Anyone have a go to tungsten flavour for welding, oh about 1/16-1/8 wall aluminum tubing? I only had thoriated on hand since I only recently got my Lincoln square wave 200. Thoriated doesn’t seem too popular for alu and I can see why
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
I found a new 3/32 green band (pure?) in a box of parts and tried it for the heck of it. It balled up nicely, but I still seemed to have very good control of the puddle IF I could actually get the arc started!!!! I was worried my machine was faulty, it would take sometimes 10 tries before the arc initiated. Switched back to thoriated and started perfectly every time, but it deformed quickly, grew warts etc
I’m doing more and more alu welding, and I’m all out of tungsten beside thoriated.
I know Jody likes 2% lanth as a “do all” tungsten. Is there a better option if you’re doing JUST aluminum?
Do you want the tungsten to ball? Or was that with older transformer machines...
At what amps would you consider going to 1/8 electrode?
And is there an advantage to using a gas lens on alu? Since there’s no trying to limit discolouration..
Sorry for all the questions
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif)
Thanks for any help!