My 2nd Try At Aluminum Your Thoughts ?

[Mountain Metal]

I am taking a TIG welding course at the University I am really enjoying it ! this is my 2nd try at aluminum it getting better but I have a long way to go.

The first attempt was scary.


Give it to me straight what should I be doing ?

The Instuctor is Great, He is very helpful.

I just wanted some more ideas of what I I need to do to improve.

I am trying diffrent setting to see how it changes things Freq & balance

These plates were done quickly no cooling They warped pretty badly.

3/32 Aluminum
Dynasty 200DX
105-120 Amps
1/16 Pure Tungston
3/32 Rod 4043
Balance 65% en
140HZ Freq
Argon 15 CFH

Any tips on the set up for 3/32 Aluminum ?

[SundownIII]

Not bad for your second go at aluminum.

Consistency comes with practice. Aluminum likes to be run hot and fast.

Biggest thing I'd recommend is "lose the pure tungsten" on an inverter. The Dynasty 200 will perform better with Ceriated or 2% Lanthanated tungsten. Miller does not recommend the use of pure with the Dynasty's.

If you're using 3/32 filler, I'd recommend moving up to the 3/32 tungsten for AC welding. May also want to try increasing the balance to 75-80% if the material is clean. You want the etch zone (from the cleaning) to extend just past the puddle.

May also try dropping the HZ back to about 120 for the coupons you're running.

[just_a_girl]

Not bad for your second go at aluminum.

Consistency comes with practice. Aluminum likes to be run hot and fast.

Biggest thing I'd recommend is "lose the pure tungsten" on an inverter. The Dynasty 200 will perform better with Ceriated or 2% Lanthanated tungsten. Miller does not recommend the use of pure with the Dynasty's.

If you're using 3/32 filler, I'd recommend moving up to the 3/32 tungsten for AC welding. May also want to try increasing the balance to 75-80% if the material is clean. You want the etch zone (from the cleaning) to extend just past the puddle.

May also try dropping the HZ back to about 120 for the coupons you're running.

Well said. I couldn't agree more

[con_fuse9]

May I also suggest you draw a line and follow that. Make sure your torch hand slides easily along that line. I find that what I think is a perfectly straight and parallel line under the hood is a meandering trail once everything is cooled down.

As for frequency. Somethings not right. Running higher frequency tends to get better penetration and ultimately narrower bead. I would think with beads that wide you would have had burn through. With higher frequency I find the sweet spot as far as power goes is tougher to maintain. Puddle goes from too small to burn through to easily. I find run 60Hz, or 80Hz much more forgiving (at least on the thin stuff). This is purely from my observation - and I'm no expert, just an experimenter - with a few small home projects under my belt.