[Millerismyname]

Tacking up the neck on a fixture

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Top of tank

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What do you guys think about this? 6" alum pipe with two .080 caps and a neck in the middle...130 amps, 150hz, 70%eneg controlled with a foot pedal on a homemade turntable. Been tig weldin aluminum for 3 months and welding and fabricating about 2 1/2 years.

[Rick_H]

I'd say....looks pretty damn good.

[Millerismyname]

this was 3 months ago I call it my starting point

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Thanks Rick! It took me awhile to get it where it looks like that, if I welded for a living I'm sure I could have shortened the amount of time it took. Also, I was using a #8 cup with a stubby 3/32 gas lens with 2% lanthanated tungsten. If this helps anyone I've found that amperage and travel speed are the biggest issue with aluminum(to me) and don't be afraid to push that pedal down, a cold aluminum weld looks like fidos butt! I had a lot of bad welds because I didn't put enough heat in the puddle.

[Otto Nobedder]

Okay, here's where the

"LIKE" button applies.

That's a very nice finished product, and THANK YOU for posting the early attempt for comparison.

Steve S

[MinnesotaDave]

Very nice work

Homemade turntable? Powered? Got pics?

[TamJeff]

Nice!

[GlenC]

Nicely done!!

I second the request for information on the turn table....

[Millerismyname]

Internals

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Outer shell was from a old miller

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So there is the homemade turntable, it's a pneumatic motor with a belt that turns a pulley which turns a shaft that's connected to a piece of 1/2" aluminum plate that has been drilled out. It's rather simple and very effective. Any box with wheels could be used that just what I had available to me, the motor is around 150 from McMaster and the rest of the stuff was just scrap yards and old equipment.

[MinnesotaDave]

Ah, an air drive motor

I had not considered that air could be a good choice due to adjustable air flow - cool

[Superiorwelding]

I never considered that either, good to keep tucked away.
-Jonathan

[motox]

do you control the speed with a foot pedal?

[Millerismyname]

You can adjust the speed with your foot, and I do sometimes but it's really touchy. The best way I've found that works is just setting the speed with the inline air adjustment knob and speed up or slow down accordingly.

[mcoe]

That is a very nice design! Looks like it works good.

[TRACKRANGER]

Count me in on the list of people impressed with that weld job. Really nice!

[motox]

i agree nice tool, great welds