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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Ok I need some advice from you aluminum welders!!
- - By ron.chapman (*) Date 07-19-2013 20:22
First I would like to say I am looking for serious advice. Please no smart ass remarks. I have a welding test coming up for a company. I do not have much aluminum experience. I do have plenty of TIG, MIG, and pipe experience. The test (all aluminum) from what I am told is 3G with TIG, T-joint with MIG, and possibly a aluminum pipe test if the first two go good. I have welded AC before just messing around when I was in trade school. The lady I talked to didn't know much about the test so I am guessing its really a 3F but not sure. Please send some guidance and knowledge my way I would greatly appreciate it. I know it might seem a little odd but I really want to get into welding aluminum and stainless and I know having the experience before a test would benefit me greatly but it is what it is. I am a strong TIG welder and learn pretty damn quick. Thanks!
Parent - By Chris2626 (***) Date 07-19-2013 23:24
I think you'll do just fine, years ago I went for a welding test for Textron Marine and Land Systems in Louisiana and I B.S my way into that place saying i had 2 years experience when in reality it was more like a week or so on the aluminum mig and no experience with pulse mig. We had to weld with Pulse mig now I couldn't tell ya if it is easier then non pulse mig because i thought all of it was tuff but maybe only because i had so little experience at the time. I can remember the test being like what you are saying a 3F I think it was called which was a T-joint and i had to run it up hill. The tig i didn't do to good with well it was fine just not the pretty dimes the guy was looking for at the time. I'm sure the guy is gonna want the weld to be consistent as far as the width goes. I think at the time i just dragged it uphill but later on after I passed the test they wanted me to learn a stepping motion but that was thrown out the window once i actually got on the boats. I really enjoyed tig welding aluminum it's just that my blue eyes can't handle that pulse mig aluminum it's to dam bright.
I don't know if you're going to work for Austal in Mobile Alabama they've been advertising like crazy here in Louisiana and all over, pays I think $30 an hour with benefits, if it wasn't for my dam blue eyes I may have jumped on that deal.

I think you'll do just fine on this test, sounds like you have way more experience then I ever had and i was able to go into Textron as a A-class welder.

Goodluck
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 07-19-2013 23:42
You need to get in touch with Tommyjoking on here
Parent - - By ron.chapman (*) Date 07-20-2013 01:29
I have actually talked to Tommy on the phone. Really nice guy! Ill be sure to give him a shout out again.
Parent - - By weldwade (***) Date 07-20-2013 02:06
Ron,

What is the job? If it has anything to do with semi tankers let me know.

Best advise I can give is practice if you can. I know how hard it can be if you don't have the equipment to practice with!
I have hired many people over the years. I look for someone who is honest because IMO those people are almost always good employees. If a perspective employee feeds me a line of BS said person gets the hard interview and or test. I have helped many people with setup and taken extra time to make sure they were as successful as their ability when they were honest and straight forward with me. Not trying to tell you what to do just trying to be helpful from a hiring perspective.

Buy a brand new stainless wire brush and a pair of cotton gloves to set up your coupons, don't put bare fingers on your coupons. Push angle always with Al GMAW! Hot and fast with puddle manipulation works best for me. If you can't get your hands on an AC tig machine practice on DC with some silicone bronze on steel, it kinda resembles a wet puddle like aluminum.

Hopefully this helps and best of luck!
Parent - - By ron.chapman (*) Date 07-20-2013 02:49
weldwade,

thanks for the reply and I completely agree with you. When I was doing a phone interview I made it a point to tell the lady I was speaking to that I don't have and experience besides messing with it a little bit in school. I am pretty strong in TIG and MIG and have 6g certs. She seems like that wasnt a problem as long as I know how to TIG. I agree I am not going to bs my way through anything it always comes to bite you in the ass! I figure if I just go in there do my best show them that I know how to set everything up and have the basic knowledge and hopefully do semi decent on the test that they will see I have the potential to excel given some instruction (they send the hired welder to a three week welding course in aluminum and stainless prior to starting the job) I wish I could practice. I am actually down in Tampa visiting my folks and have been wanting to move the family here so I applied for some jobs and shot them my resume and they called me the next day. All my equipment, welding hoods, gloves, even my boots are in El Paso, TX. Have to hit up the local welding shop and pick up a few things and give it hell! The work is building heat exchangers.
Parent - By weldwade (***) Date 07-20-2013 04:00
You have a great attitude Ron and I hope you do well. I wish you the best!
Parent - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 07-20-2013 04:01 Edited 07-20-2013 06:23
Thanks for the props Cactus, I reckon.

