Aluminum plate practice drill

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So I've worked with mig and stick most of my life at work and outside of work on little projects here and there. So i picked up a Everlast machine and got it dialed in pretty good doing tons of research online and I've been putting some hours since i got it last week. But my main issue is that the arc tends to go to the edge of the plate if Im too close to the edge and i end up either burning the edge or having to go offtrack. the tungsten is not dirty, and material is fairly cleaned with acetone and stainless brush. Any help for a new guy on aluminum tig? Ive tried to ease on the pedal but i still get dragged to the edge and burn thru Everlast settings on 120 Amps foot pedalPure green top 3/32 tungsten( the end of the tungsten is not balled bigger than the size of the tungsten)4043 3/32 filler ac at 40120 hz Attached Images
Reply:Doesn't look too bad. I don't really like 4043 because it gets grainy like you see above if overheated, but that wasn't your question.It looks like your piece of plate is getting heat soaked and that is when you have trouble. The left pic shows you stopped, let things cool off and the rest of the weld was fine. You want to back off quicker and more aggressively when you see the puddle spreading out. Try doing the welds close to the edge first. You can also dunk the plate in water if it's just a practice bit and you want to get on with it, but avoid quenching on any real project. Keep it up your doing great.SqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A
Reply:Originally Posted by BrazinDoesn't look too bad. I don't really like 4043 because it gets grainy like you see above if overheated, but that wasn't your question.It looks like your piece of plate is getting heat soaked and that is when you have trouble. The left pic shows you stopped, let things cool off and the rest of the weld was fine. You want to back off quicker and more aggressively when you see the puddle spreading out. Try doing the welds close to the edge first. You can also dunk the plate in water if it's just a practice bit and you want to get on with it, but avoid quenching on any real project. Keep it up your doing great.
Reply:1/4" - Can you get more juice out of that welder. Alu likes it fast and hot How thick is the table, the aluminum table might suck more heat up than the steel, you could try clamping for good conduction too.SqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A
Reply:Like Brazin said, crank that puppy up and pound that pedal hard. You have tell tale signs of dwelling too long. Move along faster and perhaps your arc wandering will go away. Why are you using pure tungsten on an inverter power supply. Try 2% lanthanated and get a crisper arc.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:120 amps is low for 1/8" alum. For 1/8" you want to be up to at least 150 amps, if not higher. 1/4" you need to be way up in the 200's.Alum is a great heat sink. What is happening is you are pumping a ton of heat into the piece before it will puddle. One other thing with alum is that it's very heat sensitive. Get alum too hot, and it goes dead soft and you loose the majority of it's strength. By using a lot of amps and going fast, you limit the total heat input, and just melt the area at the weld joint. The additional additives in the filler help to compensate for the strength loss due to heat there..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I got pure green tops because I made the mistake of asking this guys opinion at the local supply store not knowing better as I was just trying to get the materials to get some hours in and after reading a tons after yea I noticed a lot of people opinions on inverter machines is to go with 2%.Last edited by sim2289; 07-30-2014 at 10:03 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonLike Brazin said, crank that puppy up and pound that pedal hard. You have tell tale signs of dwelling too long. Move along faster and perhaps your arc wandering will go away. Why are you using pure tungsten on an inverter power supply. Try 2% lanthanated and get a crisper arc.
Reply:If you can't get a puddle in under 2 seconds, full throttle, you might try a thinner practice piece.SqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A
Reply:Originally Posted by BrazinIf you can't get a puddle in under 2 seconds, full throttle, you might try a thinner practice piece.
