I have a problem welding aluminium with my Unimig Viper 182 which I've set up for aluminium by the manual. Aluminium Wire liner, Wire is .9mm 5356, using argon at everywhere from 8lpm to max, tried all volt settings up to max, cleaned base metal with stainless, brush, tried different thickness base metal but just get splatter, no welding pool. First time welding aluminium but have been welding steels for years. Help?
The mig gun needs to be positive polarity, and the work clamp in the negative polarity terminal. You sure you been welding steel for years? Also, I noticed you did not disclose your WFS. Aluminum in MIG welding should be in spray transfer so that means high WFS. So tell us. What WFS are you using? And please don't say "all values". Part of the problem with describing welding issues is that they are discrete events; meaning that when you tried ONE weld, you did not try all values at once. There were a specific set of values at that one time when you tried that one weld. Instead of telling the whole series of independent events all at once, you need to describe them in discrete events, where one event encompasses one set of values for each of the variables which in these case are: V, WFS, Argon flow rate, CTWD, gun angle, metal thickness, joint orientation, travel speed.
If you have pulled flux core wire out and put in solid wire, you need to reverse the polarity by switching the leads. Looks to me you are just shorting out the wire. Reverse polarity will burn back the wire and develop an arc that you have to maintain. And without slow run-in capability you may not be able to establish an arc at all. This is a highly specialized process.
Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR"
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I've tried different wire feed speeds, on 14 volts 8.5 seems to work best, higher just results in stubbing. It's set with negative earth. I may not be a 'master welder', however, I worked as a welder for a number of years back in the 60s, using oxy and electric, hardly anyone had CO2 welders in those days. Certainly none of the shops I worked in had CO2s. During my time as a welder I welded stainless, cast and also quite a few gears as well as copper and brass, whilst not a 'master welder' as you call yourself, I was more proficient than most but never had the opportunity to try aluminium. I'm not a tradesman, I taught myself to weld during lunch breaks, with no help from the welders. Once proficient, I was moved onto the welding benches and finished off as leading hand. So yes smartass, I have welded steel before!
I've tried different wire feed speeds, on 14 volts 8.5 seems to work best, higher just results in stubbing. It's set with negative earth. I may not be a 'master welder', however, I worked as a welder for a number of years back in the 60s, using oxy and electric, hardly anyone had CO2 welders in those days. Certainly none of the shops I worked in had CO2s. During my time as a welder I welded stainless, cast and also quite a few gears as well as copper and brass, whilst not a 'master welder' as you call yourself, I was more proficient than most but never had the opportunity to try aluminium. I'm not a tradesman, I taught myself to weld during lunch breaks, with no help from the welders. Once proficient, I was moved onto the welding benches and finished off as leading hand. So yes smartass, I have welded steel before!
Apparently the " way" to ask for help or advice is to lip off. What's this 14 volts thing, that might give you enough amperage , depending on wire speed to melt aluminum foil.
Well, apparently the way to answer is to lip off too. I can give as good as I get. If the 'smartass hadn't said ' are you sure you've welded steel before' then perhaps I could have been a little more polite, but as I said ' I can give as much as I get'.
If you want to sit back and take lip without rebuttal, that's your business.
Well, apparently the way to answer is to lip off too. I can give as good as I get. If the 'smartass hadn't said ' are you sure you've welded steel before' then perhaps I could have been a little more polite, but as I said ' I can give as much as I get'.
If you want to sit back and take lip without rebuttal, that's your business.
You really make others want to try and help you out🤣 Apparently you don't know as much as you believe you know otherwise you wouldn't be in that predicament. Whether you want to hear it or not, start from scratch with your setup. Hopefully for your sake someone with more patience than me will offer some suggestions.
