Need a little help...

[225]

I am trying to weld aluminum. Running @ 150 amps. 1/8 thick. 3/32 rod, 1/8 2 % thor tungsten.

Everytime, the electorde gets a ball at the end of it. Or it blows the tip off. What am I doing wrong?

[Rodsmachineshop]

you are welding in ac mode ,were do you have you ac balance set and the amps are to hi for thin stuff . try 80 to 90 amps to start out-- 150 amps is what i use to start out when welding a thick aluminum head

[225]

The AC balance was at about 12' o clock. I will turn the heat down. I read I need to turn the AC balance all the way counter clockwise? Is that correct?

[Rodsmachineshop]

yes i always have my balance almost at 9 o clock pointing to the left . on my 250 if i go past 12 o clock it burn my electrode were do you have your post flow , ac freq at and are you using the pulse on or off . forgot are you using the pedal or just the torch by itself

[Ray]

watch out,

on a 200DX all the way down is 30%.
on a 250EX all the way down is 10%.

so yea, on a 200DX I would run it all the way down for most stuff.

[225]

I have been using my foot pedal. I tried using the switch on the torch. Screw that.

Just ran a few more beads. Looking better. It's a steep learning curve. I am catching on though.

Thanks for the help.

[Rodsmachineshop]

I found out when i started welding aluminum i started out low on amps then worked to higher amps if needed that way you don't fry your tungsten or burn threw your aluminum . also make sure your aluminum is nice and clean before welding

[jerky]

you want your tungsten to ball up on the end when welding aluminum

[Rodsmachineshop]

Mine don't ball at the end . http://www.thefabricator.com/article...ten-electrodes

[posixPilot]

you want your tungsten to ball up on the end when welding aluminum

So, hang on a second, are you saying that a balled up tungsten is actually desirable when welding aluminum? Or are you saying that a balled up tungsten is the normal result of too many amps? I'm new to TIGing, and I was planning on trying some Al next week some time.

Thanks
Mike

[posixPilot]

Nothing to worry about as long as it is not bigger than the electrode .

Ok, so not as large as the monkey's fist I end up with after dipping my tungsten a few times . Gotcha, thanks!

[everlastsupport]

Ok, so not as large as the monkey's fist I end up with after dipping my tungsten a few times . Gotcha, thanks!

LMAO, never thought of it quite that way, but yes, you're 100% correct. Small ball, preferred not larger than the tungsten.

[Zmechanic]

When I was using thoriated for AC and a machine stuck with 50/50 balance, I used to grind the tungsten to a fine point. Then I'd put it in the torch, and put the machine on DC+ on purpose. Then light up on some clean metal, and slow ramp up the current and intentionally burn back the electrode until I had a nice cone shape with a rounded off tip. This worked a lot nicer than letting it ball on its own, which can sometimes cause it to form weird shapes and patterns on the tip. You can change the size of the balling based on how much current you are going to use.

Not sure you can do that with an Everlast welder though, can you?

[225]

I know these look like crap. But here is 30 minutes of learning to weld. First I had to learn how not to blow the tip of the tungsten off. Then, heat issues are another thing I am working on. But these beads are the first time I have ever used a TIG welder.

And one thing that was weird for me is how loud the HF noise is when burning a rod. Crazy.

[everlastsupport]

AC freq or HF? If AC frequency, turn it a little more clockwise.