wide etching on aluminum

[johnson697]

around 9 oclock position but then i started to urn it up and down with little difference in the etching,does the gas lense have anything to do with this ,not a standard lens.

[performance]

Etching also can be caused by moving too slowly with too little amperage to get the heat into the metal quickly. If we exaggerate it for the purose of demonstration, an arc held at 10 amps in the same spot on thick aluminum will grow a wide etch zone regardless of where the balance is set.

To see if the balance is working, turn the balance up to 60% and see if the tungsten is balling. In fact, you should get some around 40-50% Do you have the EX? If so, go to about 20%. On the other models just set it at the minimum setting of 30%.

[johnson697]

Yes it did ball up,and yes i do have the ex.Had my amps around 180,but not sure how much i was actually using while i was welding but i would guess around 110 to 130 amps because i was only using a little over half of my pedal while i was welding .Had a guy i work with tell me to take off the gas lens and use a standard lens ,gonna try that tommorrow.

[zoama]

Yes it did ball up,and yes i do have the ex.Had my amps around 180,but not sure how much i was actually using while i was welding but i would guess around 110 to 130 amps because i was only using a little over half of my pedal while i was welding .Had a guy i work with tell me to take off the gas lens and use a standard lens ,gonna try that tommorrow.

The gas lens has nothing to do with etching.

[fdcmiami]

The gas lens has nothing to do with etching.

anyone welding for 12 years and claiming to have welded some of the fuel tanks shown in the photos would know that.

[johnson697]

anyone welding for 12 years and claiming to have welded some of the fuel tanks shown in the photos would know that.

been welding for 14 yrs.and tig welded for about 12.ill post some pics of the wide etching of the tanks.and not everyones knows all about welding ,thats why i get on here and ask,not looking for someoneto criticize me or call me lair.

[johnson697]

these are the tanks i did recently and used a #4 cup to weld with and etching is almost completly gone

[everlastsupport]

Welds look great Nice work. Glad all the bugs seem to be gone.

[johnson697]

i am using both lanthanated 1.5% and also thoriated ,but try to stay with the lanthanated for my aluminum ,and i dont ball my tungsten up.

[performance]

Thoriated won't ball either, if it's less than 40%, which is where it should be located at anyway.