Couple questions on my aluminum welding

[Jon K]

Aluminum practice by Jon Kensy, on Flickr

The sheet is upside down in the pics, I am right-handed.

The top most bead as seen in the pic is after having dunked the tungsten. I wanted to see how bad the bead would be if dunked. It stinks lol.

The other three beads - how do I get rid of the crater at the end? This is on 0.100" at 125A with the pedal probably 90% down for most of it.

Also - this is just a practice sheet obviously. I expected it to warp, and boy did it. But, it makes me wonder - when I start welding items up (sheet metal, catch cans/dry sump cans, etc) how do I keep from warping? The items I am going to try to make will be like 0.100" thick "boxes" about 7" x 7" x 8" or so. I assume a tack every 1.5 - 2" might help, but would I end up skipping around the object and letting it sit a lot?

Thanks all!

[DSW]

There are all sorts of ways to prevent warpage.

Basic design is one of them. Large flat items tend to warp more than those items that have bends or angles in them. Take a sheet op paper and see just how resistant to bending it is if you fold it up in a zigzag shape or roll it into a cylinder. It's the same principal that they use to make cardboard stiff. You used to often see flat doors on utility bodies with "X" bent into the face of the door skin to stiffen the door panel. Rolled beads on flat material will do the same thing. Lots of rolled beads many think of as decorative actually have a function purpose to stiffen the piece.

Next thing to keep in mind is to use more heat when welding. It sounds backwards, but with alum, if you use more amps to weld and go faster, you'll reduce the total heat input in the piece. The alum won't have as much time to bleed off heat and the piece will stay cooler overall.

Other options include heat sinks, and using short welds and skipping around to allow the piece to cool.

Your welds look a bit cold in spots. You still need to do a lot of work on heat control. This is very noticeable in the bottom 2 beads. The 3rd from the top starts out semi cold, but halfway thru you can see the heat caught up to you and things started to get out of control and too hot. The last one you went back and forth between hot and cold, though of the bunch I'd say it was the best one. The section right in the center of the lowest bead is especially good.

[Jon K]

Thanks - how do I avoid the crater at the end?

I know it was hot/cold - the right-most side of the weld is actually the left-most side - I as trying to go to the edge of the plate and ended up compromising my torch position so that last inch you see on the bottom weld is where I kind of lifted the torch

Still getting the hang of of it. I feel like I may need thicker filler. Though I haven't practiced butt joints too much yet - I want to get a hang of just running beads.

[DSW]

Originally Posted by Jon K

Thanks - how do I avoid the crater at the end?

I know it was hot/cold - the right-most side of the weld is actually the left-most side - I as trying to go to the edge of the plate and ended up compromising my torch position so that last inch you see on the bottom weld is where I kind of lifted the torch

Still getting the hang of of it. I feel like I may need thicker filler. Though I haven't practiced butt joints too much yet - I want to get a hang of just running beads.

As far as the crater, you move back away from the end as you back off on the pedal and keep adding filler. It takes a bit of practice.

The last inch looked like a restart. That's another area you need to do a bit of work on. It's not bad, but you probably should have started the puddle up on the 1st bead and than added a bit of filler as you moved off and kept adding more filler as needed to match up the new bead to the old one.

[dave powelson]

Originally Posted by Jon K

Thanks - how do I avoid the crater at the end?
.

Fade out, add a touch of filler if needed to the puddle top as it's cooling.

Craters in any weld stop-are a crack initiator, definite visual and NDT indication-for
rejection and can leak in a pressure tight weld (the tiny hole can go all the way to the inside)

This is the first time-today, this has been discussed.

[Jon K]

Thanks

Ran out real quick for the last time to try more heat.


Aluminum practice by Jon Kensy, on Flickr

How does 6 - 10 look? I feel like I am dipping faster than most people I see. 10 had real nice penetration to the back, but it seems so wide and flat to me. Didn't work on my craters yet.

[B_C]

Since I weld almost exclusively aluminum products I find that getting that torch movement down will help you to obtain that cosmetic look people refer to as stack of dimes....lol You can put less heat into you work piece by moving between dabs also.
There are several styles that guys adapt for their signature. I use whatever is required
for the application. Thick to thin, thin sheet metal, castings, tubes.....My gas selection varies depending on thickness and type of weld desired anywhere from straight Argon to helium blends from 25% to 75% Lab grade ultra pure Helium for DC- Right now your main concern is heat control and establishing a style of your own that works for you being a quick dab or spaced skip.....As mentioned hanging out with low heat creates either a cold weld which bunches up or puts too much heat in the work piece......Try to get your welds to WET OUT.....I see guys on here share pics of their aluminum welds and say its not that hard.....There is more to it than stringing out some beads on a flat plate.........When you fire up your machine and have a customers 1000.00 dollar part in front of you there won't be a second chance to make it right......Lol

[DSW]

The section I circled in #3 looks semi decent. The bead in that area is nice and smooth with a nice even spacing. #5 looks the best overall but just slightly cold. #6 would have been really nice if you had added filler as consistently on the left as you did at the start on the right side of that bead. Looks like you backed off the heat just a touch too much after the area circled. The section I circled in #7 looks good. #9 the area circled looks ok. Not quite sure why the rest looks a bit tall if you were running more heat like you are in 8 and 10. Some of it might be an optical illusion from the flash but I doubt it the way the others look. #10 is too hot, but the area circled shows some signs of promise, I think if you'd backed off just slightly on the heat that would have been a nice section. A bit of extra heat is probably better than running a bit cold.

Again lack of consistency with heat and filler is hurting you. If you can become more consistent, some of this stuff will resolve itself. The only way to get that is with lots of practice.