18V and 8.5 m/s (?) is pretty low. That's about 95A. You're trying to weld 3/16" aluminum (4.8mm/188 thousandths) with 95A. Not sure what led you there, as you will simply need more power. You need to be in spray transfer to get things going. Since this is not steel, you need to be aware that spray transfer requires a longer CTWD due to the longer arc. If increasing the voltage does not get you into spray transfer (you know what is and looks like, right? ), then you need to increase both the WFS and the voltage, as both thresholds need to be crossed at a certain point to go into spray transfer. Try 14.4 m/min and 24.5V if your machine is capable.
I'm not using CO2, I said I was using argon. What I did say was that Migs were called CO2 welders way back in the 60s, for obvious reasons. Material I'm using is not 3/16, I've tried 1.5 and 3mm, that's 1/16" and 1/8". Something tells me I'm not going to get any useful comments here, just a lot of ego stroking, so, just scroll on by boys, and I do mean boys!
Most anyone with welding experience would know what DCEP/DCRP means. If you're looking for help they just want to know exactly how you're set up not vague answers. You're the one who wants some help so probably best not to insult people trying to help you or figure out how knowledgeable you are.
I'm not using CO2, I said I was using argon. What I did say was that Migs were called CO2 welders way back in the 60s, for obvious reasons. Material I'm using is not 3/16, I've tried 1.5 and 3mm, that's 1/16" and 1/8". Something tells me I'm not going to get any useful comments here, just a lot of ego stroking, so, just scroll on by boys, and I do mean boys!
You won't find a beteer, more willing bunch of guys here to help you, When you were asked about DCEP after saying you had been welding steel for years and didn't know what twas being asked you should have come clean and asked right there, if you are used to different terminology that's cool, but when you snap back when a couple of guys go off on ya a bit then you need to back up. I'm an older guy and I've worked around Boilermakers, welders, pipefitters & welders, some of them can be a ROUGH BUNCH I'v e seen some that would just as soon bend ya over and ask you to spell RUN , just as they are, SLIPPIN IT IN THAT IS, lighten up & you willl get the help your asking for, I think OSCAR is on the right track if your polarity is right.
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My bad about the thickness, I must have been thinking about something else. None the less, you still need more power to cross the thresholds for spray transfer.
Threads like these never cease to amaze me. ****ing entitled dip****s expecting to be treated like babies. Can't hurt neones feelings. How about you just act like we know u are, ignorant with the gmaw process, ur pics tell the whole story.
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Well this is going as expected. You do realize we are not there? You only offered limited info. Folk are probing. You have offered zero additional info as far as what you have checked/attempted not even full parameters have been offered. Though you have insulted more than you have received insult.
Good luck with your aluminum welding experience. Return the machine, start over to eliminate the function. Perhaps there is a viper website or customer service.
Well after two days my disposable argon bottle is still going.
I have progress at last, manage to run a bead. Last bead was the fourth from the right.
Yes, I know it's not good, but it's better than my first attempt and it's progress. So, if you have a criticism, keep it to yourself, it's of no interest to me!
So, what have I discovered?
Gas at 24lpm minimum.
WF - lots and lots.
Volts around 16.
Stickout very, very short.
Also discovered my Mig can't weld material above 6mm thick.
My settings maybe wrong, but it's working for me, so I'll stick with them, for now! No problems at all without a spool gun either.
Anybody got a steady hand I could borrow? MY old hand shakes and wobbles all over the place, difficult to weld in a straight line.
Well after two days my disposable argon bottle is still going.
I have progress at last, manage to run a bead. Last bead was the fourth from the right.
Yes, I know it's not good, but it's better than my first attempt and it's progress. So, if you have a criticism, keep it to yourself, it's of no interest to me!
So, what have I discovered?
Gas at 24lpm minimum.
WF - lots and lots.
Volts around 16.
Stickout very, very short.
Also discovered my Mig can't weld material above 6mm thick.
My settings maybe wrong, but it's working for me, so I'll stick with them, for now! No problems at all without a spool gun either. Anybody got a steady hand I could borrow? MY old hand shakes and wobbles all over the place, difficult to weld in a straight line.
