first time with aluminum opinions please

[elcamino]

got my 210 ext yesterday so called in sick to go shopping at LWS.got the big argon tank,tungsten 2% lanthiated, 3/32 and 1/16. filler rod for steel and aluminum.forgot the numbers but the aluminum rod was 4043 i think.got those in 1/16 5lbs each.then to home depot to get bench grinder and some metal.all they had was 1/8th aluminum strip so i cut down to size.

set machine up at 90 amps 120 frequency 30% balance 1 sec pre and 2 sec post flow and used foot pedal which seemed to work ok i could hear and see difference when changing positions. so this is how i did. not to promising for the first time but i had fun. so any and all input welcome

thanks nick


i had to resize pics smaller sorry for bad pics

[christian]

Yeah,

You're off and running, so to speak.

.5 on preflow will be hesitant at the start and still be fine.

More postflow will keep the tungsten less oxidized, e.g., a typical rule is 1 second per every 10 amps. But I fudge on that, and usually never set it beyond 8 seconds for any amperage at the panel, then just touch up the tungsten with a dremel-style tungsten grinder more often, because I'm cheap with Argon.

[elcamino]

Yeah,

You're off and running, so to speak.

.5 on preflow will be hesitant at the start and still be fine.

More postflow will keep the tungsten less oxidized, e.g., a typical rule is 1 second per every 10 amps. But I fudge on that, and usually never set it beyond 8 seconds for any amperage at the panel, then just touch up the tungsten with a dremel-style tungsten grinder more often, because I'm cheap with Argon.

thank you christian, i will work on it and keep at it. anything else you can see that can help? i think i was starting with to many amps on some beads they are wide and flat and others not enough because they were higher and narrower?

regarding the post flow not being long enough, is the reason why the tungsten turns blue after a bead?

[christian]

Yeah,

I wouldn't sweat that stuff at the outset, especially since small coupons aren't really representative of what an actual aluminum project is like, i.e., they saturate heat quickly, so each bead is not equal in heat input and amperage adjustments. So, that's why it can seem like you start with too much heat, because of preheat or heat saturatation, which is abnormal. The norm is for the beginning of a bead or a seam to be a tad cold, then to call for some tapering off of the amperage toward the end.

So, I'll suggest that you stop padding beads on plate. You're already doing well enough with that.

Learn to tack aluminum quickly, effectively, and efficiently for about an hour.

Then start with butt joints, lap joints, T-joint fillets, inside-corner joint fillets, then outside corner joints.

That could take about a week in some spare time, with maybe a bottle or two of Argon.

Then, if you come back to pad some beads, it'll be easier.

I relied on the Triangle wave, 1/16" filler, and about 200 Hz on AC frequency for outside-corner joints with thinner aluminum for a while, because I like a smaller, narrower beads, even on outside corners. But, often a Squarewave and a lower AC frequency, with a 3/32" filler may be prefered by some, to wrap the corners better and have more metal deposition. And I'm tending to ween myself off of the Triangle wave some now. But I still like to keep a higher AC frequency on most everything. And don't bother to use the Triangle wave for inside corner fillets, as the Squarewave brings more heat with it, which inside corners call for, but higher AC frequency is still good on them.

Yeah, a blue or purple tungsten tip is a sign of too short a post-flow.

Getting into a comfortable position is big for me. And I try to prop my torch hand as well as my filler hand, whenever possible, as I'm not a rock steady TIG welder to begin with. Butted, notched, round tubing fillets seem the most challenging for me, I guess.

So, yeah, you're smokin' dude.

Time to move ahead already!

thank you christian, i will work on it and keep at it. anything else you can see that can help? i think i was starting with to many amps on some beads they are wide and flat and others not enough because they were higher and narrower?

regarding the post flow not being long enough, is the reason why the tungsten turns blue after a bead?

[elcamino]

Yeah,

I wouldn't sweat that stuff at the outset, especially since small coupons aren't really representative of what an actual aluminum project is like, i.e., they saturate heat quickly, so each bead is not equal in heat input and amperage adjustments. So, that's why it can seem like you start with too much heat, because of preheat or heat saturatation, which is abnormal. The norm is for the beginning of a bead or a seam to be a tad cold, then to call for some tapering off of the amperage toward the end.

So, I'll suggest that you stop padding beads on plate. You're already doing well enough with that.

Learn to tack aluminum quickly, effectively, and efficiently for about an hour.

Then start with butt joints, lap joints, T-joint fillets, inside-corner joint fillets, then outside corner joints.

That could take about a week in some spare time, with maybe a bottle or two of Argon.

Then, if you come back to pad some beads, it'll be easier.

I relied on the Triangle wave, 1/16" filler, and about 200 Hz on AC frequency for outside-corner joints with thinner aluminum for a while, because I like a smaller, narrower beads, even on outside corners. But, often a Squarewave and a lower AC frequency, with a 3/32" filler may be prefered by some, to wrap the corners better and have more metal deposition. And I'm tending to ween myself off of the Triangle wave some now. But I still like to keep a higher AC frequency on most everything. And don't bother to use the Triangle wave for inside corner fillets, as the Squarewave brings more heat with it, which inside corners call for, but higher AC frequency is still good on them.

Yeah, a blue or purple tungsten tip is a sign of too short a post-flow.

Getting into a comfortable position is big for me. And I try to prop my torch hand as well as my filler hand, whenever possible, as I'm not a rock steady TIG welder to begin with. Butted, notched, round tubing fillets seem the most challenging for me, I guess.

So, yeah, you're smokin' dude.

Time to move ahead already!

i did notice the heat saturation when laying bead after bead,after a couple of beads i was only starting at 70 amps and it would puddle quick. but i was having fun lol.

im gonna start playing with the waves and see what the differences are, i did read manual but i like to see for myself. i did play with frequency up and down and saw that effect that had on the way the bead was laid down.

i think i will practice on the butt joints and lap joints then move on from there,

this weekend i will have time to sit in garage all day and play i will post more pics. thanks again christian

[christian]

Yeah,

Bob Moffat puts out some good videos on basic joint configurations and practice with them via the Weld.com YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSEQ...R1k1wtLuliKmHg