[shovelon]

Your craters may fill in a bit better if you lower you metal thickness adjustment a bit as to use the full range of your pedal. You might have one of those good Diversions that crank out the power.

By the looks of your welds, I think you are ready to have at your project. Sometimes tacking it up is the PIA. If your tacks are giant, you could blend them down before welding over them.

Of the Diversions I welded with, they have a good range in the foot control. Looks like you are progressing very well.

[Jon K]

Thanks guys - yeah consistency is my issue yet in both speed, bead spacing, and filler dip. So, everything lol.

Originally Posted by DSW

The section I circled in #3 looks semi decent. The bead in that area is nice and smooth with a nice even spacing. #5 looks the best overall but just slightly cold. #6 would have been really nice if you had added filler as consistently on the left as you did at the start on the right side of that bead. Looks like you backed off the heat just a touch too much after the area circled. The section I circled in #7 looks good. #9 the area circled looks ok. Not quite sure why the rest looks a bit tall if you were running more heat like you are in 8 and 10. Some of it might be an optical illusion from the flash but I doubt it the way the others look. #10 is too hot, but the area circled shows some signs of promise, I think if you'd backed off just slightly on the heat that would have been a nice section. A bit of extra heat is probably better than running a bit cold.

Again lack of consistency with heat and filler is hurting you. If you can become more consistent, some of this stuff will resolve itself. The only way to get that is with lots of practice.

#9 was more of a "lets see what the result is backing off a bunch" - ideally I think #5 is close to best at least in the middle section.

Ah well, I'll practice some more tonight. Do you think 1/16" filler is good for this material? It's 0.100" but I am using upwards of 115A. Maybe 3/32 would provide more material per bead?

[shovelon]

Originally Posted by Jon K

Do you think 1/16" filler is good for this material? It's 0.100" but I am using upwards of 115A. Maybe 3/32 would provide more material per bead?

Try it and see? Your Diversion parallels my Dynasty pretty well on alum. I use 3/32 on .080 6061 outside corner to corner edges at 100 amps AC, 115 volts, and default settings like your Diversion is programmed for. If it does not feel right, go back to the 1/16th.

.100 alum, I would be with 3/32 myself. The way you are going, you will be needing all sizes soon.

Good Luck

[Jon K]

Originally Posted by shovelon

Try it and see? Your Diversion parallels my Dynasty pretty well on alum. I use 3/32 on .080 6061 outside corner to corner edges at 100 amps AC, 115 volts, and default settings like your Diversion is programmed for. If it does not feel right, go back to the 1/16th.

.100 alum, I would be with 3/32 myself. The way you are going, you will be needing all sizes soon.

Good Luck

Yeah I think that may be the ticket. To get any decent amount of filler into the puddle I really need to plunk it down. I go through it like nothing. The parts I have in mind to make are (so far, in my head) going to be open-corner joints out of 0.100". I might even get around to having the pieces cut out by this weekend. 3/32 sounds like it might give me less feeding in to do the same amount of filling, but I just wonder if the larger wire will freeze the puddle too much - only one way to find out! Experiment!

Going to work on my drawing for the tank I am going to make when I get in from work.

[DSW]

Originally Posted by DSW

The section I circled in #3 looks semi decent. The bead in that area is nice and smooth with a nice even spacing. #5 looks the best overall but just slightly cold. #6 would have been really nice if you had added filler as consistently on the left as you did at the start on the right side of that bead. Looks like you backed off the heat just a touch too much after the area circled. The section I circled in #7 looks good. #9 the area circled looks ok. Not quite sure why the rest looks a bit tall if you were running more heat like you are in 8 and 10. Some of it might be an optical illusion from the flash but I doubt it the way the others look. #10 is too hot, but the area circled shows some signs of promise, I think if you'd backed off just slightly on the heat that would have been a nice section. A bit of extra heat is probably better than running a bit cold.

Again lack of consistency with heat and filler is hurting you. If you can become more consistent, some of this stuff will resolve itself. The only way to get that is with lots of practice.

Opps I thought I'd added the pict last night where I marked up your pict.
I'd opt for 1/16" filler myself.

[usmcruz]

1/16th filler. 3/32 will take too much heat to melt on that thin of plate.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[Jon K]

I think this particular material might require 3/32 to be more consistent... or at least I require 3/32. I am pushing a bunch of filler in there and getting better beads and better results.

Just a single bead tonight!


Aluminum practice by Jon Kensy, on Flickr

Thoughts?

[shovelon]

That looks very nice Jon. Your speed and feed rate look good too.

At the end as you taper off your pedal, stir the puddle with your torch. The crater will wash right out.

Like this.

[Jon K]

Thanks Shovelon. Come a long way so far. That is the first weld I am content with. I was using 105A, 0.10" plate, and dropping a lot of filler into it with 1/16. So today at lunch I am running out to pick up some 3/32. Will try it tonight and see how it goes.

[MikeGyver]

What on earth is that?

[Jon K]

Originally Posted by MikeGyver

What on earth is that?

Fairly obvious - that's not on earth

jk no idea, its obviously a tube depectidenum

[Jon K]

I feel pretty comfortable with beads, so I thought I'd try a fillet weld. It reacts much differently!


Aluminum thingy by Jon Kensy, on Flickr


Aluminum thingy by Jon Kensy, on Flickr


Aluminum thingy by Jon Kensy, on Flickr

This was out of some 1"x1" aluminum square tube that had been welded before (early on when I got the machine). I should have cleaned it better but I was more interested in learning how the filler would flow.