Need help with aluminum tig

admin

hello,a couple days ago i was welding aluminum for the first time with tig, i really want to know how to weld aluminum badly, i was told to weld steel first to get the hang of knowing how to weld with tig and start out on an easier metal to work with then aluminum, so iv been practicing for about 3 months and iv gotten the hang of it and its looking pretty good. So i said, i think im ready to move on to aluminum, but im having difficulty in starting it out, i can weld a flat bead great, np with that, its welding two pieces together im having trouble with, such as a lap joint weld and a t joint weld. i cant get the weld to start right on the dot, it takes me a lil time to fool around a bit before i can start laying down a bead. i clean my metal and rods before welding, and making sure my tungsten isnt contaminated, and have the tip as a ball. my amps are set at around 115 for this 1/8 of an inch of aluminum plate, its on ac, its on remote, and set for continuous, my rods are as thick as my tungsten. Im not sure if i have to heat one metal first or the other, or both, but doing both at the same time with aluminum is hard for me. and tacking the pieces together is also hard for me. i cant figure it out, please please help me.here is a pic of my very first lap joint i did a few days ago, now i can get the bead looking better as in, i can get each puddle spaced out almost evenly. but still struggling on getting it started. sorry for the bad pic..thanks, brentLast edited by disepyon; 03-29-2007 at 06:05 PM.
Reply:Brent - looks good so far. First, clean and prep your metal with both a SS brush and then some acetone. Second, I'm not sure what machine you have but if it's new, or old, you don't need a BALL at the end of your tip. That is an old school way to weld aluminum and doesn't apply any more. Certain tungsten will ball normally, with use, from TIG'ing with aluminum. Other than that, keep practicing. John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:thanks alot,iv always wondered it the ball mattered or not, but now that i know its not necessary i wont waste precious time regrinding and making it into a ball. that helps a lot more.thanks, brent
Reply:For a first timer? Your a natural..Where are you located??...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:Originally Posted by zapsterFor a first timer? Your a natural..Where are you located??...zap!
Reply:For 1/8" I'd set the machine at 150 Amps..Let your foot do the rest..You never mentioned what size or type of tungestion you have..But either 3/32 or 1/8 come to mind seeing as you stated the filler is the same diameter as the tungestion...And from the pics its not 1/16..I say 3/32..Go with it..As far as starting the puddle with both pieces when they do not co-operate..A little "dab 'l do ya" to get things started......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:thanks for the input,when i try to start the bead, the rod keeps rolling into a ball before i can get it to melt to the metal, i know i shouldnt keep the rod angle and the torch angle the same cause of the heat bouncing from the torch off the metal. even when i try to push the rod into the spot where im trying to get started, just wants to ball up. i try to dab it and all kinds of crap , but doesnt want to start.
Reply:Originally Posted by disepyonthanks for the input,when i try to start the bead, the rod keeps rolling into a ball before i can get it to melt to the metal, i know i shouldnt keep the rod angle and the torch angle the same cause of the heat bouncing from the torch off the metal. even when i try to push the rod into the spot where im trying to get started, just wants to ball up. i try to dab it and all kinds of crap , but doesnt want to start.
Reply:thx for the input,ill try to experiment with the filler rod from different angles and waiting a little bit like you said for the puddle. i wait for the puddle to form but with aluminum its a bit weird.
Reply:Like Mr. Zap sez, 150 apms for 1/8"aluminum.  Get a puddle going long before you try to add filler.Your welds look much better than my first ones.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:I agree, your welds look good for the first time around. Its all about technique now. Knowing where to put the heat on that particular joint will help. Go easy on the pedal, don't worry, it will all get hot soon enough. I usually have my max heat set to 160 amps no matter what I am welding. Its good for up to 1/4 inch, so 150 to 130ish would be very sensible for 1/8 inch.Bill
Reply:thanks alot for the support guys,this forum is freakin awesome. i guess i came to the right place  wondering if you guys have any tips for me when trying to tack weld aluminum, seems like every time i try , the two plates just seem to go away from each other and just makes it worst, hehe.thanks, brent
Reply:Looks good. The start is a bugger all the time. You might have the tungsten too far from the base material and your heat is spreading. You should almost be touching with the tungsten, focus the heat on the lower piece not on the edge piece. The lower piece can and will take more heat and the puddle should start there and on the upper piece it will just start to melt, at that point touch the filler rod to the upper puddle and it should flow down into the other puddle. Then you can crank up the heat and go. Use the filler rod to break the surface tension and also moving the tungsten back and forth from piece to piece helps.Man invented metal, he can do whatever he wants with it.KMAC
Reply:Originally Posted by disepyonthanks alot for the support guys,this forum is freakin awesome. i guess i came to the right place  wondering if you guys have any tips for me when trying to tack weld aluminum, seems like every time i try , the two plates just seem to go away from each other and just makes it worst, hehe.thanks, brent
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterFor 1/8" I'd set the machine at 150 Amps..Let your foot do the rest..
Reply:I'm with Zap on this one, I set to 150 amps for 1/8 aluminum.  You can always back off, but if you go at a good speed to get a nice bead, 150 is it.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:diseyon,I agree with the other posts.  One thing you can do when you start the bead.  Take the filler rod bend about 1/2" on the end at an angle.  Lay that end of the rod in lap even with edge plate.  Start the bead over it.  When starting a puddle the cover gas messes with the bead.  Don't know why but it dose.  Good Luck LarryM