The 4th from the right looks like you're getting there.
Sorry I can't help much....I don't do alum, but I can identify with "shakes and wobbles". I too struggle running straight beads. Things that have helped me are lots of light on the weldment, getting as comfortable as possible before you begin the weld and holding the gun with both hands......good luck
You never gave all the info to get the advice you were looking for. You were wanting people to both read your mind and turn on their crystal ball to peer through space and time to look at your machine from a far. There are so many variables that you weren't able to wrap your mind around, that you shut-down because it just couldn't be that someone didn't have your answer in one simple sentence. Diagnosing/troubleshooting these kinds of things without being there, simply takes a lot more than you think.
It's like crashing your car, then you get it towed the repair shop, and ask them "what did I do wrong"? They will look at you like you're crazy. Even if you told them how fast you were going, and how fast the other vehicle was going, there are so many variables to such an event that there is no way they or anyone else that does not have video evidence would be able to tell definitively you what you did wrong. Yet you would still want advice on how to improve your driving, even without the necessary information. Do you see how it parallels your welding situation?
I know you think we're "lip'ing off", but I really do think you need to learn from this whole situation. Please look at this sequence of events...
Originally Posted by toglhot
.... using argon at everywhere from 8lpm to max, tried all volt settings up to max, cleaned base metal with stainless, brush, tried different thickness base metal.....
Originally Posted by Oscar
.........describing welding issues is that they are discrete events; meaning that when you tried ONE weld, you did not try all values at once. There were a specific set of values at that one time when you tried that one weld. Instead of telling the whole series of independent events all at once, you need to describe them in discrete events, where one event encompasses one set of values for each of the variables which in these case are: V, WFS, Argon flow rate, CTWD, gun angle, metal thickness, joint orientation, travel speed.
...and now look at your most recent post....
Originally Posted by toglhot
So, what have I discovered?
Gas at 24lpm minimum.
WF - lots and lots.
Volts around 16.
Stickout very, very short.
Also discovered my Mig can't weld material above 6mm thick.[/COLOR]
Whether intentional or not, can you spot how you have shifted towards describing the welding parameters pertaining to a more 'localized' event, thus making the information more specific? Perhaps not all of it, but at least some of it. Welding is an art, but it is also highly technical and scientific.
Your most recent pictures shows you are on the right track, just takes more tweaking. I still think your machine is undersized for the job because using spray arc, you need a long stickout because the arc is so long in spray arc. You might still be in short-circuit or globular mode.
Why is it that some think you have to spend a fortune on tooling to do anything. For a hobbyist, that is simply ridiculous. I once built a a much modified Triumph show bike with nothing more than a vice, a bench grinder, a vacuum for painting and a few spanners. Before you laugh, it won the one and only bike show I entered!
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Wire is .9mm 5356, using argon at everywhere from 8lpm to max, tried all volt settings up to max, cleaned base metal with stainless, brush, tried different thickness base metal but just get splatter, no welding pool. First time welding aluminium but have been welding steels for years. Help?
Also, I noticed you did not disclose your WFS. Aluminum in MIG welding should be in spray transfer so that means high WFS. So tell us. What WFS are you using? And please don't say "all values". Part of the problem with describing welding issues is that they are discrete events; meaning that when you tried ONE weld, you did not try all values at once. There were a specific set of values at that one time when you tried that one weld. Instead of telling the whole series of independent events all at once, you need to describe them in discrete events, where one event encompasses one set of values for each of the variables which in these case are: V, WFS, Argon flow rate, CTWD, gun angle, metal thickness, joint orientation, travel speed.
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Master Welder
Originally Posted by toglhot
), then you need to increase both the WFS and the voltage, as both thresholds need to be crossed at a certain point to go into spray transfer. Try 14.4 m/min and 24.5V if your machine is capable.
