aluminum tigging

[livefast1]

i'm having trouble tigging aluminum. basically i'm getting alot of black contamination in my welds and they look somewhat porous sometimes. i set the balance down to like 6.0 on my miller syncrowave, run the gas up to 20 on the regulator. i try to prep the piece im welding pretty good and scrub it with a stainless brush. any other ideas guys?

[slammed98gmc]

what are you welding, what rods, what tungsten?

[T.J. 87-GT]

Yes more information would help. What material thickness are you welding. What amps. Your gas is too high. Bring it down to about 12 CFM. Pics would also help. They key to aliuminum is clean. Dedicated stainless toothbrush type. Then follow up with acetone. The other keys to alum. are fast and hot. If you are slow you will overheat the aluminum and cause that grainy looking weld. I like to get a puddle in less than 3 seconds when I hit the pedal and then move swiftly while dipping.
T.J.

[livefast1]

.065 sheet, i use a gray bottomed tungsten (forget what it is). wish i woulda took pics, i got a good 6-8 inch bead and then it kinda went to shit. honestly now that i think about it the areas i did well on i cleaned really well, i think thats my problem.

[jeepraider06]

If you have done any grinding on the alum. make sure you have used an alum. grinding wheel.  If you used a steel wheel that has been used on steel then you just contaminated your alum.  Also get some acid from your local welding shop that is for cleaning alum. its very important that the alum is very clean.  Also the using the hot and fast method is not always the way to go.  If you know what your doing then its different, but for someone that doesn't weld alum. every day then you need to get your heat and speed right.  Also make sure you are using the right filler rod for the alloy of alum. that you are welding on, this too is important.  Good luck and hope you can start getting some good looking welds.

[89coltgt]

If the weld was going fine, then you got some black contamination, you may have just contaminated the tungsten.

[stangman9897]

I use electronic contact cleaner in a spray can to clean before i weld as it cleans and leaves no residue. used it for years with no problem. I buy it at a computer parts store for 8.99 a can. works great on alum.

[slingblade]

as others have stated clean, clean, clean, acetone works ok for me, also while you are welding if you notice any color change in the ark you have contamination.

[livefast1]

think i got it, just prepped the metal really good and turned my balance more to cleaning action, moroso catch can $150, custom catch can $000000000 i win.

[El_Diablo]

your catch can just made me hungry, reminds me of a chippotle burrito

[livefast1]

mmmmm chipotle burrito 

[craigs]

Yes more information would help. What material thickness are you welding. What amps. Your gas is too high. Bring it down to about 12 CFM. Pics would also help. They key to aliuminum is clean. Dedicated stainless toothbrush type. Then follow up with acetone. The other keys to alum. are fast and hot. If you are slow you will overheat the aluminum and cause that grainy looking weld. I like to get a puddle in less than 3 seconds when I hit the pedal and then move swiftly while dipping.
T.J.

Im going to disagree with your technique here. When you form a puddle really fast, you are applying a lot of heat to a concentrated area of your work piece. As you move forward you will have to adjust your amperage (Down) due to the heat traveling through the material. For beginer to moderate welders, this can be a difficult process to master.
I prefer to start my arc with low amps and let the heat travel throughout the work piece creating even heat before forming my puddle. This will allow me to keep a constant weld bead and not having to adjust my heat up or down. This is more difficult with thicker materials, but then pre heating is another option

[10secgoal]

I'm not the best welder but it looks like you pulsed that, or your dabs are too far apart. You can see the craters are uncovered in the beads which can lead to cracking.

[craigs]

I'm not the best welder but it looks like you pulsed that, or your dabs are too far apart. You can see the craters are uncovered in the beads which can lead to cracking.

I don't pulse any of my welds.

[Donny B]

Looks good.
It is great how every body helps each other out here

[livefast1]

what do you guys set your balance at? i have read that the white surrounding the weld is the evidence of the cleaning action and most of you guys welds have alot of this. should i set my balance for even more cleaning action? i believe i have it at 5.5 on my syncrowave.

[Cruznlife1]

Also, the farther to cleaner the wider and shallower your puddle will be (I find that easier to control) but it balls the tungsten quickly (on my squarewave, I run orange at a point).... My Precision Tig has an auto setting, I crank it over to full cleaning, and get the best results like that, it doesnt burn through, is easier to control the heat, and seems to take the filler rod easier.

[tonym]

Im going to disagree with your technique here. When you form a puddle really fast, you are applying a lot of heat to a concentrated area of your work piece. As you move forward you will have to adjust your amperage (Down) due to the heat traveling through the material. For beginer to moderate welders, this can be a difficult process to master.
I prefer to start my arc with low amps and let the heat travel throughout the work piece creating even heat before forming my puddle. This will allow me to keep a constant weld bead and not having to adjust my heat up or down. This is more difficult with thicker materials, but then pre heating is another option

Not for nothing, TJ's weld look better than yours....

[T.J. 87-GT]

Im going to disagree with your technique here. When you form a puddle really fast, you are applying a lot of heat to a concentrated area of your work piece. As you move forward you will have to adjust your amperage (Down) due to the heat traveling through the material. For beginer to moderate welders, this can be a difficult process to master.
I prefer to start my arc with low amps and let the heat travel throughout the work piece creating even heat before forming my puddle. This will allow me to keep a constant weld bead and not having to adjust my heat up or down. This is more difficult with thicker materials, but then pre heating is another option

I hope you are going to pressure test that, cause it is going to leak. You have too much cleaning, you have craters, and too cold. Looks like your "technique" is showing. Might want to search youtube where the Miller people were at SEMA this year, explaining to get a puddle started right away and move along swiftly. Hot and fast does not over heat, slow movement and heating in one area even on low heat can cause problems and even cracking. Look at the welds on your A/W cooler. That  is how they should be.
T.J.