Search found 25 matches

by foamballer
Thu Apr 17, 2014 6:27 pm
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Third time to TIG(Critique)
Replies: 7
Views: 1084

Re: Third time to TIG(Critique)

I did this earlier today, it's not pretty. They're OK... pretty straight at least. The weld on the extreme left is obviously too hot. Those ones one the right are OK but it looks to me that you are travelling too slow and piling on too much filler. As mentioned before. Cool off the aluminium betwee...
by foamballer
Tue Oct 15, 2013 6:55 am
Forum: Video Discussion
Topic: Here comes the boom part 3
Replies: 9
Views: 2196

Here comes the boom part 3

Hey Jody... did you ever do a final video on your mig wire feeder boom?
Excellent work with all the videos as usual - thanks
FB
by foamballer
Thu Apr 18, 2013 3:15 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: HELP! trying to fill "blow through gaps" in thin stainless
Replies: 18
Views: 4807

Re: HELP! trying to fill "blow through gaps" in thin stainle

Foamballer. I am enjoying pondering the feeding from the backside suggestion. Tanks. Alexa Hummmm, me too. If you guys smell smoke it's just me thinking about this. :? Foamballer, how about a little more info or better yet a picture or two. Are you guys for real? these are the two most disturbing p...
by foamballer
Sun Apr 14, 2013 4:58 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: HELP! trying to fill "blow through gaps" in thin stainless
Replies: 18
Views: 4807

Re: HELP! trying to fill "blow through gaps" in thin stainle

Yes definitely clean the edges. Are you able to get a hand inside the tank? If so, feed your filler rod from the back side and arc up right on the tip of the filler. Do little sections at a time.
by foamballer
Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:37 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Aluminum Woes...Extremely Annoyed
Replies: 24
Views: 4452

Re: Aluminum Woes...Extremely Annoyed

Well the thing is that personally I've got so much help over the internet that from people I'll probably never meet, so I don't mind helping out (if I can :D ). I think it's more annoying not to get feedback when it's in person. On the internet, there's so many places to ask for help and sometimes I...
by foamballer
Tue Mar 19, 2013 6:53 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Aluminum Woes...Extremely Annoyed
Replies: 24
Views: 4452

Re: Aluminum Woes...Extremely Annoyed

Hey, Lots of users disappear after they get what they want. I tell ya, im starting to feel like a prom date in the morning. If you know what i mean. Mick Mate... it happens in real life too. I got a call a fortnight ago "can you help ?? we're in a real bind ! don't know what to do !!! ", ...
by foamballer
Sun Mar 17, 2013 7:24 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: TIG like MIG would be better
Replies: 2
Views: 587

TIG like MIG would be better

Just watched Jody's MIG like TIG and saw the topic was closed for comment, so I'll open one here. Sorta reminds me of a thread I saw on some other forum on "Pretty Welds" (some were really nice, I have to say !). Anyway, I reckon the whole stack of dimes thing gets a bit too exaggerated. I...
by foamballer
Sun Mar 17, 2013 7:02 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Anything wrong with spreading the dimes out more?
Replies: 6
Views: 785

Re: Anything wrong with spreading the dimes out more?

Let's face it - it's not good practice to undercut and have such sharp dime ridges - both are potential stress risers if the part is taking a lot of strain. However, if the part isn't critical then it certainly looks like a neat enough job. Quite good actually. And realistically, you could do 4 tack...
by foamballer
Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:01 pm
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: New job doesn't want cleaning of aluminum
Replies: 9
Views: 959

Re: New job doesn't want cleaning of aluminum

Personally, I don't clean aluminium unless it is visibly dirty. If there is obvious oil, grease, cutting fluid etc. I go for the acetone, but with new stock I've found that pretty rare (just wipe dry before tacking). Usually I tack it straight up and would only clean/brush if something untoward happ...
by foamballer
Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:09 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Major AC TIG problems? SOLVED
Replies: 24
Views: 3519

Re: Major AC TIG problems?

Id try the biggest cup you have just to see it helps. I dont mean the big ass white one, still pink but a good deal bigger than the one you have on. Yeah I agree, #7 cup is my go to size, either in standard or gas lens with 2.4 tungsten. He did say earlier though that he was limited to #4 for the t...
by foamballer
Tue Mar 12, 2013 5:57 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Mild steel sparks & weld porosity
Replies: 14
Views: 5395

Re: Mild steel sparks & weld porosity

I've also come across this when there has been slag from a stick weld at the back of a joint, so when you get full penetration with the tig, it draws in some of the slag and sparks start flying.
by foamballer
Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:49 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Major AC TIG problems? SOLVED
Replies: 24
Views: 3519

Re: Major AC TIG problems?

