Aluminum Tiging

[Speedddy]

You have to get the heat up so you can see the puddle turn white.Rule of thumb get your puddle twice the size of your rod.Dip the wire in the puddle drag the puddle about 1/8" and dip the wire again.One thing to practice is on a long pc of wire working your fingers so the wire move outward from your hand.After you learn it mark you line with soapstone on your table.put your hand on the end of the line try to make the wire travel down the line with out the tip moving off the line.after you get the step down try welding.If your going to weld 1/4 plate Use 1/8 pure tungstein the one with the green on one end.Most people want a ball on the end.This isn't always the best practice.If you start out with sharp pc you have more control over your heat,puddle. I set my reg on around 20 if indoors.I use to teach welding a tec collage for 3 years 2 of us had 60 students.I learned my son how to weld alum in 4 nights.He picked it up really fast.Some welders on here are rude and have no respect for someone learning.Sorry if I make any welder mad .I just call it as I see it on this web page.I hope this helps you it's a good practice tool.

[fun4now]

Speedddy
welcome to the site.
not trying to be rude, but he has an inverter, as such pure tungsten is not the recomended choice for the welder.cerated or lanthanated would be his best option.

[Speedddy]

You are correct For some reason I thought he had dx 250 Here . Selecting Tungsten Electrode (Wear Clean gloves To Prevent Contamination Of Tungsten)
Amperage Range - Gas Type♦ - Polarity
Electrode Diameter (DCEN) − Argon
Direct Current Electrode Negative
(For Use With Mild Or Stainless Steel)
AC − Argon
Balance Control @ 65% Electrode Negative
(For Use With Aluminum)
2% Ceria (Orange Band), 1.5% Lanthanum (Gray Band), Or 2% Thorium (Red Band) Alloy Tungstens
.010” (1 mm) Up to 25 Up tp 20
.020” (1 mm) 15-40 15-35
.040” (1 mm) 25-85 20-80
1/16” (1.6 mm) 50-160 50-150
3/32” (2.4 mm) 135-235 130-250
1/8” (3.2 mm) 250-400 225-360
5/32” (4.0 mm) 400-500 300-450
3/16” (4.8 mm) 500-750 400-500
1/4” (6.4 mm) 750-1000 600-800
♦Typical argon shielding gas flow rates are 11 to 35 cfh (cubic feet per hour).
Figures listed are a guide and are a composite of recommendations from American Welding Society (AWS) and electrode manufacturers

[journeyman]

why is pure tung not the best on an inverter

[journeyman]

I've got the training and nothing bothers me more than to see some former mechanic/truck driver turned welder pulling an attitude when some guy just needs a little help. The guys are just trying to learn.

Even though a back ground of mechanic/truck driver hardly qualifies anyone as a expert[black wolf] you seem to be forgetting that even you where a novice once and I'm sure you asked questions too.

So I share the feeling of our fellow tradesman/hobbiests that you need to lose the attitude or go to another domain:

[fun4now]

journeyman why is pure tung not the best on an inverter
the inverters work better with pointed tungstens. the pure will need more amp's to get the same job done and you lose the advantage of having an inverter. it can be used its just not the best choice, and balling it is bad for the welder. a lanthanated or cerated Tungsten ground to a point ( with or without a small flat) is going to give you the best results with an inverter.

kinda like saying you can run a dragster on just standard pump gas yea it could be done, but not to likely to see it on race day.

[migman69]

my buddy at work welds al using ac tig he sharpens the tungsten to a point and it keeps its point after being heated up every once in a while he has to resharpen it though. he gets great results. he uses al filler metal, not sure the thickness or current or anything. By the way he is certified and a state certified welder in the state of tn and virgina. just my 2 cents

[c wagner]

What Alloy of Aluminum? 6061
What Allow filler metal? the only one they sell around here.
What Diameter filler metal? 3/32

You mentioned in your first post you were welding 1/4" alum., I would probably be using 1/8" filler metal on 1/4" material. Practice and expermentation are your friends... oh ya and all of us on this great forum!

[journeyman]

thanks fun4now

[Steve]

I can say the only problems I have with tungsten are self induced by me. I sometimes dip the tung into the metal, or at one time or another run the filler into the tung, and other times run the tung into the filler as I'm welding along. A matter of coordinating the hands and feet I reckon. I have seen a lot of posts about tungsten and the lanth and cerat keep popping up.
So when I return to work I''l get a stick of each from the LWS and give them a try before we really get started. The machine I have is a Lincoln Squarewave 175. The only adjustable setting is current.
I may be old and crotchity but if you beat the dog enough I would learn to stay away from the stick. Merry Christmas.