Don't let your aluminum get too hot!

[Steve]

I was welding up a little aluminum project with my Powertig 250EX. My amps were at 110 and I was using pulse. It had several welds in a small area and so the aluminum got pretty hot. Pretty soon the aluminum started to collapse. Too much heat!

So if you are welding aluminum, stop and allow the whole thing to cool down a little bit before going on otherwise you will find yourself with a blob of aluminum!

[CGCINC]

For sure! I'm in welding school and doing Aluminum and it's pretty touchy. Of course it seems that it never gets too hot for the teacher....He can weld pass after pass and you can't tell one from the other. Mine just start looking like puddles of goo.

[hooda]

I was welding up a little aluminum project with my Powertig 250EX. My amps were at 110 and I was using pulse. It had several welds in a small area and so the aluminum got pretty hot. Pretty soon the aluminum started to collapse. Too much heat!

So if you are welding aluminum, stop and allow the whole thing to cool down a little bit before going on otherwise you will find yourself with a blob of aluminum!

What were your pulse settings? And what was the size of the project. I've not yet had the luxury of running a TIG welder with the pulse feature, but, after experiencing what you just described on more than one occasion, I can see where pulse could come in handy. Maybe a different setting on the pulse could have saved you the trouble.

[CGCINC]

I've used pulse on the machine at school and it really helps, especially on a corner or with thin material.

[revkev6]

What were your pulse settings? And what was the size of the project. I've not yet had the luxury of running a TIG welder with the pulse feature, but, after experiencing what you just described on more than one occasion, I can see where pulse could come in handy. Maybe a different setting on the pulse could have saved you the trouble.

hmmm pulse. This is a big problem for me. I want to try using the pulse settings more on my 225lx but I have a seizure disorder. although fully controlled with medication, pulsing lights like at higher frequency get very uncomfortable (like nails on a chalk board for some people) and could trigger a seizure. It's not likely to happen but like so many other things in tig welding, if you are not comfortable while you are welding it shows in your results! I have a 10"x12" 1/8" thick aluminum plate I practiced on and ther was a huge difference in the ease of running a bead on it when it got warm.