Welding Tips and Tricks

I just started tig welding aluminum and I cannot figure out what I'm doing wrong. The machine is an ahp alpha tig 200x and the setting I've been using are 150 amps, 3/32 blue tungsten, 25 scfh of argon, 120hz and 35% ac balance. I have just been trying to practice on some 4043 1/8 flat bar. As soon as I light the arc no puddle forms and the whole piece of metal melts. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong. I'll attach a picture below. Thanks.

Honestly, it looks like you're welding DC.

Also, such small piece will heat saturate quickly so you need to back off the current a lot when it start melting.

6061 ? or hardware store special.

rick9345 wrote:6061 ? or hardware store special.

Hardware store special

I've seen 3000 series aluminum behave like that too. It's a major PITA to weld.

I don't think it's a welding on DC issue... I think your amperage might just be way too high... Or you got some crazy weird aluminum... Try taking a stainless brush and scrub the crab out of it, acetone wipe it really well.

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25 cfh argon is high, isn't it? i recall reading that too high a flow rate can draw in ambient atmosphere and contaminate the weld. The Miller weld calculator can provide the proper flow rate.

Also, some flow meters are graduated in liters per minute, rather than cubic ft per hour.

I wonder if its some kind of off/on setting where he is getting all 150 amps at the start. I dont know that machine at all.

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Artie F. Emm wrote:25 cfh argon is high, isn't it? i recall reading that too high a flow rate can draw in ambient atmosphere and contaminate the weld. The Miller weld calculator can provide the proper flow rate.

Also, some flow meters are graduated in liters per minute, rather than cubic ft per hour.

Most the guys at my work weld at 25 cfh on aluminum I'm around 15 but it works for them. It'll just be a duller looking weld not as shiny.


When you're welding do you hear an annoying buzz? Or does it sound the same as when you're welding steel?

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5th Street Fab wrote:

Artie F. Emm wrote:25 cfh argon is high, isn't it? i recall reading that too high a flow rate can draw in ambient atmosphere and contaminate the weld. The Miller weld calculator can provide the proper flow rate.

Also, some flow meters are graduated in liters per minute, rather than cubic ft per hour.

Most the guys at my work weld at 25 cfh on aluminum I'm around 15 but it works for them. It'll just be a duller looking weld not as shiny.


When you're welding do you hear an annoying buzz? Or does it sound the same as when you're welding steel?

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I know I'm on ac not dc cause I can change the frequency and it sounds different each time