Welding Tips and Tricks

So I'm welding 1/4 inch aluminum but I only have 3/32 tungsten is that fine? Or would it be better to use 1/8 tungsten ?

On my machines I would definitely be using 1/8" tungsten to weld 1/4" AL. However, depending on the specific welds you are doing and your setup (you didn't provide much info), you may be able to get by using 3/32" especially if you are able to keep the cleaning action quite low...as in 20% EP or less. You can also ball the electrode at 50/50 cleaning action on scrap for a couple seconds before you start welding to get some additional amperage out of the tungsten.

Only one way to find out.

Wildwelder96 wrote:So I'm welding 1/4 inch aluminum but I only have 3/32 tungsten is that fine? Or would it be better to use 1/8 tungsten ?

i get the impression you havn't checked how many amps is required.

just having a look at my chart here and it says for 1/4" (6.4mm) aluminium 260-320 amps with 3/16 (4.8mm) tungsten. i'm guessing that also means water cooled torch.

Wildwelder96 wrote:So I'm welding 1/4 inch aluminum but I only have 3/32 tungsten is that fine? Or would it be better to use 1/8 tungsten ?

Like Spartan said, "maybe". We don't have enough info from you. Is it possible? Yes. It is just as easily "impossible".

tweake wrote:just having a look at my chart here and it says for 1/4" (6.4mm) aluminium 260-320 amps with 3/16 (4.8mm) tungsten. i'm guessing that also means water cooled torch.

It most definitely doesn't require a 3/16" tungsten to weld ¼" aluminum, far from it. 260A+ is ideal for a quick travel speed, but you can definitely weld it with less than 260A.

How can you guys even answer him? He hasn't said what type of machine he has and/or how many amps it even has.

Until he provides more info, I don't see how you can even answer his question. Machine type, torch type, gas (argon, or helium/argon mix, or helium), etc...

For all anyone knows he's trying to weld on a 120v circuit.

People really need to be realistic asking some of these questions. Not trying to be a smart @$$, but let's get real. If you want an solid answer start coughing up some details rather than making people guess. Tungsten is merely one piece of the equation.

So far the answer is "maybe".

But to further add to this, in a couple other threads you mentioned you're using 3/32" Zirconiated. My welder manual says 3/32" Zirconiated is good for 100-160 amps on AC. Have you checked in your welder manual?

TraditionalToolworks wrote:How can you guys even answer him? He hasn't said what type of machine he has and/or how many amps it even has.

Until he provides more info, I don't see how you can even answer his question. Machine type, torch type, gas (argon, or helium/argon mix, or helium), etc...

For all anyone knows he's trying to weld on a 120v circuit.

People really need to be realistic asking some of these questions. Not trying to be a smart @$$, but let's get real. If you want an solid answer start coughing up some details rather than making people guess. Tungsten is merely one piece of the equation.

So far the answer is "maybe".

But to further add to this, in a couple other threads you mentioned you're using 3/32" Zirconiated. My welder manual says 3/32" Zirconiated is good for 100-160 amps on AC. Have you checked in your welder manual?

I totally agree. I tend to leave most of my answers for him very vague because he only posts very vague questions without hardly ever returning back for any kind of conversation. I mostly just answer in case others who are looking for answers to similar questions find the thread. A lot of the answers to his questions can be answered if he were to just watch Jody's videos on the subject.

Wildwelder96 wrote:So I'm welding 1/4 inch aluminum but I only have 3/32 tungsten is that fine? Or would it be better to use 1/8 tungsten ?

1/8” will be better no matter what brand machine you have. Whether or not your machine has enough amperage to weld 1/4” aluminum is another question.

Oscar wrote:
I totally agree. I tend to leave most of my answers for him very vague because he only posts very vague questions without hardly ever returning back....

Ha. Same here. I wanted to go into much more detail with my answer but intentionally didn’t because his question was so vague. Lazy question deserves a lazy answer. Not trying to be rude, but it’s true.

Spartan wrote:

Oscar wrote:
I totally agree. I tend to leave most of my answers for him very vague because he only posts very vague questions without hardly ever returning back....

Ha. Same here. I wanted to go into much more detail with my answer but intentionally didn’t because his question was so vague. Lazy question deserves a lazy answer. Not trying to be rude, but it’s true.

Couldn't have said it better myself. We're all here to help each other on our free time, un-compensated, so IMO the least someone who needs help can do, is explain themselves to the best of their ability out of common courtesy.

Someone should make a video on how to ask a question on a welding forum.

Oscar wrote: Someone should make a video on how to ask a question on a welding forum.

Ok Oscar, put that new camera to work!

LtBadd wrote:

Oscar wrote: Someone should make a video on how to ask a question on a welding forum.

Ok Oscar, put that new camera to work!

It's not the camera that makes it difficult, it's the video editing!

cj737 wrote:1/8” will be better no matter what brand machine you have. Whether or not your machine has enough amperage to weld 1/4” aluminum is another question.

I don't think the brand has much to do with it, but I think the type/process/amperage of the machine is very important here. Also what type of power being provided to the machine could be of importance also, if someone is using a machine on a 120v circuit as an example (see my comment above). Simply put, many machines could be incapable of welding 1/4" aluminum easily, as tweake pointed out. As I also pointed out, if he's using 3/32" Zirconiated, that could be a limiting factor.

Oscar wrote:A lot of the answers to his questions can be answered if he were to just watch Jody's videos on the subject.

I agree, he posted a message stating he had 3 AWS certs in stick welding, I would think that anyone with that amount of welding experience would be smart enough to figure out a simple answer on the size of tungsten.

Oscar wrote:Someone should make a video on how to ask a question on a welding forum.

This is unfortunately true, we have gotten to a point where people need guidance to ask a simple question on a welding forum, and not just guidance but a video that explains step-by-step what information to provide in order to get a pertinent answer.

IMO I believe we can bestow some understanding for those new to the discipline, not having a great depth of the subject means the information that seems so easy to grasp (to the experienced), is not so much for them, still we plug along.

Not trying to dis anyone just typing out loud

LtBadd wrote:IMO I believe we can bestow some understanding for those new to the discipline, not having a great depth of the subject means the information that seems so easy to grasp (to the experienced), is not so much for them, still we plug along.

Not trying to dis anyone just typing out loud

I agree, I've tried to give the OP the benefit of the doubt, but he's started several threads where he's received an answer from 1 or more people but doesn't appear to even acknowledge if they got the correct answer they were seeking. Oscar refers to these people as askholes.

That also goes for you Richard, answering his question about expired certs.

There's a famous story about a boy crying wolf which comes to mind.

Ok, I'm going out to contaminate some tungsten, something I'm an expert at, although I only contaminated 2 last night. I was reminded that leaving grinding dust on a section to re-weld can cause some pretty exciting fireworks with a clean tungsten. Some reminders are good to keep things fresh in one's mind.

Do y'all match your tungsten size with the same filler rod size? Because I have 1/8 tungsten but I only have 3/32 filler. Is that fine or is it better to match the tungsten and filler rod size?

Wildwelder96 wrote:Do y'all match your tungsten size with the same filler rod size? Because I have 1/8 tungsten but I only have 3/32 filler. Is that fine or is it better to match the tungsten and filler rod size?

Tungsten size has no relationship to filler size, the tungsten diameter is determined by the amperage you'll be welding at. Even then many will weld with a 3/32" tungsten at say <50 amps with .035" filler

Here is a chart showing amp range to tungsten dia.

Ok cool so I'll keep using my 1/8 tungsten and 3/32 filler