I have (free) access to a modest assload of aluminum junk that I would like to use for TIG practice, provided I can get it clean enough to fool with. There's a small amount of cast (which is almost clean enough as-is I guess), a big box of billet pieces (anodized black) and some tubing (painted, loo...

Hey, Another good way of cleaning large areas is a sander/buffer that is used in panel shops. They are around 8" and spin slower than a grinder, There is a rubber backing pad that you can attach all sorts of grit discs too, the give of the rubber allows you to bring more of the disc in contact...

what is P&O? Pickled and oiled finish. I made the table out of mostly left over materials. The top was only thing bought semi-new, out of a local shop's drop pile - 3/8 or 1/2 would have been nice, but they didn't have any that wasn't badly rusted, and I don't know anybody with a surface grinde...

Did this over the holiday weekend. http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x181/vr6swap/null_zpsa9eb1adc.jpg The top is 1/4 plate. Not really what I wanted but it'll do, and I can always upgrade later. My question is about the finish. It's P&O now, kinda dark grey looking (see pic). Do I need to sand...

Will try the washer / nut method and see how it goes. Since at least one of the holes is pretty well dicked up from previous attempts at repair, I'm pretty sure some kind of fill and drill procedure will be neccessary before the manifold can be used again. Getting the broken off studs out is a good ...

A friend gave me a turbo manifold a few years ago. All the turbo mounting studs were broken off flush with the flange, and whoever tried to drill out the studs used a hand drill with kinda not too great results. Even if you could finish drilling / retapping the holes I doubt they would line up with ...

I learned TIG in an adult education class at the local tech high school. The HS day students used up all the steel coupons, about all that was left for the evening classes was aluminum. Mild is okay, but my stainless welding really needs help. Especially on how to set up a back purge so it actually ...

If ya don't know how ta do it, I'll show ya how to walk the...cup. Uh...nevermind.

That guy posts a lot on the HAMB forum @ jalopy journal.com. Search for the "incredible welds" thread.

I split the difference, wearing a glove on my torch hand (righty) and bareback on my filler hand (lefty). Yes I get the shit shocked out of me once in a while, but I can't get the filler rod slide down with a glove. Not from lack of trying either. Some of us are just uncoordinated. Whatever. The glo...

First, I apprieciate the help and advice I got in my first thread about welding tubing. It's getting better, so thanks again. The other problem I've been having is the machine, maybe. It's an older Syncrowave 250. Full analog transformer machine, with the add-on water cooler underneath. Guessing it'...

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x181/vr6swap/EB9D4864-9BC6-4035-B54A-E90987549843-344-0000009E3FD36443.jpg Got back on it this weekend. 2 1/2" tubing (junk eBay intercooler kit), 3/32 tungsten with a #5 gas lens, following the recommendations. Didn't really get anywhere saturday but today I...

Hot tank works great if it the same thing I am things of. One thing on cast al especially oil soaked casting they are almost impossible to get to weld perfectly clean. Baking them in a old grill works really well to burn out a lot of the oils in the pores of the metal. Do it outside it will stink a...

LOL thanks guys. Like I said from the beginning, I have (a lot) worse looking welds if you want or need to see them. I don't do this for a living, yet, and maybe never will. In the defense industry it helps to have more than a couple of skill sets, or something you can do as a sideline when the comp...

Would like to try a gas lense, but the only ones we have here are for like 1/8" Tungsten. Stickout is pretty easy to adjust so I'll fool around with it and see what works. Like I said before, I do okay on flat sheet and plate, it's tubing that's kicking my ass. Got plenty of 2" and 2 1/2&q...

Doesn't really seem like you guys are that far apart on your advice. And I do appreciate the heads up on settings. Been using 3/32 tungstens, at about 80 - 100 amps. Cleaning / penetration I normally keep about 4 (that's another control on this particular machine that doesn't seem to work correctly)...

Only machine I have access to is an older Syncro 250. No pulse, and the frequency control doesn't seem to work very well if at all.

Will cut up some more tubing and try your suggestions this weekend. Thanks for the advice.

Trying to butt weld small (1 1/2" and 1 1/4") .065 6061 tubing. Pretty sure the problems I'm having are either torch positioning (angle or distance or both) or movement (too fast or too slow). The only way I can get a consistent bead is to go around the tube like "spot weld, spot weld...