Ron just give me a call and I will lay out the differences for ya.  To Me aluminum on AC is just different...not necessarily hard...just different.  If your good at tig....it will not take long to get the hang of ac and AL...just different.
Parent - - By Chris2626 (***) Date 07-20-2013 05:53
weldwade is right it is best to tell the truth I was just so tired of being turned down for speaking the truth for so many jobs before that aluminum job i said screw it and bsed it and was able to get it, only part that bit me in the arse was i had to work three times as hard to learn to weld it real quick, I got a lot of respect from the old timers because i was able to hang while so many they got rid of.
Parent - - By ron.chapman (*) Date 07-24-2013 03:40
hey guys thanks for the feedback and help for this topic helped out a bunch. It ended up being 1/2 plate open root stringers all the way out. I think I did well seeing I have ZERO aluminum experience. If anyone can tell me how the hell I post pictures on here I'll put it up so you guys can tell me what you think.
Parent - - By weldwade (***) Date 07-24-2013 04:10
Glad to hear you did well Ron! As for as the pictures there is a size limit. For me I resize pics in Microsoft Office Picture Manager I just use the standard web large size of 600x800 pixels. There are many different ways to resize pics you can even resize them in paint.

Look at the bottom of any of the posts you have made there is an "attach" button there. Click that button and it will take you to the page you can attach the proper sized pic to. I always imbed the pic into the post so it is there and visible without having to open it.

I wish you the best with the new job, keep us posted on how it goes!

One last thing I should have mentioned before and didn't think of it at the time. Jody from weldingtipsandtricks has some great videos on youtube that can be reviewed. Just wanted to throw that in here for others to consider if needed. He does a really good job with his videos.
Parent - - By ron.chapman (*) Date 07-24-2013 14:35
thanks weldwade! I sure will keep you posted!
Attachment: aluminumweldingassessment.JPG - let me know what you think! REMEMBER I HAVE NEVER DONE ALUMINUM BEFORE SO BE EASY! (101k)
Parent - - By MRWeldSoCal (***) Date 07-24-2013 14:42
not bad for the first time, bring a set of vise grips to rest your arm on to steady out your hand.  Other than consistancy I think you know what you are doing.  I always felt Aluminum out of the basic metals we weld has the narrowest area of play.  But once you get it, you get it for ewverything. Good job though! keep it up!
Parent - By ron.chapman (*) Date 07-24-2013 17:59
Thanks MRWeldSoCal you are right. Propping would've allowed me to stay way more consistent. Hell I could have cooked dinner on those plates! They were blazing hot! That TIG finger would have been awesome to have for sure! I plan to keep it up Aluminum is awesome to weld was a huge challenge for me and that's what I like!
Parent - - By jwright650 (*****) Date 07-24-2013 14:51

>Jody from weldingtipsandtricks has some great videos


Good source!...Jody also sells TIG fingers...a heat shield that will fit your propping finger to give you a few more minutes of travel before your finger becomes smoking hot.

http://www.weldmongerstore.com/tig-finger/

Video demonstrating the TIG Finger
Parent - - By ron.chapman (*) Date 07-24-2013 17:55
jwright650 I have one of those TIG fingers at home in El Paso, Texas. I was down here visiting my parents and put a job application hoping one day to get back int the area and they ended up calling me the next day. My hood, boots, all my equipment including my TIG finger are sitting in garage back home so I had to scramble to get a hood, boots, shirt, ect, ect. None of the welding shops out here carried anything I could use for a TIG finger. If I get hired I will be able to bring all my stuff down here before it starts. I think I have a good idea on the things I can improve on doing that joint. I guarantee that I will never float another stinger that's for sure.
Parent - - By jwright650 (*****) Date 07-24-2013 18:12
I've cut a piece off of some spark plug boot sleeves that I had in the shop and that worked pretty well also. Check at the local parts store near you and see if they have anything like that.
Parent - By ron.chapman (*) Date 07-24-2013 18:38
I wanted to but I didn't have time. Back in El Paso they have them at the hot rod shop. I will definatly pick up a bunch for sure just to have them.... keep some in the truck at all times lol
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 07-24-2013 18:50
I'm a cheapskate and just slip a ceramic cup on my finger. There are usually plenty of cracked ones available for free.
Parent - By ron.chapman (*) Date 07-24-2013 19:58
never would have thought of that I'll have to keep that in mind!
Parent - By weldwade (***) Date 07-25-2013 00:18
I have worn out two of them so far, good thing I bought the pack of six! They work and have saved me hassle, time and most importantly skin! Great product!
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Ok I need some advice from you aluminum welders!!

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