Tig welding help????????????

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A question on tig welding aluminum.....using 3/32 green tungston with 3/32 4043 filler ,,,,welding .125 ga al......i'm  am alright after i get the material tacked togather.i am just practicing making cubes. I seem to have problems getting the material tacked togather. I try to let the aluminum get shinny,ready to accept the filler and sometime everything goes well,and sometimes the ouside corner mostly acts like it has became containmaneted or something....looks like ****...the outside corners are the worst about this..i have all the setting in auto  using pure argon    flow set at about 15  i tried lowering amps,raising amps,,,,,,,,like i said sometimes it works fine,sometimes not..and when you try to weld over these ****ty tacks,most of the time is looks no good...if i can get this part straighten out,then i will feel 100% better,,,,,,,,,,any help on putting tacks on outside corners on aluminum                  now once i get rolling it looks sweet....i have a lincoln 275 preision tig if this helps,built in pulse,with the advance control panel.........please help on outside corners tacking????????????????????aluminum   thanks
Reply:That is a function of foot pedal ramping, and also, more importantly, where and how you are dropping your filler in. I'll try to explain: If the filler rod is kept really close to the puddle, it will heat up, and turn into the blob before you can make a clean dab with it. Now, let's say you get it about 1/2" from the arc. Form a puddle, and then move the filler in smooth and quickly to the puddle. Make a dab, and back the pedal off about 1/2 or so, so the puddle will cool a bit. As you do this, only pull that filler rod back about 1/4". As you ramp up the amps, and move the torch forward, make another dab. Then, back out of it, and let the tack cool. Try to get a good fit up on your parts; it's awful hard to get a clean puddle across a gap of even 1/16" with thin aluminum.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Brother you shoud try a little mek to get the residues off the material. Then hit it with a wire brush. I would get rid of the green puretung unless you are getting into some boeing spec work. Try some thoriated tungsten 2% you pretty much can do it all with that stuff . set your gas at 20 #5 cup. You should be welding like a pro in about a minute.
Reply:okey thank you for the advise...i will try some red tungstons out,and a little more gas!!!!! no doubt aluminum sucks with poor fit ups. thank you for the advise and keep them comming!!!!! thank you all 4 any help
Reply:just another question to throw at you all,,,,,,,,,,,,why would welding w/a red tungston benifit me more than a green tungston???? i was just wondering for my benifit?well i'm going out to the garage right this second to tackel this,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,once again thanks for any help you guy share!!!
Reply:Short answer, red TUNGSTEN has a higher melting point and will handle the amps better.  Meaning it will hold a point and give you more control over the arc than pure.  Try decreasing your stickout to as short as you can manage.  I found this to be one of the most helpful things on AL.  I would also go to a larger cup than a #5, thats pretty small.  If you have a #8 it will work better.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:thankyou for all the info,,,,,i done alot better now,,,,a good fit up was my main problem i guess.. the red tungston worked out pretty good too. when you are doing real important aluminum welding,,,,,,like x-ray type   would you then use a green/pure tungston????is it still okey to use red????    my aluminum is in pretty good condition...do you guys still clean it with anything,sand/grind,or wire brush before welding???????and if so whats some tips to use???   thanks
Reply:I generally remove the oxide layer in the joint area with a stainless brush used only for aluminum, and clean the weld area and filler with acetone prior to striking an arc.  This goes a long way to keeping those little black specs out of the weld pool.If your problems don't disappear after applying the tips above, you may need to take a look at shielding gas coverage.
Reply:Originally Posted by wareaglethankyou for all the info,,,,,i done alot better now,,,,a good fit up was my main problem i guess.. the red tungston worked out pretty good too. when you are doing real important aluminum welding,,,,,,like x-ray type   would you then use a green/pure tungston????is it still okey to use red????    my aluminum is in pretty good condition...do you guys still clean it with anything,sand/grind,or wire brush before welding???????and if so whats some tips to use???   thanks
Reply:Good answers to this guys questions, but now I have a question. Do any of you welders ever ball up the tungsten over a copper block before you weld? I dont know thats how we used to do it before inverter type welders. When you ball up the tungsten to the same dia as your tung electrode, there is no wandering arc.The gas, it just simply spins around the ball on your tungsten.Thus a wider arc gas cone and a more stable arc.
Reply:Originally Posted by thermalfusioneng.Good answers to this guys questions, but now I have a question. Do any of you welders ever ball up the tungsten over a copper block before you weld?
Reply:You know the last time I welded aluminum with a pointed tungsten ( yesterday) it was for welding 2" thick aluminum. The procedure was straight helium set your gas @45 and machine on dc straight just like when your welding steel or stainless. Thats if you have a small machine you know like a lincoln 175. your welds will be smaller and the haz (heat affected zone) will not change the molecular property of your aluminum.Plus you can travel the puddle at higher rates thus faster cooling. Rule of thumb .020 aluminum thru .187 ac welding w/argon .187 thru .375 ac w/ helium argon. .375 thru unlimited dc weldingw straight helium. Adjust your tungsten dia as the material gets thicker but with dc welding a 1/8 tung will do. Have fun exploring your newly taught parameters. Go get em, LOL