Aluminum HELP!!!

lil'bones · Fri Apr 04, 2014 4:56 pm

Hey guys, I'm trying to weld 1/8" aluminum polished checker plate corner to corner. I'm practicing on plain 1/8".
I am using an Everlast 250EX
120 amps
1/8 2% lanthanated slightly rounded tip
AC

AC balance at 65%
AC freq at 120
no pulse
high freq start/ foot pedal
15cfm argon
4043 filler rod 3/32"

and its not going so well especially tacking? I'm getting some black grains in the weld and welds are quite dull in color not shiny. I thought I would be able to do these joints autogenously but not having any luck? I've done it in the past but used a set up machine. Even running beads on the flat surface I get dull welds with black flecks and the filler tends to want to jump up on the tungsten?

Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

AKweldshop · Fri Apr 04, 2014 5:03 pm

Aluminum does not weld good without filler.
I would turn your gas up 20-25.
If that does not fix it, try checking all your lines for leaks.

Good you get us a pic of your weld???

~John

Fri Apr 04, 2014 5:05 pm

First thing to check is shielding gas. When you stop welding hold your hand still until the post flow runs for about 10 to 15 seconds. Your electrode should be perfectly silver. If not, you have a shielding gas problem. Either contaminated gas, or a leak, bad collet body, leaking O-ring in torch, etc.

You might want to try welding some clean steel while you determine if your gas is good. Again you're electrode
should be silver if you hold the torch still for several seconds after welding until the electrode completely cools

Another thing is that a lot of import machines have the AC balance backwards as compared to Legacy brands. The higher the AC balance setting the more the electrode balls up so check that too

Also if you have a gap you may need to increase the flow rate on the torch you might be sucking air into the puddle.
Let us know

Jody

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Rick_H · Fri Apr 04, 2014 5:22 pm

I'd run a 3/32" sharp tungsten with a slight blunt tip since personally...

You need to clean the alum, acetone works very well if you do not want to brush the surface with a dedicated stainless brush. You can also make a dry run (no filler) over the material to help clean it. Don't weld till the black stiff goes away and don't add filler till you have a nice shiny puddle.

What size cup are you using? What cfh? I assume 100% argon?

Fri Apr 04, 2014 6:10 pm

Just like rick-h says a 3/32 electrode might help especially if you are using a small cup. That big 1/8 in anything smaller than a 7 cup can have shielding issues. Especially when you introduce the filler into the gas envelope.

Jody

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

lil'bones · Fri Apr 04, 2014 6:20 pm

I AM USING A #7 CUP WITH 15CFH. I WILL TRY THE 3/32 ELECTRODE AND MAYBE 20 CFH. I WAS STARTING WITH A SHARP TUNGSTEN AND IT WOULD BALL UP QUICKLY AND BE VERY HOT AFTER ABOUT AN INCH, SO I WILL TRY GOING THE OTHER WAY WITH THE BALANCE. ELECTRODE IS DEFINATELY NOT SHINY!
THANKS GUYS, IF PROBLEM PERSISTS I WILL TRY TO GET SOME PICTURES ON HERE.

WHERE DO YOU GET ACETONE?

nightscale · Fri Apr 04, 2014 8:27 pm

Methylated spirits works well as well

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Bill Beauregard · Fri Apr 04, 2014 8:49 pm

Acetone comes from anywhere they sell any sort of paint. Be careful it soaks through skin. It can damage internal organs. Use gloves and ventilation.

As for tacking, it took me a while to tack aluminum. Jody does it with steel and no filler. I've been doing it with AL the same way. I had to crank the heat higher than I expected to need. If it takes a whole second you aren't hot enough.

GreinTime · Fri Apr 04, 2014 10:34 pm

As Jody stated, the balance controls on an Ever last are backwards from Miller and Lincoln. 30 on the 250ex is 70% EN, 30% EP. So anything over 50 will cause the tungsten to ball up.
-Sam

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

TamJeff · Sat Apr 05, 2014 2:46 pm

AKweldshop wrote:Aluminum does not weld good without filler.

~John

The joints in aluminum that can be welded without filler, I find work best if you start the joint with just one drop of filler rod to get it going just to shape the arc initially and to stop the arc from carving out a hole, especially when starting with either higher amps, or a fixed amp setting.

AKweldshop · Sat Apr 05, 2014 3:16 pm

I said aluminum does not weld good with filler. within reason.

You can't weld every joint without filler.