Looking at the photo of the SS welded with the #7 gas lens - you still don't seem to be getting good shielding of the hot metal - either the metal was really hot to start with from previous welds, or you're dwelling too long and heating it all up too much, or something to do with your torch angle or...
by foamballer
Fri Mar 08, 2013 5:15 pm
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Tokentools
Replies: 2
Views: 825

Tokentools

Do you mean for the HF contacts? I had to give mine a bit of clean/re gap the other day. I just adjusted by trial and error until I was happy, but I'm sure my gap ended up around 0.5mm (0.02") Yes, the HF contacts was what I was referring to, and I was using numbers from the Lincoln Precision ...
by foamballer
Fri Mar 08, 2013 5:55 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: chinese tig machine spark gap (Arc Start Fix)
Replies: 5
Views: 1607

Re: chinese tig machine spark gap (Arc Start Fix)

Yeah, the circuitry could be completely different. My welder's from a company called Tokentools, I think they are only in Australia. The owner is a bit of an electrical whiz and specs the machines out himself, but they are put together in China. Mine's an older model of this one http://www.tokentool...
by foamballer
Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:32 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: chinese tig machine spark gap (Arc Start Fix)
Replies: 5
Views: 1607

Re: chinese tig machine spark gap (Arc Start Fix)

Do you mean for the HF contacts? I had to give mine a bit of clean/re gap the other day. I just adjusted by trial and error until I was happy, but I'm sure my gap ended up around 0.5mm (0.02")
by foamballer
Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:07 am
Forum: Welding Forum General Shop Talk
Topic: Your own business?
Replies: 39
Views: 4982

Re: Your own business?

Tamjeff, I don't have a welding business, but I have a few ideas. I'm in the environmental engineering business. I was hired to start up a satellite office for a capital city based consultancy. As it happens, the parent company was bought up by a multi-national company and all of a sudden I was part...
by foamballer
Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:16 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Aluminum Gas Tank Repair
Replies: 13
Views: 11503

Re: Aluminum Gas Tank Repair

Also if it's running rich at least you know all the oxygen has been consumed from the exhaust. If it was running lean, there's a chance that oxygen is still getting through and mixing with any fuel vapours
by foamballer
Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:12 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: t joint
Replies: 4
Views: 680

Re: t joint

Which end is melting - start or finish? or both? I agree with the other guy's suggestions. In addition, don't forget your filler rod! - you can use it to immediately fill the receding edges on startup and add that crucial little bit of metal that you need. When you get near the end and everything is...
by foamballer
Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:04 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Aluminum Gas Tank Repair
Replies: 13
Views: 11503

Re: Aluminum Gas Tank Repair

There's heaps of threads around on welding fuel containers... I've never done it, but I've seen enough dire warnings to know that a bit of solid research is definitely the way forward. A couple of examples/ideas: http://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/petrol-fumes-old-44-gal-drum-159029/ http://www.gmh-t...
by foamballer
Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:26 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: TIG Welding Mild Steel
Replies: 9
Views: 1589

Re: TIG Welding Mild Steel

I self-taught myself TIG. I started with aluminium, mainly because it was easy to cut, and I had an immediate need. Later I ended up doing more work with mild and stainless steel. About 2 years after starting TIG welding I enrolled in our local technical college (TAFE) to fill in the gaps. They taug...
by foamballer
Sun Feb 17, 2013 6:13 pm
Forum: Welding Projects - Welding project Ideas - Welding project plans
Topic: Aluminum boat repair/rebuild
Replies: 58
Views: 7752

Re: Aluminum boat repair/rebuild

I was tempted to reply with a cryptic one-liner, but that doesn't seem to work.
In lieu of some photos maybe this little video I cam across some time back will suffice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kTnogf19FU
by foamballer
Sun Feb 17, 2013 3:09 am
Forum: Member Introductions
Topic: introduction
Replies: 6
Views: 1545

Re: introduction

Otto Nobedder wrote:Pretty sure Goat Driver gave up on us, as we couldn't meet his standards for purity.

Damn shame, really.
thanks guys.
Yeah I gotta be more careful where I throw around the old carpet yawn these days, it seems to lead to all sorts of strife.
by foamballer
Sat Feb 16, 2013 9:42 pm
Forum: Member Introductions
Topic: introduction
Replies: 6
Views: 1545

introduction

Well... my first post (now referred to in the general media as "pukegate") was a little brief. And my second was just to try and clean up that little mess. And now... this is my 3rd post and time to introduce myself. Firstly, let me say that I only just discovered this forum a couple of we...
by foamballer
Sat Feb 16, 2013 9:03 pm
Forum: Welding Projects - Welding project Ideas - Welding project plans
Topic: Aluminum boat repair/rebuild
Replies: 58
Views: 7752

Re: Aluminum boat repair/rebuild

It's unfortunate the gentleman "introduced" himself in a response to my tongue-in-cheek list. Ahhh fellas, sorry about that. Yes indeed an unfortunate first post ! Otto had it right, I was just adding to his list - and didn't really think it through - a result of too much late night brows...