Welding Tips and Tricks

Guys I am really struggling to run beads on aluminum. Ive been practicing on .125 . I can run a perfect bead no filler , even on the edge. The settings reacts exactly how all the videos say they should. The white band from the cleaning , Foot pedal responds decent, It happens just like the videos, oxidation starts to break up ..pool turns like a mirror ...I can run and control the width ...I back off the heat at the end couple little swirls no pit. If I try adding filler wire things go south fast. I can run a decent bead if I just dab the front of the pool and dont try pushing the filler to fast, but it looks more like a worm than a stack of dimes ! should I be moving my torch in bigger increments ? Ive been trying to run a steady speed but if I dont dab really fast and light I burn through and if I push too much it cools off way too fast , lol. Im hoping this is just a lack of practice . I can do pretty well on flat plate but if I move to a joint I suck ! Should I try running a bead on a butt joint with no filler to practice ? I have some .1/4 inch aluminum would it help to start on some thicker stock then move to 1/8 ?

You sound a bit like I did a couple of years ago. Here's a few things that I've learned the hard way that might help you:

1. I don't know how big your practice pieces are. But if they're small (like 4" x 4") and you're pounding them non-stop with your torch then they're going to overheat. Once they've overheated, good luck. Nothing will look right.

2. Have you worked out what the best method of feeding the filler wire is for you? There are a bunch of different ways to do it. If you haven't settled on one, you'll be worrying about how to feed the rod while trying to move the torch, while hoping to keep from melting through and before you know it, your rod will jam straight into your tungsten and that will be the end of that. It took me a long while to finally get my muscle memory straightened out on feeding that rod without thinking about it.

3. I don't think you should try a butt weld with no filler.

4. You could slap 2 pieces of ally together and run a bead without filler along the edge. Just place them face to face, stand them on end and run your torch down the edge, welding them together. Shouldn't need any filler for that.

5. It's all about the heat. Once that ally starts to droop or looks like it's sinking, that's the time to insert the rod. Put it at the front of the puddle. Try not to feed it through the heat cone that the tungsten is making. If you do that, it will just melt away. Keep the torch as close to vertical as you can and keep that rod LOW. Jab it in when the metal looks like it's going to sag. Then you know you're getting penetration.

6. Until I got my TIG drill down, I was feeding the rod way too frequently. I'd shove it into the puddle constantly. I have found that if I get my puddle going and then move forward a little, let the metal sag and only then insert rod that I get a much nicer looking bead. In other words, while I move forward as fast as I can to prevent overheating, I am a little more relaxed about dipping the rod. Those nice ripples come from leaving a bit of space between dabs. Move the torch and puddle forward a bit, dab, move forward a bit more, dab.

7. I've ground more tungsten than I think anyone. I've spent hours and hours and hours bashing my head against the wall and posting question after question on this forum to get it right.

I think the two most important lessons I have learned are: 1. Don't overheat the work piece. Weld a little, let it cool. Don't be impatient. Aluminum can get heat soaked. It's just a fact. And once it is, to continue welding is to waste your time, and 2. Let that joint sag a little before you put the tungsten in. With practice, you can tell from the way the puddle reflects that it's about to sag. And 3. If at first you don't succeed, keep welding!

Hoping this may help you out.

Jon

Bead profile has several variables. Size of filler wire or speed that you feed it. Amps, if you want a flatter bead profile then you usually need to use more amps. Rod and torch angle mater a little but not as much as the others. Where you feed into the puddle, IE in the front on the side or even from behind.

Thanks guys , my pieces are small around 3x4 , lol. I have been just keeping the filler rod long and dabbing , not really feeding like Ive seen. you are right though it seems I really do go off when trying to hurry and readjust filling wire .hmmmn , Ill definitely work on that. I might have to go back and perfect my technique or lack of one on some carbon. As much as I hate to . I have a big Aluminum project Im trying to do. And it looks like I might have to pay to get it done after talking wife into how much money this welder will save me , lol. I have a new respect for tig welders. its a skill much like when I learned to play a guitar....oh you can hit the strings but that dont make you a guitar player .

DLCeveryday wrote:I might have to go back and perfect my technique or lack of one on some carbon.

If you provide a location, there's a chance there could be someone local that would be willing to help, I know I would.

I am in the flint Mi . area . there isnt much for any classes here , unless you decide to go for a degree . at 58 I have to pass , lol

Can you post some pictures of what’s good and what’s bad? Including your torch setup and tungsten. Machine, settings, etc is also helpful.

DLC, you won't find a better bunch of people than those that are here. I was having some issues with my aluminum welding and Lt (who is 1200 miles away) helped me over the phone. I started using his suggestions and like magic, presto-change O, I was having much better results. Post pictures and let the folks have a gander. You must be patient and without a doubt, practice is the best way to get the results you're looking for. Good luck and hang in there. I have a few years on you and also got some broken bone issues to contend with.

