Welding Tips and Tricks

HH 210 MVP ON 115 volt, 1/16 aluminum

I'm thinking you should have asked this question 5 inches ago...

Can you give some details about the machine and it's settings? Tungsten, base metal, and rod?

On the whole, this looks like user error, from being used to a different process, and not recognizing the particulars.

My other guess is you are new to TIG altogether, and aluminum is a difficult place to start.

No worries. You can do this, and people here can help.

Steve S

Okay, here's #1...

That gauge reads CFH on the INNER dial... You're at 45 CFH in the pic.

I do not trust that style "flowmeter", as it has no actual flow guage. Only a two stage regulator.

Steve S

Its not tig, I am using a hobart handler 210 MVP and spool runner 100 on 115 volts. the mig wire is ER5356 I am using 100% ARGON and the aluminum I bought at tractor supply I guess its just stock aluminum you can pick up at lowes or home depot. and i am 100% positive it is user error.

The settings were the sugested settings on the chart inside the cover. it was 5 and 75 on the wire speed.

Although I am not certified I can weld steel quite well. have been welding steel for a few years and thought I would try aluminum. What a joke, I suck!!!

It ain't you. It's some detail you're missing.

Is that Hobart Handler set up correctly? Meaning is the polarity correct? I believe it should be electrode negative, but would have to read the wire recommendation to be sure. Often, those machines are set from the factory to electrode positive, assuming the new user will begin with a flux-core wire. (The lack of apparent heat in your parts supports this idea.) The manual should explain.

There are other possibilities, but as step one, I'd study whether the polarity is backward for what you're trying to do.

I apologize for the TIG confusion... I've been on that topic too long, apparently...

Steve S

Looks like you are trying to run short circuit mig like you do with steel.

Are you familiar with what aluminum spray transfer looks like?

If not, Jody has a couple good videos on aluminum mig - I would check them before you go farther.

+1 on what Steve said on polarity - check it out.

Ya know what I knew I was doing something wrong. I was welding with flux core and even though I read in the manual and know I AM SUPPOSED TO SWAP THE LEADS I FORGOT! Well I guess tomarrow i will swap the leads and dive in head first. Will up date tomarrow. Thanx again.

What about the mig wire I am using ER5356 is this the right wire or should I use the 40 30 something or another?

My MM210 chart says:

DCEP for hard wire on steel and for aluminum
DCEN for self shielded flux-core (most of them)

Edit: don't see a problem with that wire.

From lincoln on 5356 wire
http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/su ... etail.aspx

Wow, thanx for the info guys very helpful!

Now, just think carefully before you change the polarity. Look in your manual, and look at both what you have and what you need.

I use DCEN for FCAW-ss for steel welding.

My Hobart Ironman 230 And H2000L4-15 Gun manual has a table on page 26 which shows that for flux core steel welding you (assuming the Handler and Ironman are the same) should be DCEN also (surprise, surprise), and DCEP for aluminium and solid wire welding.

I don't know anything about welding aluminium, and polarity might be the very issue, but some checking is in order, I think.

Sorry, I appear to be about three trains behind the thread, and you have done exactly the checking I asked for. That will teach me to read both pages.
Good luck.

ok I think we got it figured out to some extent, and now I need a lot of practice. I noticed an immediate improvement after changing the polarity, but aluminum seems to be as thin as water and I keep getting blowouts . Is there a certain pattern I should do or should I just keep going in a straight line? Also I am using .030 wire on 1/16 flat bar and angle iron, so my other question is should I be using .035 wire and would it be a little easier welding on say 1/8 instead of 1/16? Sorry for all the questions but I just dont have any idea what Im doing. Most of the welds look like the first photo but I got a few looking like the second photo. Here's a couple pics from today.

You should be on DCEP for aluminum GMAW. You will weld most everything on DCEP with wire feed welders except when FCAW wire calls for DCEN. You have to adjust aluminum wire for spray transfer to get a decent weld. Jody has some videos to show you what this looks like. Your .030 wire should work fine on the thin stock you are working with.

Yes, 1/8" is easier to weld than 1/16" with a spool gun.

I can do the thinner stuff if I use run-on and run-off tabs. But I super hate it. Much prefer tig (on all aluminum really).

Watch the videos, get it in proper spray mode and lots o practice.

Don't expect to be good after a one pound spool - I'll climb down from my soap box now

Good luck and have fun!

Okay, so the "polarity" thing is a step in the right direction, as the second pic makes obvious.

You need now to consider the heat in the metal.

When you first strike up on cold aluminum, you'll often get what we see in your first pic (of the last two).

With a relatively low power setup, you would benefit from pre-heat. On small, thin, and/or short sections, you can do this with a simple propane torch from Home Depot. Getting the metal really hot before you strike up is of great benefit. I do this on heavy sections, even "coded" welds.

Once the metal is hot, you'll find as you weld the heat continues to build, and you need to weld faster or somehow dial back the power.

Steve S

Hey guys I just want to start by saying thanks yall are very very helpful. I actually bought Jody's DVD'S so maybe that will help to. Just to be clear you say even on the thin stock I should preheat with a propane torch and then when I start welding as the weld progresses I need to move faster and faster. One of the things I tried was when I saw it was about to blow through was to stop and drop the voltage setting and wire feed speed and move about 3 inches ahead of the blowout and this seemmed to help a little. what about welding like you do on thin sheet metal (vertical uphill) would that work or not. I know 500 questions again sorry.
thanks, Scott

You should not have to pre-heat on metal as thin as what you are working on. The real problem will be blowing through it when you have your heat high enough. Thin is usually harder than thick.