Welding Tips and Tricks

Can anyone help, I'm new to tig and need to know what connection the earth should go to, positive or negative?
I'm trying to weld aluminium using AC current.
should the earth cable be pushed into the positive Dinse or the negative Dinse connector, I have both????
Thank You
best regards.
Chris.

Hey mate, your tig will always need to be hooked up electrode negative. Even though the polarity changes, the AC balance is wired to work that Way, get it backwards and the dial will work oposite to its markings.

Mick

Thanks Mike. I'll crack on now with my project, I didn't want to mess my Tig up.
It's great to have experience like yours available and I really appreciate it.
Regards.
Chris.

Chris welcome to the forum.

Welcome
Like to see tenitive steps as new welder.
Excellant advice available this site.
JUST ASK

Thanks Guys, Jodie has been my inspiration and I cannot thank him enough for all he does and gives.
Now I have someone to answer my questions I will hopefully progress from my Mig to Tig.
I'm hooked on welding and try to make / repair whatever I can.
My grandson of two years has been calling me " Da-Bix" which was strange for a while until we decoded it!
Da = Grandad
Bix = fix it.
A nickname is born.
Thanks again.

Da-Bix wrote: Da = Grandad
Bix = fix it.
A nickname is born.

Of all the odd, varied, and original screen names here, I think yours in now my favorite.

Welcome.

Steve S

Hi Guys.
Now you have all helped me to get going I have another question.
I'm welding practise beads on new aluminium , it's a nice chunk of 3/16".
Things are going ok but not great.
I am using a gas lens, Number 7 cup.
I'm struggling to get a nice shiny puddle and it looks like fido's butt then all of a sudden with no changes I get the puddle!
Could I have a dodgy gas lens? Should I go back to normal tig torch and give that a whirl?
I have followed Jody's tips and got the balance set to more cleaning action plus I've tried changing the balance with no improvement.
What's the starting point to lay practice beads on the sheet?
Amps, frequency, balance and cfm would help me to get rolling.
I have frequency and balance on my tig?
When I get the wet puddle I can get the torch angle, stick out and filler rod going nicely.
Can anyone give me some advice please.
Thank you
Chris.

Me personally, I use only as much cleaning action as needed. If your welding on aluminum that has been used, its dirty, you have to clean really good before hand, then use more cleaning action. If it's new, give it a wipe with acetone, brush with a dedicated stainless steel brush, then acetone wipe again.
As for your gas, the lens should be fine. I run about 20 cfh on everything.
If your using a foot pedal I'd set max amps to about 130-140, you can start out a little hot getting things going, then back off as the material heats up.
90-120 is a good starting point on the frequency.

I'm used to 1/8 4043, so that's what I went off of. If your using smaller filler just back your amps down some.

Da-Bix wrote:Hi Guys.
Now you have all helped me to get going I have another question.
I'm welding practise beads on new aluminium , it's a nice chunk of 3/16".
Things are going ok but not great.
I am using a gas lens, Number 7 cup.
I'm struggling to get a nice shiny puddle and it looks like fido's butt then all of a sudden with no changes I get the puddle!
Could I have a dodgy gas lens? Should I go back to normal tig torch and give that a whirl?
I have followed Jody's tips and got the balance set to more cleaning action plus I've tried changing the balance with no improvement.
What's the starting point to lay practice beads on the sheet?
Amps, frequency, balance and cfm would help me to get rolling.
I have frequency and balance on my tig?
When I get the wet puddle I can get the torch angle, stick out and filler rod going nicely.
Can anyone give me some advice please.
Thank you
Chris.

3/16" sheet takes a lot of amps - how much are you running?

What is your argon flow rate, size and type of tungsten?

On my old school, non-adjustable machine:
I set the max amps anywhere from 200-230 amps.
Get a nice puddle going in 3 seconds or less (that's how you know you're using enough amps).
1/8" thoriated or pure (neither work very well for a new fancy machine though)
20cfh normally for me.

Looking at your replies gents, it would appear that I am probably not getting it clean enough, I'm using too big filler rod and not enough amps, I was using 12-15cfm and I will turn that up that too. It's brand new Ali but been kicked around the shop a while.
I'll have another go, I got most of it wrong!!!!!
I cannot thank you all enough.
Regards.
Chris

Forgot to mention, I'm using 2% lanthanated 2.4mm tungsten.

Da-Bix,

"Clean" is a bit overrated, but while learning, yes, treat it like surgury. You'll learn with experience how clean any particular metal must be.

The 2.4mm Lanthanated is a good choice for ANY machine.

MNDave's advice is spot-on. For metal you've put real effort into cleaning/grinding, set your balance WAY toward penetration, away from cleaning. I always start aluminum, even thin stuff, with the machine set at 250-300 Amps, so I can establish a puddle tieing the pieces together almost immediately, even if I'm welding at 30 Amps once everything is hot. The same is true for padding beads on plate. Get that metal hot, right now, then back off the pedal as you advance (as the heat will spread and move ahead of you).

Steve S

Hi gents,
Thanks for the advice.
The Material I've got to practice on is a new piece the I scrounged from a truck body builder, bright and shiny.
I don't have the luxury of a foot pedal, I've checked with my dealer and my tig won't run one.
I will try changes from your recommendations and have another go.
I'm using 2% lanthanated tungsten, how should that be sharpened and what size filler rod would be best.
I'm determined to get this right now I've got you guys pointing me in the right direction.
Regards and thank you.
Chris

Chris,

Aluminum is a pain in the A$$ without remote amperage control. It's not impossible, though.

You're stuck with an amperage that's not hot enough for a good start, hot enough that you have to work as the heat soaks ahead of your bead, and way too hot for the finish (especially if you're trying to end at an edge, so if an edge is involved, start there...). Look for an amperage that establishes your puddle at the end of the 3-second recomendation MNDave made, and maybe allow four seconds, but expect a dirty start (pepper in the puddle), and be prepared to accelerate after the first four or five dabs of rod, until you're moving at "Jody" speed, and be ready to break off fast at the finish, wait a second, and hit the crater you just made with a burst of power and a big dab of rod.

If you can master this, and make attractive welds, moving up to a machine WITH remote amp control will make you an artist.

Steve S