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How to minimize etching/frosting on aluminum tig welds
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Tbottwelds
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Just looking for some advice on how to minimize the etching or"frosting" around my aluminum welds.. I have an aluminum hood that I will be doing next week and would like the corners to have minimal etching as it doesn't get painted or anything.. It's 1/8" 6061.. I am using a snycrowave 250 cleaning action usually is around 5.. my company provides pure tungsten so can't do much about that and have convinced them to switch once I run out... Any tips would be appreciated
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If your balance is turned down as much as practical, then increase amps to weld faster.

Low amps leads to slow speeds - that increases the size of the etching line on each side.

Pure tungsten doesn't bother me any - but I understand that a lot of guys don't like it.
Dave J.

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~

Syncro 350
Invertec v250-s
Thermal Arc 161 and 300
MM210
Dialarc
Tried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
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cj737
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If you crank up the frequency, the etch zone will be thinner as the arc narrows.
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cj737 wrote:If you crank up the frequency, the etch zone will be thinner as the arc narrows.
Correct me if I get it wrong, but I don't believe any syncrowave 250 will have adjustable frequency output?

Pretty sure that's only on an inverter based machine.
Dave J.

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~

Syncro 350
Invertec v250-s
Thermal Arc 161 and 300
MM210
Dialarc
Tried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
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Tbottwelds
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Correct it's set to 60Hz so nothing I can do there
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I usually weld 6061 aluminum with a balance of 7 or 8 assuming it is cleaned well before hand. start there
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cj737
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MinnesotaDave wrote:
cj737 wrote:If you crank up the frequency, the etch zone will be thinner as the arc narrows.
Correct me if I get it wrong, but I don't believe any syncrowave 250 will have adjustable frequency output?

Pretty sure that's only on an inverter based machine.
You are not, I am unaware. ;) (I did say, "if you...")
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You can switch to number 5 standard collet body cup and run your gas flow at 10-15 cfh. Lower cfh and small cup helps narrow the etch zone. But you can also scotch brite it afterwards.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk
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