3/8th Aluminum with my PM205
Making a cupola for a pizza oven I am building. I may have bought material that is too thick for my 200 amp tig welder. I have an Everlast Power Master 205. I have been happy with the welder but I have a few questions to see if I am on the right track for this fabrication job.
I don't think I am getting good enough penetration on my work. I have been canceling out pulse as I need all the amps I can get out of this unit for this thickness. My settings usually are around balance 30 percent and Freq at 100. I use my foot pedal with aluminum but testing is showing I may get more power with my finger control....maybe I can nurse my amps by cycling on and off with my finger switch if things get too hot after my bead gets going?
I think the extra frosting I am getting at the edges of the weld are mostly as things are not quite hot enough. If I turn my balance to max penetration and the freq up even higher will this get me a bit closer to the penetration I need. I also am thinking of clamping my work up off the table as maybe the 1/4" plate steel surface of my welding table is steeling heat from my work.
I realize a mix of helium would help but at this time I am not able to find the cash for this outlay. Not sure if the pictures show but I have ground out a V for the butt weld to help with the penetration as well.
I realize the front side of this should be welded as well but I am going for a clean no weld look. As it will house a smoky vent for a pizza oven the unit will be painted black because of the smoke that will discolor it anyways. Since it will be painted I guess I could sand a bit of a V joint at the front side and weld and then sand to kind of reinforce things as well.
Thanks for any help on this one.....if anyone is interested to see the pizza project build and also a model of the cupola I am building feel free to visit this link.... https://picasaweb.google.com/waynebe...42PompeiiOven#
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