Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello,

My machine does not have ac frequentie settings but it does have a pulse setting. I want to weld thin aluminum. I know now that i can set the balance to more cleaning & less pennetration (my machine just says "cleaning action" . But my experience is that the arc wonders off quickly. It's jumping to my filler rod if i don't dab fast enough.

New i have tried the pulse setting. I got it at max right right now around 300pps. It looks as if the arc is way more stable and less jumpy. Is this the experience of anyone else? Any other tips on getting a stable arc on aluminium?

Greetings, Bram.

Mostly pulse is not used on aluminium because of the need to keep the heat up to the weld pool, but whatever works for you is good. Check for penetration.

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If your arc is dodgy on AC, usually it’s because of insufficient amperage. You might try to reduce the size of your tungsten and have another go. It’s odd you can’t adjust frequency but you have pulse on AC... can you reduce the pulse down to 1.4 pps? That harsh of a pulse should stabilize the arc because you’ll weld at full throttle, then it will snap off. Try 50% on time, and 10% background with 1.2-1.4 and see if that makes a difference. You will need to raise the full amps, and use full pedal while pulsing, but it might get you where you need to go.

BramR wrote: New i have tried the pulse setting. I got it at max right right now around 300pps. It looks as if the arc is way more stable and less jumpy. Is this the experience of anyone else? Any other tips on getting a stable arc on aluminium?

Greetings, Bram.

Yes, the pulse will help to stabilize the arc, tell us...
what machine you have,
size and type of tungsten
thickness of material.

if you have a photo or two that helps as well

also what angle are you grinding the tip of the tungsten. that makes quite a difference.

I got a Jasic TIG200PAC/DC
Footpedle attached. (the max current is set on the peddle at the jasic)
2,4mm Tungsten 2% lanthanated
Gasflow arround 10cfh

The top tube is a ø22mm x 1,5mm welded to a 30x30x2 angle. i included a picture of the tungsten before and after the welding.

Are you using a gas lens with your setup? Your picture shows a pretty long stickout for a #6. I don’t have a problem with the taper you’re using. I either use a #8 with a gas lens, or a #5 collet body, no lens. Either will work fine in the examples you posted.

I’d also suggest a smaller filler wire. Looks like you’re using 1/8” where 3/32” might be easier to control.

the ball on the end says it all. it should not ball like that. the tungsten is to thin for the amps at the end.
really need to square off the tip. just cut the ball off and it will be about right.
with aluminum you want a 'crayon' tip.
typically i will use a lot blunter grind (45 to 60 degree on thicker material). the arc comes off the SIDE of the tungsten, so the sharper the grind the wider the arc (but better starts). the blunter it is the more focused it is which is better for higher amps.
for the amps used on thin material, a sharp grind is ok, its just the tip needs to be blunter otherwise it just melts and balls, then your arc wanders all over the show.

tweake wrote:the ball on the end says it all. it should not ball like that. the tungsten is to thin for the amps at the end.
really need to square off the tip. just cut the ball off and it will be about right.
with aluminum you want a 'crayon' tip.
typically i will use a lot blunter grind (45 to 60 degree on thicker material). the arc comes off the SIDE of the tungsten, so the sharper the grind the wider the arc (but better starts). the blunter it is the more focused it is which is better for higher amps.
for the amps used on thin material, a sharp grind is ok, its just the tip needs to be blunter otherwise it just melts and balls, then your arc wanders all over the show.

I’m not sure everyone would agree with you about “balling”. All my tungsten ball regardless of their diameter. I too use a fairly blunt taper with no change in the balling. Aaron at 6061 even intentionally balls his tungsten after sharpening by setting his Balance to 30, ramping his arc until the correct sized ball. Then resets his balance and welds beautifully any size material.

cj737 wrote:

tweake wrote:the ball on the end says it all. it should not ball like that. the tungsten is to thin for the amps at the end.
really need to square off the tip. just cut the ball off and it will be about right.
with aluminum you want a 'crayon' tip.
typically i will use a lot blunter grind (45 to 60 degree on thicker material). the arc comes off the SIDE of the tungsten, so the sharper the grind the wider the arc (but better starts). the blunter it is the more focused it is which is better for higher amps.
for the amps used on thin material, a sharp grind is ok, its just the tip needs to be blunter otherwise it just melts and balls, then your arc wanders all over the show.

