Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi all,
Just received my new Miller Dynasty 200 DX. Love this machine , it's leaps and bounds over my Eastwood 200 tig. I upgraded for a number of reasons but mainly because I am doing a lot of aluminum work, particularly anodized aluminum.
Just curious to what settings anyone else is using for schedule 40 anodized i.e. A/C balance, High freq. etc. I am mostly welding 1'' tubing. I have been getting good welds but a little on the grainy side in the weld bead. Everything is very clean. Thanks.
Geoff

post up the rest of your equipment. Torch? Cup/collet size/style? Tungsten type size? Filler rod alloy and diameter?

Oops sorry. #7 cup, wp17 air cooled torch, 3/32 ceriated tungsten 4043 3/32 filler rod

Have you tried 5356 filler? I read that it is less grainy due to less silicon. I have some, but have yet to use it, lol.

4043 can be anodized after welding (for applications such as aluminum door and window jambs, etc) 5356 cannot.

How this info may affect your welding of tubing that has been anodized before you get your hands on it, I have no idea.

One good baseline thing to do, in my never humble opinion, is to set your AC bal at 60. Same as a standard transformer machine. When you're trying to gunsight your settings, it takes one variable out.

The AC Freq is, in a general sort of way, going to widen or narrow your bead. Variables such as amperage, arc length and AC bal interact with this and change the results you'll get.

If you're trying to baseline something, head for the middle, adjust one thing at a time, and make notes.

The smaller the tubing or pipe, the more your argon slips around it and goes away. If your beads are grainy but shiny all around, with 4043 that's decent. 5356 may produce a shinier bead without graininess, but then you have to know what's up with your anodizing situation.

Ceriated would not be my first choice for heavier walled aluminum work, but that's an opinion. 2% Thor, 2% Lan or even (blasphemy, I know) Pure would be my choices, in descending order of favor.

Ah yes, forgot about the anodizing requirement. 4043 it is, lol

"4043 should not be used if you are considering the best color match after post weld anodizing, as this filler alloy will typically turn dark gray in color after the anodizing process. 5356 will provide a much closer color match after anodizing"

from esab page.

http://www.esabna.com/us/en/education/b ... -alloy.cfm

nothing like internet feed back...

I was just going to say that that is completely backwards and should be disregarded if you don't flip 5356 & 4043.

Also, set your balance at 50/50 and your frequency at 60hz if you are trying to eliminate variables as newschoppafowah suggested.

GreinTime wrote:Also, set your balance at 50/50 and your frequency at 60hz if you are trying to eliminate variables as newschoppafowah suggested.

Disagree with balance setting. Set it to about 75% penetration. Even better do a factory reset and don't mess with anything. The factory values are pretty good place to start. That advice from a friend with 10 of thousands of hours on the dynasty machines in his shop

I was just correcting newschoppafowah in his previous statement. He said set the balance to 60 "same as a standard transformer machine". I was just pointing out that that is incorrect. Not that it was the best, but it does serve purpose to eliminate variables if you are used to welding with a transformer.