DLCeveryday wrote:Guys I am really struggling to run beads on aluminum. Ive been practicing on .125 . I can run a perfect bead no filler , even on the edge. The settings reacts exactly how all the videos say they should. The white band from the cleaning , Foot pedal responds decent, It happens just like the videos, oxidation starts to break up ..pool turns like a mirror ...I can run and control the width ...I back off the heat at the end couple little swirls no pit. If I try adding filler wire things go south fast. I can run a decent bead if I just dab the front of the pool and dont try pushing the filler to fast, but it looks more like a worm than a stack of dimes ! should I be moving my torch in bigger increments ? Ive been trying to run a steady speed but if I dont dab really fast and light I burn through and if I push too much it cools off way too fast , lol. Im hoping this is just a lack of practice . I can do pretty well on flat plate but if I move to a joint I suck ! Should I try running a bead on a butt joint with no filler to practice ? I have some .1/4 inch aluminum would it help to start on some thicker stock then move to 1/8 ?

Focus on 10ga material. Purchase a 20ft stick of 2" wide x 10ga (1/8") thick 6061-T6. SS wire brush the stick......prior to cutting......and Acetone wipe. Then, cut the stick into coupons measuring 2" wide by 6" long. Now, you'll have 40ea pieces from a 20ft stick. Note, your local steel supplier may charge you $10 to severe the stick in half, should you need the 20ft stick cut for transporting home.

AFTER you create the coupons, use a metal file......relegated only for use on Aluminum.....and wire brush the cut edges of each coupon. This will remove any contamination transfered from the BiMetal steel blade (or other) used to cut the coupons. Also, just PRIOR to use, give another wipe of Acetone to all surfaces of the Al coupons that are to be welded.

Try to refrain from handing the Al with bare hands as oil from your fingers will also contaminate the material. We only handle steel/aluminum/SS/other with 6mil rubber gloves. No bare flesh (hands/fingers) touch material. A good protocol to adopt.

Using 3/32" filler [5356, 4043, 4943, start fusing joints. Start with lap joints and progress to fillet welds. 4ea coupons will give you 3ft of welds, when you create an "I beam". Add on to existing "I beam" to create another "I beam" using 2ea additional coupons Work on joining metal.

After you are comfortable in the flat postiion (1F), try vertical up (3G), try horizontal (2F). Progress to outside corner joints and inside cormer joints. Try open-root joints with 10ga. When you get good at outside and inside corner joints, try creating a rectangular box and adding two additonal coupons with an "extended" top and bottom surface. Have fun in the journey.

Access Jodie's vids on his WT&T site. He has excellent welding/fabrication tutorials. Also, if you post your location someome here might be able to assist you "live". Nothing trumpf's experience from a welder who's been in your boots.

When you are feeling solid on your progress with 10ga, step up to 3/16" thick material.

Strongly believe it is important to start with 10ga material to master heat input, travel speed, and other key TIG operator parameters. Learn the importance of "wetting in" your weld lines for proper depth of fusion. Not to mention the co$t of 10ga is less than thicker material.

Good luck and post images of your welds for assistance from fellow members.

Thanks guys ! I will continue and try all these suggestions. i found a guy locally who owns a welding shop who is giving me some pointers. hoked me up with some different filler wire, and a source of scrap aluminum! He is a pretty cool guy , he was a welder in GM for 30 years and runs his own shop. Its cool that he takes the time out to help me, he is always busy. I dont understand why more young people are not learning this skill. Every shop around here is backed up months with work !

success !!! I laid some dimes !! I used a different rod a 4043 ? The welder that helped me out gave me this Rod told me to ditch the harbor freight 5356 rod. Presto clean no green ,nice shiny weld ! I will post some pics when i get some more aluminum to practice on . Im stoked . progress !

DLCeveryday wrote:success !!! I laid some dimes !! I used a different rod a 4043 ? The welder that helped me out gave me this Rod told me to ditch the harbor freight 5356 rod. Presto clean no green ,nice shiny weld ! I will post some pics when i get some more aluminum to practice on . Im stoked . progress !

The bug has bitten! Congrats

went to lws and bought 4 pounds of good filler wire . I am going to see if i can get some video of my practice might have to buy some glass lenses to video through. should be fun !

Yeah, if everything is going great except when you introduce filler, it could very well be the filler rod.

4043 and 5356 are the most common, 4943 is on the coming up and said to be better in fillet welds. I have 4043, 5356 and 4943 on the shelf at all times, 4043 I keep in different sizes as I use it so much, I also have really odd rods that I have no clue what are, but I got them for something and never got to doing it in the end.

Anyways, must youngin's don't see a use for it, I started learning it as part of my job when I was.... .... 18 or 19 I think, or 17 anyways, now I'm 22 and I've come a long way, I think.

Welding and metalwork requires a special kind of person, it's messy, it's hot, you get burnt a lot, you get scars, some even get sick, some get blinded temporarily. There's not much to love, but the thing to love is the final product, and if you can suffer through all the other stuff and get out on the other end and say it was worth it, then you might be into it.

But I don't see a lot of people reaching for a grinder or a cutting wheel for the fun of it, but it's part of the job. Lots of people want to learn how to weld, but there's more to it.