Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi guys,
New here and new to TIG welding.
I have a unimig 200 inverter.

On my first attempts, the filler rod drips before I get it anywhere near the puddle.

I have a footpedal and even if I set max amps to only 10 on the machine itself and also wind the dial right back on this footpedal itself, this still happens no matter where the footpedal is depressed.

I've tried without footpedal and same thing happens.

Also, puddle is really really wide even at what I think is minimum settings...like 12mm+

Tungsten is also blue'ing quite noticeably...should it be doing this?

Using a no7 cup gas about 10-12'
1/16th tip

Aluminium is about 4mm thick X 40mm wide and 100mm long

I have earth connected directly to the metal I am welding (wooden bench)

hi.
sorry your post didn't show up for a while. hopefully this will bump it up.

have you tig welded steel?
if not best to start with that. its a little easier than aluminium.

main reason for filler melting is torch angle. needs to be a lot more upright.
then its torch height. to high will make a big arc which will melt filler before you can get it close.
aluminium is a bit different to steel in that you need to keep the filler away from the arc so it doesn't pre heat between daps. with steel you keep the filler shielded, with aluminium you don't.

your tungsten is way to thin. start with a 3/32" 2.4mm or 1/8" 3mm.
bluing is probably the post flow gas setting not on long enough. as aluminium uses more amps and uses alternating current, it heats the hell out of the tungsten, so it takes longer for it to cool down, so you need longer shielding after the weld is finished.

If you need to weld on a wooden bench, at least try to get some scrap metal underneath the part. Otherwise, you'll be charring and smoking the wood before you know it.

Keep a tight arc with AL. This will greatly help to prevent the rod from melting away. When you think it is as tight as it can get, make it a little tighter. And also get ready to grind. You'll dip your tungsten 100 times before you get the muscle memory just right for a tight arc without dipping. If you're not grinding a lot when learning to weld AL, then you're doing it wrong. Keep that arc tight.

The more you can share about your settings, the better advice you'll get...so anything you can think of might help.

For AC aluminum 4mm thick you should have the machine set to something in the 150-180A range and higher is better than lower as long as you're using a pedal and can back off as soon as the puddle gets started. If you don't have enough amps to get a puddle started in 1-2 seconds you will wind up putting too much heat into the work and that makes it very hard to get decent results. That could be the cause of the wide puddle as well...it's simply too hot to freeze quickly which normally happens when you add a dab of filler.

Besides torch angle you can melt the filler rod if you keep it too close to the torch between dabs. You want it in the gas coverage zone, but not so close it melts. The gas coverage zone is pretty generous so you can move the filler out a bit and be fine.

Try using the pedal, set the machine for 180A, set the frequency at 100Hz if it's adjustable, and set the AC balance for 25% positive. For a #7 cup you should try to have around 15CFH and adjust the post-flow until the tungsten stays silver after you stop....try 10S at first and see what happens.

G-ManBart wrote: You want it in the gas coverage zone, but not so close it melts. The gas coverage zone is pretty generous so you can move the filler out a bit and be fine.

not required with aluminium. the filler is already oxidized, leaving it out of the gas coverage won't change that.
this is why you can use small small cups. people use right down to 4. only need the gas coverage to cover the puddle.
5 is a good cup size that works well.

try running beads before adding filler. Develop muscle memory and "learn" the workings of the torch and machine. Once you get comfortable running beads then start adding filler. When running beads you only want to "peak" at the tungsten/material connection. The torch is almost perpendicular to the material and you want to push the puddle. make sure the material is clean with a stainless steel brush as the oxidation layer melts at a much higher temp than the material itself.
clean, clean, clean --- practice, practice, practice.

tweake wrote:main reason for filler melting is torch angle. needs to be a lot more upright.
then its torch height. to high will make a big arc which will melt filler before you can get it close.

This pretty much sums it up. Torch angle, torch angle,and torch angle. You have to aim the torch at the part, and you're laying it almost flat and horizontal, even if you don't think you are. The heat goes where you aim the torch. Straight AT the part is the way you should be aiming, and if not 90 deg, as close as possible to it.

When I show people how to TIG, it's almost always I have to re-tell them time and time again, hold the torch steeper. There's a tendency to hold it so you can see everything, but that's wrong. Get your head to the side if you must see, and aim the torch at the part.

tweake wrote:

G-ManBart wrote: You want it in the gas coverage zone, but not so close it melts. The gas coverage zone is pretty generous so you can move the filler out a bit and be fine.

not required with aluminium. the filler is already oxidized, leaving it out of the gas coverage won't change that.
this is why you can use small small cups. people use right down to 4. only need the gas coverage to cover the puddle.
5 is a good cup size that works well.

It's not required, but for someone just learning TIG it's a lot easier to practice one technique that will work regardless of material rather than suddenly have to change things if he switches to another material. I was just suggesting to make sure he didn't have the filler too close, which some people do without realizing it's wrong.

G-ManBart wrote: It's not required, but for someone just learning TIG it's a lot easier to practice one technique that will work regardless of material rather than suddenly have to change things if he switches to another material. I was just suggesting to make sure he didn't have the filler too close, which some people do without realizing it's wrong.

i know what you mean. i tend to have that issue but the other way round as i've done far more aluminium than stainless so i tend to leave stainless rod out a bit.

however there is so much thats different anyway i don't think its a big deal, unless your learning on aluminium which i don't advise.

Torch angle is big but so is your wire angle. If you’re coming in to high it can tend to ball up and drop in. Be more deliberate with your motion of adding the wire. I’d recommend a stabbing motion where you stick in and pull right back out. Once you e got that you can try leaving the wire closer and sipping it down more frequently. Welding is a combination of heat and speed. Once you get that figured out you can as the wire as often as you’d like and the weld easily accepts the wire. Heat and speed. You can travel fast or slow as long as you’re getting the results you want. Too often I see people running across the weld because they’re scared Of being in it to long. Take you’re time and get your fundamentals down and your speed will increase on its own. Relax, loosen up and don’t choke to torch. Above all else just keep on welding