Learning aluminum TIG

[Fab54]

Hi everyone,
I'm trying to learn to TIG aluminum. Thought some of these beads looked somewhat ok but then looked at the photo and thought maybe not. 3/16" aluminum, 1/8" 2% ceriated, 3/32" 4043 filler, 125-130 amps. Some pulsed, some not, some auto clean, some not. Any comments or advice is appreciated. Lincoln Precision TIG 225. Thanks!

[C. Livingstone]

I'm somewhat of a novice myself with AC TIG on aluminum, and those are great early beads on aluminum.

But welding involves joining something.

You're ready to stick stuff togather.

Show us some butt joints, inside and outside corner joints, T-joints, etc.

[zank]

I disagree. Keep running beads on that plate. But run them straight. Start by running a bead around the perimeter. Then pick a side to start with and just run beads the entire width with each bead just overlapping the edge of the previous bead. There's a lot of real estate on that plate. Use it up. Work up to being able to go the entire width without the heat getting away from you, with your filler hand being able to keep up, with being able to keep a consistent torch angle, bead width, and ripple pattern all the way, and without leaving a crater. Do it till your bored stiff and push through and do it some more.

[BluCllrPlt]

In addition to what Zank posted, practice holding the torch with your right and left hands. Also don't let your practice piece get overheated. Aluminum welds very differently when the piece being welded is very hot.

[motolife313]

130 amps on 3/16 isn't enough when it's a cold plate. U need 190 amps or more unless U start right ok the edge. And the plate will over heat after a couple passes, then quench. Should come out pretty silver looking, not frosted white looking

[Fab54]

130 amps on 3/16 isn't enough when it's a cold plate. U need 190 amps or more unless U start right ok the edge. And the plate will over heat after a couple passes, then quench. Should come out pretty silver looking, not frosted white looking

Actually I made a mistake. The plate was 1/8" thick. I started at the top and just kept running beads without letting the plate cool. I have more plates. I'll rotate them and cool them as I go.

What causes the frosted white look?

[motolife313]

Using 130 and taking too long prolly. U need to keep the tig torch moving the whole time and adding filler with out puasing in between dips. Try starting the weld at 150 amps about .5" away from the edge and after the first dip you'll might need to back off the peddle a little bit keep moving. And should come out silver and shiny

[motolife313]

U gota swirl the torch as well , to it won't crater on u

[jrogers9]

I worked in the aerospace industry and alway used pure tungsten electrodes for Aluminum. You might want to use a 3/32 diameter electrode with 1/8 filler wire and 20 cry of argon


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jrogers9]

That was 20 cfh


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Aaron@6061]

Those beads look good, especially for a beginner. I don't see too many spots where you accidentally touch the tungsten to the puddle, so your torch control seems to be pretty good. The main thing I would say to work on is avoiding those big craters at the end of each weld. Add a bit more rod and slowly ramp off your heat. If you do still get a crater at the end of your weld (which I still do on accident a lot of the time), at least put down more filler so it doesn't sink in to the metal you are welding. That will be a weak point where a crack may start. If you are using more than 14-16CFH of gas for these practice beads, you will be using an unnecessary amount of gas. Also, I would ignore the pure tungsten comment above. Using pure tungsten is obsolete in my opinion. It won't hold a consistent shape compared to other tungsten.

Hopefully this video will give you a few pointers on how to refine your practice beads:

[MinnesotaDave]

I disagree. Keep running beads on that plate. But run them straight. Start by running a bead around the perimeter. Then pick a side to start with and just run beads the entire width with each bead just overlapping the edge of the previous bead. There's a lot of real estate on that plate. Use it up. Work up to being able to go the entire width without the heat getting away from you, with your filler hand being able to keep up, with being able to keep a consistent torch angle, bead width, and ripple pattern all the way, and without leaving a crater. Do it till your bored stiff and push through and do it some more.

+1
It's cheap, very good practice.

[HT2-4956]

After getting proficient at the "bead on plate" thing I think about the next best practice project a beginner can move on to is building "cubes". I think it also has the added advantage in that it starts to teach some "fit up" skills. It's fairly economical to find a piece of drop sheet metal some where and get some one to run it thru a shear a get a whole bunch of pieces to work with. Then all you really need is a piece of angle iron and a pair of clamps. It can also be pretty quick, easy and economical (meaning cheap) to saw up various sizes of flat bar to get the pieces to work with.

