Welding Tips and Tricks

I just tried aluminum welding and well it sucked. My gas lens is very dirty and I think that I am burning up to much tungston. The aluminum was 1/8 thick, welder set on A/C and I can melt aluminum with the best. My work piece has black soot on it. The first piece was ok but it just got worse. Also if the shop is to cold would that be my problem.

What type of shielding gas are you using? Whats your flow rate? And yeah it could be just a dirty gas lens, but it would have to be pretty darn dirty. And No its not because the shop is too cold. Although it wouldn't hurt to preheat any aluminum over 1/4".

The aluminum is only 1/8 and the gas is Argon. the flow rate is 18 cfh. I have tried higher flow rates to 30 and lower to 12 CFH. They aluminium I am using is a angle and I don't know what type it is. I have changed my pinout to 3/16 and I cleaned up my gas lens. I have tried different amperages from 75 amps to 105. If I just make a puddle and move pretty quick I can weld two pieces together but if I try and put the filler rod in it just cools the puddle and pulls the aluminum out. The shorter pinout seems to have stopped the tungston from buring up. Now
I know I am not supposed to use a carbon steel brush but I haven't got into town to ge a stainless one yet. Would this be my problem? It is just a thought and I might need to slap myself.

Also I am using a 4043 filler rod.

This is a picture of the material. I know I am doing something stupid but what? I even sanded it wit my sander.

I just tried my first TIGing aluminum for the first time last week so I'm a beginner, too. I noticed that when I touch the tungsten to the work, I get the black soot and have to cut off and re-grind the tungsten and wire brush with a SS brush. I read you can use scotch-brite pads to clean, also.

That aluminum also looks more like 1/4" than 1/8". I haven't tried 1/4" yet but with 1/8", I have the gas flow at 7 Lpm/15 cfh. The tungsten is about 1/4-5/16" out and the amp is set about 85-100 cuz I'm still learning to play with the foot peddle. I also found the AC balance will melt/ball the tungsten if it's set too far to the + side(cleaning side)

This site rocks, I've improved my mig welding just from reading Jody's techniques. TIGing aluminum seems to be very simple as long as you get the settings right and get the right coordination and timing in adding rod and moving along at a steady pace. Right now, I getting 1 out of 10 evenly spaced beads. So many things can change the optimum settings. Keeping the tungsten ball small seems to work best for me but when it balls into a big blob without me noticing, the puddle spreads out too big.

It's all fun learning all the intricacies.


Charlie

I believe Charlie is right that is 1/4" in the picture. I think you just need more heat. I would set the tungsten flush with the cup and turn it up to at least 170 amps. The black soot is from touching the tungsten to the work or the filler.

No actualy that is 1/16 inch. it was just the way I had it sitting on two pieces of steel. But I turned down the amps and it flowed better. I now have a larger piece of 1/8 inch, which I measured this time (obviusly too old and too blind). I will get a stainless steel brush and clean the aluminum. Then I will try again.


Thanks Guys.