been observed, I usually mix a few tablespoons in a 1/2 gallon of water.  Use lukewarm to warm water.  DO NOT use hot water, it will cause a heck of a reaction when you add it.  Wear rubber gloves, and either immerse the part in the solution, or sponge it on.  You'll see the reaction as the metal cleans.  If it's a little slow, add a little more lye.  When you're done, rinse the part off well with water, dry, and then wipe with acetone.Stay away from the methyl hydrate!!!   That's just a fancy name for wood alcohol.  It leaves residue.  Lots of residue.  And yes, I've been welding longer than the shipyard foreman, and am also an welding engineer.  Show me how acetone can "soak into aluminum" and I'll eat my computer.  Listen to Zap when he talks about welding aluminum.You don't have to wire brush, since you've chemically removed the scale, so you should be ready to weld.  Used solution can legally be dumped down your drain.  After all, it is drain cleaner.  You'll have better welds and cleaner pipes in no time.I r 2 a perfessional
Reply:used accetone for ?? lets see im 50 started when 18. (just outa school) an have tryed all kinds of stuff.. never had a prob using acctone..  guess the drain cleaner would work also.but no mixin or throwing away with acct.
Reply:The lye is recommended for removing the scale.  Then acetone to remove the residual water after rinsing.  The lye takes the place of wire brushing.I r 2 a perfessional
Reply:Acetone has a FLASH POINT of  1°F which makes it quite volitile.I'm not sure how anybody would think that it could soak into a non-porus material and simply stay there. Even if the material to be welded was porus it would still vaporize fairly rapidly at room temperature.My advice? ......experience speaks volumnesWashman
Reply:This has gotten me curious.  Guy is just stating what his teacher told him...you can't really blame him for that.  It's just natural to take in what your teacher tells you as fact.  I started looking at some articles, but none yet have provided any indication that acetone give any problems...If I can find some good concise info on this I will post it over the weekend.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Originally Posted by WashmanAcetone has a FLASH POINT of  1°F which makes it quite volitile.I'm not sure how anybody would think that it could soak into a non-porus material and simply stay there. Even if the material to be welded was porus it would still vaporize fairly rapidly at room temperature.My advice? ......experience speaks volumnesWashman