brianstackpole11 wrote:I'm doing a bunch of aluminum cabinets. Any tips for running tig on the joints?
I like to use a #5 cup for corner joints. About 9CFH. If your machine will adjust the frequency, I run 150Hz to narrow the cone.
Prop your torch hand on the vertical, filler hand on the horizontal (if you're running a corner horizontally). Or opposite sides if vertical. This keeps your hands equidsitant to the joint. I tend to run 65% balance for best results.
brianstackpole11 wrote:I'm doing a bunch of aluminum cabinets. Any tips for running tig on the joints?
There are lots of tips, but unfortunately you've told us practically nothing about the projects, aside from the kind of metal being welded. TIG is so involved, you need to be very very very specific. We also have no idea on your level of expertise in welding in general nor TIG welding. To put it simply, EVERYTHING matters in TIG welding. If you would be so kind as to please put the time, effort, and courtesy, so that those who are willing to help you on their free time, don't end up wasting it since they can't get it back.
Oscar wrote:
There are lots of tips, but unfortunately you've told us practically nothing about the projects, aside from the kind of metal being welded. TIG is so involved, you need to be very very very specific.
The only spec missing is thickness of the material in order to make recommendations on amperage. Everything else is pretty much "standard" for an aluminum cabinet. Only when you don't know how do you need all the superfluous data.
Oscar wrote:
There are lots of tips, but unfortunately you've told us practically nothing about the projects, aside from the kind of metal being welded. TIG is so involved, you need to be very very very specific.
The only spec missing is thickness of the material in order to make recommendations on amperage. Everything else is pretty much "standard" for an aluminum cabinet. Only when you don't know how do you need all the superfluous data.
cj737 wrote:Welds look so much better. Good heat, wetted toes.
On a couple fo your welds, you will notice a crater at the end of the weld. Learn to rotate the gun back into the puddle right at the end to "fill" that crater before shutting off the arc. Craters will create stress cracks.
Now you just need to develop some rhythm and motion habits. Make small reversed Cs when you "pull" MIG. Touching each side or edge of the weldment. This insures you're getting equal heat to both sides and nice tie-ins.
Amazing what a bit of polarity can do for you, huh?
If there is a smooth edge between the weld and the base metal. Then that’s wetted, IE looks like it was cleanly blended indecernable height difference between the edges. If an edge has a cut looking edge it would be considered under cut, like there was metal cut or gouged away at the meeting point. If the weld over lapped, was raised above, then that would be cold lap. Each is an indication of different issues, depending on variables, weld process, or metals involved.