Welding Tips and Tricks

I am posting what I've been working on lately, to let others look over my shoulder and maybe have some tips, and also document what settings have been working on my machine, an Everlast Super200P. Maybe be useful for other owners with similar equipment. Here are the panel settings I've been running my Everlast Super200P most recently on modifying a cast aluminum intake manifold, but the settings may work well for a lot of other aluminum thicknesses with appropriate footpedal control. (see pic)

I just discovered that the panel amperage control has no affect with other panel settings, when the footpedal is plugged in. Neither does the arc force knob. I've been using this with a footpedal. I found that running with high frequency pulsing (which makes it "sing") seems to help stiffen the arc, or keep it from wandering, maybe it was some changes to shielding gas that really made the difference though. Lessening the pulse duty cycle reduces heat. This machine has non-adjustable AC frequency so maybe the high frequency pulsing kind of makes up for that. The lowest current I can get with the footpedal plugged in is about 10. Its hard to see what the current is showing on the panel when the arc is struck, though!

Getting the right shielding gas flow was critical to reliably working the metal, and I am still on the learning curve there. Not really sure what cup size or cfm to use. I do like sticking out the tungsten enough to actually can see what I'm doing!

#6 gas lens cup, 3/32" lanthanated tungsten sticking out by about the outside diameter of the cup. With these settings I am getting a good "wet" weld puddle, not having any issues with the tungsten melting.

I posted a picture of a really challenging crevice I am going to need to accurately depot weld bead in the root of to seal. I am planning on buying a dental pick to clean in there it, because I can't even get a wire brush in there and it looks really dirty. This is a project I started with oxy-acetyelne a long time ago, and never fully cleaned off the old flux so there is some of that in there. I will need to stick out my tungsten pretty good and keep a steady hand to avoid touching it. Can't have the arc bridge to either side, but I am finally building the needed confidence with getting good arc control, where I feel I *may* be able to tackle it. I am practicing more on the easy aspects before tackling the difficult, deep crevice.

One thing that is really annoying is sometimes when I contaminate the tungsten with aluminum, I find the tungsten split in half a ways and molten aluminum got in the crack. Needs removal of the whole contaminated end. Anyone experienced this, and would zirconiated tungsten possibly be a solution that is easier to deal with when it gets contaminated?

I need a new tank of gas, have been using pure argon only ever, to weld variety of metals. Considering ponying up the dough for a helium/argon mix for this project though.

Any tips would be welcomed. Thanks for the great site (feverishly reading everything... learned a bunch already!)

My local welding supply offers two blends of helium/argon mixes, a 25% He mix ($67 retail price per bottle) and a 75% He mix ($75 per bottle). Straight argon is $43 retail price per bottle. The price I've actually paid for straight argon has been $35-$40 (after taxes and hazmat fees), so it's discounted from the "retail prices" by a bit. The Helium blends take them about 1 day of lead time for them to get, while the argon they have in stock.

It almost seems like, if I'm going to try a Helium mix, I might as well pony up for the 75% mix, for only a little bit more dough than the 25%. Or, for my purposes, would I better off with the 25% He mix?

I ended up just getting 100% straight argon gas again, because a mild steel project has popped up which I'll be completing before going back to playing with my aluminum manifold. (Welding a frame crack in my brother's 1967 Pontiac GTO.)

I also got a price data point on 100% Helium cylinder from my LWS for comparison with above Argon and Helium mixes: $74 list price for the pure Helium. Kinda interesting that the pure aluminum is priced the same as the 75% He mix...

The welding supply manager was willing to offer me a steeper than usual price discount on the Helium however (maybe it would be long term more profitable for them to get me hooked on the more expensive gas?) He said he could do it for $50 out the door, while he charged me ~$40 out the door for straight argon refill.

Update - I am making some good progress on the intake manifold project, and learning a lot about TIG welding aluminum as I go. Refer to pics and captions below for the story...

More intake manifold progress pics (and explanation in captions) below

Question: Would trying to melt/flow molten aluminum around an installed steel bolt (to reduce or simplify subsequent drilling/tapping steps) be possibly successful, or is it just guaranteed to make a big mess? My other option would be to deposit aluminum matertial around the threaded area without the bolt installed, then perform additional machining operations (re-drilling and tapping) afterward to thread the new material.

I ended up hacksawing the bad flange section off, and chasing a contamination pocket with a die grinder. I then used the TIG to build the flange area back up with 4043 filler rod. It will need to subsequently be planed flat, re-drilled and tapped.