1/2" isn't that big, you can use a backer but not necessary. just start on the edge and fill as you move around it, no special settings for gas flow needed. I would start at the edge and move around filling as you go, when the hole closes up, you'll need to then fill to the surface of the mate...

1/2" isn't that big, you can use a backer but not necessary. just start on the edge and fill as you move around it, no special settings for gas flow needed. I would start at the edge and move around filling as you go, when the hole closes up, you'll need to then fill to the surface of the mate...

how would I fill a half inch hole vertically ? 1/8 aluminum . cut a disc to fit ? just keep filling it in starting from edges ? do I need a backer ? stainless , copper ? increase my shielding flow ? I seem to be having trouble with my heat either too much blowing out or too cold no pool. I was think...

went to lws and bought 4 pounds of good filler wire . I am going to see if i can get some video of my practice might have to buy some glass lenses to video through. should be fun !

success !!! I laid some dimes !! I used a different rod a 4043 ? The welder that helped me out gave me this Rod told me to ditch the harbor freight 5356 rod. Presto clean no green ,nice shiny weld ! I will post some pics when i get some more aluminum to practice on . Im stoked . progress !

Thanks guys ! I will continue and try all these suggestions. i found a guy locally who owns a welding shop who is giving me some pointers. hoked me up with some different filler wire, and a source of scrap aluminum! He is a pretty cool guy , he was a welder in GM for 30 years and runs his own shop. ...

I am in the flint Mi . area . there isnt much for any classes here , unless you decide to go for a degree . at 58 I have to pass , lol

Thanks guys , my pieces are small around 3x4 , lol. I have been just keeping the filler rod long and dabbing , not really feeding like Ive seen. you are right though it seems I really do go off when trying to hurry and readjust filling wire .hmmmn , Ill definitely work on that. I might have to go ba...

Guys I am really struggling to run beads on aluminum. Ive been practicing on .125 . I can run a perfect bead no filler , even on the edge. The settings reacts exactly how all the videos say they should. The white band from the cleaning , Foot pedal responds decent, It happens just like the videos, o...

I You don't need a grinding wheel. Use only real acetone, not ladies products. Butt joint is easy so long as you don't do the same thing that has plagued so many newbs -- USE A LOT OF AMPERAGE and hit it FAST. No one has time for you to take 2 weeks to ramp up the current :lol: . 1 amp per 1 thousa...

I put on my cheaters and ran some lines no filler, I saw a small point right in the arc that was green. Im wondering if I am contaminating my tungsten on my grinding wheel (regular stone) Im going to get a diamond wheel today. Also I was cleaning my aluminum with fingernail polish remover . it says ...

bap_ wrote:If your LWS is open on weekends, I am super jealous!

Doooh ! forgot it was the weekend !

aeroplain wrote:There is a gasket at the seem . Watch your heat!!

oh boy ! glad you mentioned that ! whew ! good catch !

5052 aluminum. I will go get some better wire filler tomorrow at the LWS, just seems like its better to take as many possible problems out of the mix. Weird cause sometimes it will lay a great bead . it seems as if you sticking straight porosity into it when feeding rod. it builds a cold dirty bead ...

.125 aluminum, 3/32 lanthinated tungsten, 125-140 amps, 240 v alphatig. 3/32 5356 filler wire. 35 percent cleaning action. ss brushed, acetone , I ran straight beads first no filler worked like a charm. after about 10 of those I started to add filler whooa ! green ! porosity !! ugly , turds. Pool co...

Poland308 wrote:I would round the corners of the plate and add enough to the bottom of the outside plate to go all the way down.

good idea , rounded corners would look better as well.

here is a pic of the plate welded with a lap joint . the red is the lap joint welded on from outside of the Transom, the blue is the hole cut square and the outside plate welded from the inside of the transom with a lap joint . So red is the outside weld the blue the inside weld. then I would bolt t...

[/attachment] s-l300.jpg I am going to bolt on a outboard bracket to convert my I/O boat to outboard. This is not my boat in the picture I just posted it to give an idea of what Im doing. The bracket i bought is like the one pictured. I need to weld in the I/O hole. I need a smooth surface to bolt a...

nice , Im gonna try that .

I called a supply company in town and asked them about buying aluminum sheet 5052 2 x 3 ft. .125, they quoted me $248.00 :o !! Seriously ? I can buy a 2x4 piece on line apparently for a little over 100 dollars with 22 dollars shipping . Is online the only way to affordably buy stock now ? Are they c...

MIG welding would be the ideal process for thin aluminum sheet to thin sheet. The amount of wire being spewed out helps cool the puddle as you go. You still need to be mindful of distortion, so neither process is idiot proof. Both methods want numerous tacks spaces apart. If TIG, your tacks want to...

aeroplain, thanks for answering, I only have a Tig welder, do you think I should have someone Mig weld it instead ? I have transom wood removed , floors removed , gas tank removed . just the actual aluminum transom left. I am learning to Tig right now , mild steel. I have never welded aluminum befor...

Today welding practice was great. Those tips on watching my tungsten arc color was right on. I concentrated on running beads with no filler . I noticed that if I set my amps exactly where i thought they should be it didnt leave me with any wiggle room, so i turned my amps up around 20 amps more than...

hmmmn now Im wondering if my weld puddle is too narrow because I am holding too close of an arc ? if i try to wait for the pool to get wider it just burns through. Maybe I should raise it up till I get the right width ? Is it my arc height that controls my weld puddle when I am just running lines wi...

DL - don’t ever snip or snap off the end of a tungsten. Grind the tip off by using the edge of the wheel, then resharpen it. You will get microfractures in the tungsten. You may not notice them until you use more amps or AC current, but they’re there, guaranteed. Dipping is part of learning. Fastes...