tig welding help....

Date 02-21-2005 02:09

ok, well setting the amps is more set by foot control while watching the puddle, I just turn the knob and go from there. Most important thing about Aluminum is the prep cleaning. Aluminum melts at 1200 and the oxides melt off at 3600. The cleaning is the + side of the AC sine wave and the penatration is the - side. Preflow could be set at 5 seconds and postflow is ruled at 1 second per 10amps. Tungsten size could vary maybe from 3/32 to 1/8 depending on material. 3/32, 70-100Amps. 1/8, 100-150Amps. Your tungsten tip is 1-1.5 of diameter *Hemi-spherical ball* . Cup size is 2-2.5 times electrode. GL
Brian

By 357max

Date 02-21-2005 05:17

For AC aluminum, Max out the AC balance control to maximum penetration, that would be 68% time at negative. Clean the aluminum mechanically (files or scrapers) real good and forget about that maximum cleaning setting. Use zirconium or cerium tungsten but not pure, sharpened to a point and forget about making that ball on the end of the tungsten. Use the smallest diameter tungsten that will allow the point to remain without balling at the amperage you are welding. A slight radius forming on the end of the point is okay but no ball. Set the AMP ADJUST to just a bit more than the final amperage you need to weld. If you need 100 set it for 110. Foot control has a finite degrees of swing so make more degrees swing that will allow finer amperage control.
For DCEN set the AC balance control to #3.
Turn the ARC FORCE off, that's for stick only. High Frequency to Continuous for AC and Start for DCEN on TIG. A lot of these settings are made for the welder by the newer model machine when you select the process. I think that is the bigger difference between the old and the new syncrowaves.

By pipefitter43 Date 02-23-2005 16:05

In regards to welding anodized aluminum. Amperage should be set at 250 on AC,1/8th green tungsten, I prefer pure with the ball. 5356 filler rod.I also use pure argon gas.I use a snap switch on the torch body. No foot pedal. On/Off pulses welding in reverse travel.This keeps gas right on the puddle. No,this isnt regular specified welding but this works best for anodized. The anodized coating will float to the top of the weld and crystalize. If done correctly,Anodized welds will weld alot easier than mill finish and look alot nicer as well.You dont have to clean the joint area unless you are doing x-ray certifiable welds. The weld will exceed the strength of the parent metal. The welds then need to be painted with aluminum rustoleum paint. Altho the welding crazes the surrounding anodized coating slightly,it doesnt sacrifice it's corrosion protection.Especially if you wipe the item regularly with a rag sprayed with corrosion blocker as a part of it's maintenence.If you would like to see some projects constructed of anodized pipe you can look at my personal website at www.home.earthlink.net/~tigmaster41/ on the aluminum outfitters tab. This is not a sales site.
One other note: I used to make much prettier welds on anodized pipe with the Miller Aircrafter machines. Have yet to meet a synchrowave to match those welds and the ease of which it welded them. Not to mention how noisy the square wave machines are on AC.