Welding Tips and Tricks

I have a miller 252 with the aluminum package I use it to do small things around the shop. We started to make an aluminum frames for a table but can't get the weld to clean up. I've been to two different welding supply places and had a tech come to the shop with no answers. The setup we are using
3/16" 6061
100% Argon 35cfm
.035 5356 Lincoln super glaze
23-24 v
460 wfs
Stainless steel wire brush clean w/ alcohol wipe
And I am pushing the puddle at about 10-15 degrees

Any help would be greatly appreciated

1371, welcome to the forum.

Nova1371 wrote:I have a miller 252 with the aluminum package I use it to do small things around the shop. We started to make an aluminum frames for a table but can't get the weld to clean up. I've been to two different welding supply places and had a tech come to the shop with no answers. The setup we are using
3/16" 6061
100% Argon 35cfm
.035 5356 Lincoln super glaze
23-24 v
460 wfs
Stainless steel wire brush clean w/ alcohol wipe
And I am pushing the puddle at about 10-15 degrees

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Hey welcome to the forum.
With 5356 you're going to get soot around the weld no matter what. With 4043 you can get soot free welds. But the magnesium, if I remember right, makes it soot badly. Your weld itself is shiny though, which means you have the correct push angle. If the weld itself is dark and sooty you have a bad angle.

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I agree, so long as the weld bead has the appropriate penetration, and is clean, is what matters. The soot can be removed mechanically. This was just discussed on welding web as well, coincidentally: http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?69 ... n-aluminum

Thanks for the help guys. After going back to the welding store and changing out guns with the same results we decided to change wire to 4043 and got a much cleaner weld. The tech did find the grounding plate in the gun didn't have any tension on it so he changed that out but not sure of it had anything to do with it.

I've never done aluminum MIG so i'm out of my depth, but- the OP gave 35 cfm as the argon rate. That seems high- is 35 in the right range?

(I checked the Miller weld calculator but it didn't give a flow rate.)

Artie F. Emm wrote:I've never done aluminum MIG so i'm out of my depth, but- the OP gave 35 cfm as the argon rate. That seems high- is 35 in the right range?

(I checked the Miller weld calculator but it didn't give a flow rate.)

Yep, that's right in the ballpark. The last time I saw an actual WPS for aluminum MIG, the range for a 1/2" nozzle was 30-50 cfh, if I recall correctly. I know that sounds like a lot of gas compared to aluminum TIG, but the speed difference makes it up. BTW, since our customers end up paying for the gas I use, I'll go as much as 35 cfh on TIG if I'm dealing with a draft, or some thick material that's pushing my tungsten to it's limit.

Steve