Page 1 of 4
My progress
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 4:50 pm
by Gene.243
I am a hobby welder and want learn to weld aluminum. I would like to post pictures of my welding progress to see if it helps motivate me to improve.
Here is yesterday's effort.
Re: My progress
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 6:56 pm
by LtBadd
The weld at the bottom looks pretty good, I'd recommend when ending your weld backing off the pedal slower and add filler to eliminate the flat spot and crater
Re: My progress
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 8:10 pm
by Gene.243
Thank you,
I'll give that a try.
Re: My progress
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 5:27 pm
by Gene.243
I managed to get some more practice. Here is this morning's work.
Re: My progress
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:02 am
by pgk
Your getting there Gene, like Richard mentioned just make sure to lower amperage at the end of the bead and add extra filler, craters and the end are known for cracking.
Re: My progress
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 10:11 pm
by Gene.243
Still making headways.
Re: My progress
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 11:36 pm
by nelson
Not too shabby! How thick is the plate?
Re: My progress
Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 12:13 am
by Gene.243
It's 1/8 inch thick.
Just like Jodi says to start with.
Re: My progress
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 12:13 am
by Gene.243
Today was more about playing than serious practice but I did learn how much power it takes to weld the middle bead in this pattern.
Re: My progress
Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2017 4:35 pm
by Gene.243
Since I was playing I decided to try some lap joints and eventually ended up getting to joints similar to the ladder I want to build. Here is the good one.
Re: My progress
Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2017 4:54 pm
by Gene.243
Then I tried to fix the other side. It looks to me like bad argon flow, but what I'm curious about is where did the blue come from?
Re: My progress
Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2017 9:31 pm
by Gene.243
Let me try to maximize the spot.
Re: My progress
Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2017 6:52 am
by cj737
Did you use a chemical to clean the aluminum before you welded it? That blue is not something I've seen, but it certainly looks as though the start of that weld is rather wonky. No gas, or tungsten touching the alloy, or both...
Re: My progress
Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2017 9:00 am
by Gene.243
This happened on the second pass. i.e. All the ugly welding along the long end was already cool. I was starting a weld on the short side when this happened.
Re: My progress
Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2017 9:43 am
by Gene.243
The metal has been welded and cut several times, I do that practicing. The partial weld along the right side of the spot may be from a previous weld.
Re: My progress
Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2017 6:53 pm
by LtBadd
I was thinking maybe if you hit the tungsten it could be vaporized filler wire? If you didn't then maybe a spot of contamination within the parent metal
Re: My progress
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2017 2:21 pm
by Gene.243
Today's practice felt like it went well.
Re: My progress
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2017 3:15 pm
by Gene.243
Here is a full size cropped area of the bottom weld. I need to see if I can get the picture to post of a close-up.
Re: My progress
Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 10:53 pm
by Gene.243
I'm working on keeping the filler rod close to the puddle and making even ripples.
Re: My progress
Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 11:56 pm
by nelson
Strange blue. Your practice looks good to me, even and structural. Those craters are an easy fix if you want. You using pedal, 4T or 2 T?
Nelson
Re: My progress
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 12:16 am
by Gene.243
I'm on a pedal. Don't have 2T or 4T.
Re: My progress
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2017 10:50 pm
by Gene.243
Had another practice session today.
I'm working on watching the key-hole and dabbing on the top.
Re: My progress
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 5:31 pm
by Gene.243
There I was minding my own business when this wasp attacked me. Well, not exactly me but the arc! All I knew was that the arc went funky just as I started. When I looked, there was a wasp laying right there.
Re: My progress
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 8:48 pm
by Poland308
Better him than you.
Re: My progress
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 9:19 pm
by cj737
Insects love TIG arcs, it's UV light after all
I have them play Kamikaze all the time whenever the shop door is open. They never get all the way down before they get zapped though.