I’m not sure everyone would agree with you about “balling”. All my tungsten ball regardless of their diameter. I too use a fairly blunt taper with no change in the balling. Aaron at 6061 even intentionally balls his tungsten after sharpening by setting his Balance to 30, ramping his arc until the correct sized ball. Then resets his balance and welds beautifully any size material.

there is a big difference between balling and rounded tip. a tungsten will always round the tip but balling (ie it has a soccer ball on the end) means the tip is getting over heated.
i don't recall seeing aaron having a ball on his tungsten, round tip certainly. will have to check the vids.

I think I'll try to take the cleaning action down a notch. I maxed out on that.. I think the balling will be less then.

I'll grind it a bit more blunt tip.

I'm already using 3/32 filler.

What should be the problem with the nr6 gas lens?

Weld some more tomorrow, I'll let you know what happened thanks.

BramR wrote:
What should be the problem with the nr6 gas lens?

everyone has their own preference. most of the time i run a 8 gas lens. tho i do also have a 7 long gas lens.
the bigger sizes allows for longer stick out which i like so i can see better and get into tighter spots.
doesn't mean 6 won't work fine.
but if there is a question of gas coverage issues, then going up in size can help.

then there is the debate between long and short gas lens, or between normal cup and gas lens.

Below a #6, a gas lens is superfluous. A 4 or 5 can work well in tight spots, or a larger cup with longer stickout and a gas lens. The lower your balance, the more your tungsten balls up. I run 65-70% max because I seldom find really clean material and prefer those results. Everyone and every machine differs- experimentation is the key to finding what works for you, in your given situation.

2mm diamondplate. Made it as clean as a could. This is how i grind. The result. After the first long side i deburred the other even more. I also got to hot on one side, the weld flattned out and started to look grindy. Took my time on the other side. Quenched the container three times. Stil some peppers in the pudle. The shortest sides to the open end went horrible. I think i cut some corners in the setup. This rusulted in a foulty torch angle i think. Even got a snotty filler rod.
Even though i think it will work fine as a whetstone container.

Hey - it's not going on instagram but as a start off project looks good - you obviously have the basics down so I think seat time is all you need to improve - only comment is looking at the front panel picture you have post flow to minimum & higher amps on aluminum needs more - most of those Chinese sets only give 10seconds max so wind t up & hopefully the tungsten will look better as its kinda discolored - this oxide layer formed each time you stop hinders good arc characteristics on subsequent starts - also the cleaning action appears way round clockwise - most Chinese welders like yours have 50 / 50 with the pointer around 12 oclock so you usually run them around 10 oclock but yours could be the reverse of this .

BramR wrote:

IMG_20190102_113702696.jpg

IMG_20190102_113714908_HDR.jpg

2mm diamondplate. Made it as clean as a could.

IMG_20190102_115223619_HDR.jpg

This is how i grind.

IMG_20190102_134616251.jpg

IMG_20190102_134624791.jpg

The result. After the first long side i deburred the other even more. I also got to hot on one side, the weld flattned out and started to look grindy. Took my time on the other side. Quenched the container three times. Stil some peppers in the pudle. The shortest sides to the open end went horrible. I think i cut some corners in the setup. This rusulted in a foulty torch angle i think. Even got a snotty filler rod.

IMG_20190102_121801275_HDR.jpg

IMG_20190102_135041648_HDR.jpg

Even though i think it will work fine as a whetstone container.

nice

was that with high pulse ?

checker plate i think is a handy teaching tool. because it varies from thick to thin as you weld along, you really have to watch the puddle and watch your heat. its not as easy as flat sheet.

tungsten point looks better. usually i will nip the tip off so it looks more like what you finish with. that way you don't blast the tip off when welding and you end up with a tungsten inclusion in the weld.