Wednesday, 15 February 2012
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How to TIG Weld Aluminum and Get the Stack of Dimes Look, Even With an Old TIG Welding Machine
Honing all your efforts down to a laser focus on one thing is some thing only inventors, rock celebrities, famous artists and famous actors AND great tube welders do. It will be up to you to make it through and soon you Own the Skill.
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Wanna learn how to TIG weld aluminum?
First you require a decent TIG welding product. Not a great one, just a decent one. Already got one? You've got an old Synrowave 300 or a DialArc, an old Hobart CyberTIG or you might have a brand new Cooper Dynasty 350.
Know what? It doesn't really matter. The same principles apply. If you have an old as dirt TIG welding unit, you can still help make good aluminum TIG welds. Weld beads that look like a stack of dimes.
First lets examine machine settings:
- Arranged the polarity to A/c (alternating currrent)
- Always set the high frequency to continuous
- Set the amperage to about one then one half amps per one thousandths of inch with thickness. (up to about 250 amps then things change quite a bit)
- Set both contactor and amperage switches to the remote positon.
- Set the argon or argon/helium flashlight shielding gas to available 15 cfh. (should you use a #7 cup) less in the event the cup is smaller.
- See I said argon or even argon/helium? Argon is not the only game in town. In fact, if you TIG weld every aluminum over about. 063" deep, adding helium to the mix makes a giant difference.
Now lets talk tungsten electrodes- 2% thoriated have received lots of bad press for the radioactivity issue but they do work.
- 2% lanthanated electrodes undoubtedly are a really good all motive electrode... good for TIG welding aluminum and steel.
- Use the littlest electrode that will get the job done without quivering at maximum amperage.
Remote amperage control... you need a foot pedal. Period.- Once most of the settings are ok, and assuming you are welding on 1/8" deep aluminum, grab a piece of 4043 filler rod within 3/32 diameter (rarely will you use a rod since thick or thicker than the metal you are welding)
- extend the electrode tip about 1/4" at night tip of the TIG torch cup and pre purge the gas by tapping that foot pedal.
- hold the torch like a massive first grade pencil. touch the tip of the tungsten on the metal and then move it back about 1/8 inch. flip your helmet down and press the your pedal to initiate the arc.
- don't melt the aluminum right away though, watch the black stuff cook away from the arcs cleaning action before you decide to melt the metal. Then press the pedal far enough to make a puddle that is approximately 3-4 times the thickness in the metal you are welding.
Now comes the part on how to offer the "stack of dimes" look. You get that with the addition of the same amount of rod and by moving the torch the same distance every time you add rod. Add rod, Step ahead 1/8 inch, Add rod, Step ahead 1/8 inch, Add fly fishing line, Step ahead 1/8 inch, lather rinse repeat. If you do this consistently, you will get evenly spaced ripples that look like a collection of dimes.
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