Reply:From a guy who boogered up some aluminum practicing today, I think you are doing GREAT and wish I was at that skill level.  Practice certainly matters.Jerry30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:Originally Posted by storemanFrom a guy who boogered up some aluminum practicing today, I think you are doing GREAT and wish I was at that skill level.  Practice certainly matters.Jerry
Reply:I'm in a series of community college "workforce development" welding classes which lead to certs (which I'm not interested in).  Believe I've got the basics and our "lab" time is really only practice.  I think I'm the only student who owns welding machines.  I think I'll take a break from the next course and the drive time and just practice at home.  Hope to be at your level soon.  This is hobby but I would like to be good.  This site is awesome!JerryLast edited by storeman; 07-30-2014 at 11:32 PM.30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:Really nice Sim, we'll all be asking you for advice now!SqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A
Reply:That fillet is nice Sim.
Reply:Originally Posted by BrazinReally nice Sim, we'll all be asking you for advice now!
Reply:Oddly enough, our school is running at less than half capacity on welding classes.  Summer day courses were cancelled and only 5 are in my night course with 9 booth capacity.  Blue collar area as well.30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:Im still at it and a good friend of mine wants a 1/2 inch bung welded on hes intercooler pipe, ive been doing some practice passes on solid 1/2 tube on 1/4 plate.  Ive been having to pulse the pedal so i can move the torch around the tube and its quite difficult for my first couple of tries. I'm not really liking how they aren't really bulky welds unless i give it a second pass. Im using the same settings except 1/8tungsten and  i have it set to 250 amps and working the pulse pedal with 3/32 fillerAny tips on how to move the torch around? my torch its a Torch off a Everlast machine and its kinda bulky Attached Images
Reply:It looks pretty cold Sim, but the 1/2 round bar is a massive shape, try putting everything in a 350-400 degree oven first. Don't back off the pedal as much while you're rotating. You need to get a superflex #20 watercooled torch to really enjoy tight spots, but that demands a water cooler, or a garden hose adaptor.SqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A
Reply:Those welds look great to me.  Like Brazin said, heat the bars up first.  Also, try a lower AC Hz.  You'll get a fatter puddle and more heat at the same amps.  Opposite of what you might think.  Go with 30-60 Hz.You would love a 20 series watercooled torch.  Hard to go back once you try one.
Reply:Originally Posted by sim2289Im still at it and a good friend of mine wants a 1/2 inch bung welded on hes intercooler pipe, ive been doing some practice passes on solid 1/2 tube on 1/4 plate.  Ive been having to pulse the pedal so i can move the torch around the tube and its quite difficult for my first couple of tries. I'm not really liking how they aren't really bulky welds unless i give it a second pass. Im using the same settings except 1/8tungsten and  i have it set to 250 amps and working the pulse pedal with 3/32 fillerAny tips on how to move the torch around? my torch its a Torch off a Everlast machine and its kinda bulky
Reply:Good point, the bungs will be way different than the solid bar.This was my first try.SqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A
Reply:you can try a higher frequency on your machine as well to get a tigher arc, but just switching the tungsten to 2% blue lanthanated will be a big help
Reply:Originally Posted by storemanI'm in a series of community college "workforce development" welding classes which lead to certs (which I'm not interested in). Jerry
Reply:Originally Posted by BrazinGood point, the bungs will be way different than the solid bar.This was my first try.Thanks Robert, that's the MarkIII.316 SS rebar, $5 from the scrapyard and a little heat-bend and some Aluminum bronze tips, about 20" overallSqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A
Reply:Originally Posted by BrazinGood point, the bungs will be way different than the solid bar.This was my first try.Attachment 799281
Reply:Originally Posted by BrazinThanks Robert, that's the MarkIII.316 SS rebar, $5 from the scrapyard and a little heat-bend and some Aluminum bronze tips, about 20" overall
Reply:Stainless rebar-I think it was from a 6 lane 1.5 mile bridge project, I wish I'd bought the whole pallet of 28" scraps.Gettin' around?-Try 1/2" long stubs of that 1/2" rod, you'll see the torch can go over the top of it, just like a bung. Then you just need to rock the torch a bit to angle into the weld, instead of driving all the way around the outside.SqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A