Maybe some of your amazing coped tubes.
But, not every joint.

Can you weld 1/8 plate with out filler???

No inflamatory action intended....

~John

noddybrian · Sat Apr 05, 2014 4:36 pm

Agreed in general that aluminum does not autogenous weld very well - but if you fit up an outside corner so one plate is flush with the others edge - ie no gap - no open corner like you would set up for mig it should work OK - I've done it - gas cover as with any outside corner is crucial as the corner splits the flow - I would normally prefer an open corner with filler - but it is feasible - it can work well if set up correctly where you have two different thicknesses & there is the possibility of overheating the thinner piece or burn through.

Back to the OP's issue - have you tried a similar joint with new known material - not the diamond plate ? the reason I ask is I once tried welding some tread plate & it welded like fidos butt - tried all sorts without much luck - turned out to be the material itself was coated or in some way treated to help keep it clean & prevent corrosion - I should have realized looking at the color of it - so silvery it almost looked like chrome plate - you'd think the AC would burn this off - but it did'nt - just contaminated it - may not be your problem - but worth considering.

lil'bones · Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:26 pm

So I went back to a 3/32 electrode in a #7 cup went to 20 cfh and voila. Then as stated dialed the balance back from 70 to 40ish and nice sharp point through out the weld. Awesome thanks guys!

Things were going so well I attempted the" welding two beer cans together test" and nailed it. wish I had some 1/16 filler instead of 3/32.

Pictures to come.

Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:32 pm

I'm glad things worked out.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

lil'bones · Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:53 pm

So here are this mornings welds

lil'bones · Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:56 pm

First try at aluminum cans...next time I'll use 1/16 filler if I can get it?

Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:04 pm

Old Milwaukee???

Seriously???

It "does" get better than this...

Nice work, despite your poor choice in "beer"...

Steve S

Braehill · Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:21 pm

@steve,
I've never been much of a drinker but I always kept a case of the cheapest beer I could find (Old Mil) in the fringe in the garage to keep the neighbor who was always borrowing tools out of the Miller Highlife.

I hear a lot of complaint about Old Mil. but they have been in business for a very long time, somebody is drinking it.

@lil'bones,
I've heard that the premium beer cans a harder to weld anyways so you can disregard Steve's jab about your beer taste.

Len

Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:28 pm

Braehill wrote:@steve,
I've never been much of a drinker but I always kept a case of the cheapest beer I could find (Old Mil) in the fringe in the garage to keep the neighbor who was always borrowing tools out of the Miller Highlife. I hear a lot of complaint about Old Mil. but they have been in business for a very long time, somebody is drinking it.

@lil'bones,
I've heard that the premium beer cans a harder to weld anyways so you can disregard Steve's jab about your beer taste.

Len

LMFAO!!!

I really like this forum, and often for reasons like that!

Superiorwelding · Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:53 pm

Braehill wrote: I've heard that the premium beer cans a harder to weld anyways so you can disregard Steve's jab about your beer taste.

Len

I don't drink, but I would think that the premium beer cans would be easier to weld, better quality aluminum.

-Jonathan

Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:56 pm

Superiorwelding wrote:
Braehill wrote: I've heard that the premium beer cans a harder to weld anyways so you can disregard Steve's jab about your beer taste.

Len
I don't drink, but I would think that the premium beer cans would be easier to weld, better quality aluminum.
-Jonathan

Fine... Just poke me...

Superiorwelding · Sat Apr 05, 2014 11:06 pm

It's all good Steve, we all need a good laugh now and then..
-Jonathan

Sat Apr 05, 2014 11:10 pm

Superiorwelding wrote:It's all good Steve, we all need a good laugh now and then..
-Jonathan

If I couldn't laugh, especially at myself, I'd need medication...

Think about that... Who do you know with a prescription...

GreinTime · Mon Apr 07, 2014 4:19 am

I guess that all depends on the state, and yours and his definition of a description

I will tell you, I don't think I've ever been funnier than when I was high on morphine when I was in the hospital... just ask my dad!
-Sam

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

hcb · Mon Apr 14, 2014 11:10 pm

lil'bones wrote:First try at aluminum cans...next time I'll use 1/16 filler if I can get it?

Drinking Old Milwaukee is like smoking menthol cigs; it's only done because the person who's buying the stuff doesn't want anyone to bum any of their stuff. I'm not saying. I'm just saying. Ya' know what I'm saying?

Pretty good job on the welding, though.

--HC