If your first couple of ones aren't that good looking you can get some more "bead on plate" practice on the surfaces of them. When you start getting some good looking ones you can start handing them out as gifts or promotional items. If you write your name and phone # on them with a Sharpie they'll make a "business card" that people won't tend to lose (or throw out).

[shovelon]

Hi everyone,
I'm trying to learn to TIG aluminum. Thought some of these beads looked somewhat ok but then looked at the photo and thought maybe not. 3/16" aluminum, 1/8" 2% ceriated, 3/32" 4043 filler, 125-130 amps. Some pulsed, some not, some auto clean, some not. Any comments or advice is appreciated. Lincoln Precision TIG 225. Thanks!

Cover that puppy until it cries!

I would get some 5356 and run it side by side to get a feel for it as well.

[Fab54]

Not much progress tonight. Switched to 3/32" tungsten. Tried to move faster and control the heat. Going to try some 5356 Saturday.

[shovelon]

Not much progress tonight. Switched to 3/32" tungsten. Tried to move faster and control the heat. Going to try some 5356 Saturday.

That looks better. Roll off your pedal though at the end. Twirl the tungsten as you roll off and try to eliminate that crater. 5356 is much stiffer and holds it's shape better. It is a bit dirtier though so hold a tight arc.

[Fab54]

That looks better. Roll off your pedal though at the end. Twirl the tungsten as you roll off and try to eliminate that crater. 5356 is much stiffer and holds it's shape better. It is a bit dirtier though so hold a tight arc.

Ok here are some with 5356. Boy this is tough for an old guy. Timing, steady hands, feeding the same amount of filler, maintaining electrode position....

Should I be messing with pulse and cleaning? Or just leave it on auto clean?

[Willie B]

I worked in the aerospace industry and alway used pure tungsten electrodes for Aluminum. You might want to use a 3/32 diameter electrode with 1/8 filler wire and 20 cry of argon


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Are you using sine wave, or square wave? Forgive my ignorance of Lincoln. Pure tungsten won't work well with square wave power. I gave all mine away when I went Dynasty. Virtually all tungsten is OK. The best need to be ground less often. Zap uses only thoriated, and his work proves his choice. Others like 2% lanthanated. I have a vast assortment, and I'm pretty color blind. I use them interchangeably, grinding when needed.

Padding beads is boring! It will pay off. It won't really be fun until you join pieces together to make an item that didn't exist before.

Willie

[SaskWelder]

Should I be messing with pulse and cleaning? Or just leave it on auto clean?

I would leave it on the same settings for now. Until you are happy with your hand skills I think its best to keep other variables out of the equation.

Your beads look acceptable to me, now mix it up with some outside corner joints and then some fillets, you will learn a few techniques in each type that will help you out.

[Fab54]

Are you using sine wave, or square wave? Forgive my ignorance of Lincoln. Pure tungsten won't work well with square wave power. I gave all mine away when I went Dynasty. Virtually all tungsten is OK. The best need to be ground less often. Zap uses only thoriated, and his work proves his choice. Others like 2% lanthanated. I have a vast assortment, and I'm pretty color blind. I use them interchangeably, grinding when needed.

Padding beads is boring! It will pay off. It won't really be fun until you join pieces together to make an item that didn't exist before.

Willie

It's a square wave. I'm using 2% ceriated.

[motolife313]

Looks clean man! It takes a lot of time to get comfy, ur off to a good start I can tell! Now let's see some t joints or build some big dice. Building stuff is fun and gets u pumped up to weld it out.

[motolife313]

heres some dice I made then chromed. Was one of my first projects. I also weld with a pt225 and keep my stupid little cleaning knob turned about to 80-85 percent or else it won't ball the tungsten right.

[Fab54]

Looks clean man! It takes a lot of time to get comfy, ur off to a good start I can tell! Now let's see some t joints or build some big dice. Building stuff is fun and gets u pumped up to weld it out.

I know. I have a lot of steel laying around unfortunately my supply of aluminum is rather thin right now. Stuff is $5 a pound around here even in the so called "bargain barn".

[motolife313]

Any other metal shops near you? $5 is high. I'm paying 80 cents a pound for full 4x10 stainless and sane I think for aluminum.

[John T]

I know. I have a lot of steel laying around unfortunately my supply of aluminum is rather thin right now. Stuff is $5 a pound around here even in the so called "bargain barn".

Sounds like Logan steel.