Thanks to the both of you for your feedback.

I'm going to save up and probably get one of those HTP machines.

In the meantime, I'm back at it. With no excuses!

Thanks again.

Jon

I have a Lincoln PT185. It's about a decade old and while it has some bells and whistles, it doesn't have all of them. For example, I can control AC balance and increase my cleaning action or my penetration. I can also pulse. But I can't control frequency and all the other fancy things that modern w...

cj - Great, thanks a lot. I'm MIG welding so I'll get ahold of some of that silicon bronze wire. Dumb question: would this be "braze welding"? Honestly, I always thought that silicon bronze was more for brazing applications. But if you can get it on a spool and feed it through a Lincoln MI...

I'm welding a mild steel gate from 16ga. The pickets have a small cast iron finial on them. What's the best way to weld these little guys? I've done it with flux-core and it seems to work but it's a bit of a bear because the two materials don't seem to want to go together. So is there a technology f...

trainingGrounds & cj, Thanks for some great advice. I kinda had a feeling I was not adding enough filler even though it seems to me like I'm shoving it in there like there's no tomorrow! And I was also having trouble with 1/8" rod - I could not get a clean break with it. I'd shove it in the...

cj, Yeah - sounds about right. My PT185 maxes out at exactly that: 185 amps and I do have a bit of a time getting the bead started and it feels like a lot of effort to keep it going. Sadly, I can't adjust frequency :x with this machine and one day I'll invest in an inverter-based welder but right no...

I'm doing some practice with some 1/4" 6061-T5 aluminum. I'm using a PT185, set to 175 amps, AC, 72% penetration, 12CFH argon, no pulse. I'm using a 1/8" red tungsten, sharpened and flattened off, with a 1/8" 4043 AL rod, gas lens and #8 pink cup. I'm brushing my aluminum and giving i...

Well, upping my tungsten to 1/8" and pumping up the AC balance to 72 already made a nice difference. Didn't think of the contamination issue but good point. I'll throw some tin foil in there as you suggest. Just a matter of practice now. It's tricky for me because at best my bead is only going ...

cj737 - Thanks for the advice. When you say to bevel the edges "open" you mean to cut a 45 degree on them, right? Yes - my application will certainly tolerate both sides and also leaving the bead. No problem with that. I'll up my tungsten to 1/8" and crank the machine and put it at 68...

Here's a photo.

I'm welding 48" x 48" 6061 aluminum film lighting gel frames from 1/4" x 1" bar. I'm welding with a Lincoln PT185, with a WP-26 torch, 3/32" thoriated tungsten, and 3/32" 4043 aluminum rod. My joints are all butt welds with the bar cut at a 45 degree miter and each mite...

New forum member here. I'm a Brit working in So Cal and welding away. TIG is my preference but I also do MIG, stick and a little bit of oxy-acetylene. I've got a bunch of questions that I'll post and hope to get answers to. If I could weld all day every day for the rest of my life, I'd be all set! e...