TIG welding an aluminum corner joint: Is this bad technique???

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Hi everyone, I've been practicing my AC aluminum TIG welding quite a lot lately, making aluminum stairs (1.5" aluminum plates, welding them in a zig-zag making corner and filet joints).  For the corner joint I experimented with just sliding the filler rod back and forth while contacting the v-groove made the the 2 pieces (basically sliding back and forth right in the groove).  Using that technique, I got the most consistant corner joint I ever did (the ripples were near perfect and very evenly spaced).  I was just wondering if any of you guys do this (not lifting the filler rod, just sliding it) or is it a bad habit I should get rid of right now?   Thanks for any input.
Reply:Hey, if it works.....why not?How about some pics??
Reply:The only thing you have to watch out for is cold lap at the toes.  I'll often "brush" the puddle with the filler as opposed to dabbing it though.
Reply:Originally Posted by TSORHey, if it works.....why not?How about some pics??
Reply:Nothing wrong with that there.
Reply:Originally Posted by SupeThe only thing you have to watch out for is cold lap at the toes.  I'll often "brush" the puddle with the filler as opposed to dabbing it though.
Reply:Cold lap means it isn't welded, just appears that way.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:Originally Posted by Jolly RogerCold lap means it isn't welded, just appears that way.
Reply:Ummmmmm...Welding into corners...Especially Aluminum...Weld out of the corners when needed..If it's a gusset then lose the corner mating piece and weld around the gusset.... Welding into a corner like you posted is not fun at all..You always end up with yuck in the corner..Go outward from all sides..On the last "out" pass make a "tie off" before continuing......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:Coldlap is where you have filler metal on top of the base material, but it is not fused to the base material.The center of the weld looks good.  If you can see it getting some penetration on the back side, and you're using filler, I think that weld would be fine....depending on the application, design, direction of forces, vibbration, etc.
Reply:Originally Posted by x1riderThanks, if I'm getting this right, cold lap means that there is some filler metal deposited but no actual fusion between the two pieces?...sounds a lot like my first attempts at fillet joints!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterUmmmmmm...Welding into corners...Especially Aluminum...Weld out of the corners when needed..If it's a gusset then lose the corner mating piece and weld around the gusset.... Welding into a corner like you posted is not fun at all..You always end up with yuck in the corner..Go outward from all sides..On the last "out" pass make a "tie off" before continuing......zap!
Reply:[QUOTE=x1rider]Here it is.  Please disregard the beginning and the end of the weld (I still need a lot of practice with the start and ending of the joint).  Also the black spot on the right happened when I turned the piece around to do a filet joint on the other side, that part got stuck to the table.  The middle part is not too bad, I think, but if running the filler rod along the piece is not proper technique, I want to stop doing it right away.Just like others have mentioned--as long as you're getting good edge wetting (fusion), go for it.Laying the rod, very slightly contacting the puddle to begin its melt, while the puddle and area in front and to the sides is wetting, then moving the melt zone forward while continuing to feed the rod into the puddle edge--without any 'in/out, back & forth, 'stack of dimes' business.......is simply the fastest hand fed TIG welding--known to man. Joint rates of 1-3' per minute, in aluminum are possible, in a simple lap or outside corner weld.A high-end inverter, fully unbalanced, 20 cycles/sec. AC, no pulsing, larger than normal 2% thoriated, sharp-end electrode, and gas lens---IMHO, is needed, to produce the intense, focused arc that ensures edge wetting and fusion while one's zippin' along.This arc focusing ability of the high end inverters also makes inside corner welding, much faster and easier, especially with 2 %, sharpened (which is technology contrary to the old, transformer based monsters--I ustah have.) I use a T-D 300 GTSW, a Miller 300 +amp is highly suitable as well.If you're using a low output or non-inverter, then one needs to slow down a bit.dave powelsonBlackbird
Reply:umm for the sliding the welding rod it works and not a bad habit but sometimes ill get into a situation where the torch will be angled and the rod will slightly fuse to the base metal but other then that hahah its not a bad thing to do i think its makes it steady and mor controllable.6G zirconium 702 GTAW 2" xxheavy6G P.E.D. carbon steel GTAW 2" xxheavy3G titanium Gr. 2 - Gr. 7 GTAW up to 3/4" 3G 316L stainless GTAW up to 1" 3G carbon steel GTAW up to 1" 3G Hastalloy GTAW up to 3/4"1G tantalum GTAW up to .060"
Reply:Originally Posted by x1riderWhoa!  It took me about 15 minutes to figure out "cold lap", give me the rest of the week to process this bit!