Yeah,
20 CFM is a tad of high, but not enough to be causing your problem. I'd drop it down to 15 anyway, especially if you're using a gas lens.
You probably won't see the etching if dwelling in one place without a tight arc, or until there's a puddle and you start moving.
If you hold a tight arc and move the torch along the top of the metal, you can see it that way, as it can give some preliminary cleaning action and preheating for a weldiing bead or seam. But it's not a typical thing to do.
Some pics of your torch, with tungsten prepped, and showing the stick-out might help us spot something, too.
Originally, were you welding on some galvanized, ground-off?
That might have been your initial problem with porosity on steel.
Otherwise, I'm guessing that you're on the brink of similarly turning for the better with aluminum.
"Three seconds" or less, watch for the "glint", stick it, then pull back the filler. That's a tack on aluminum. And a bead is a series of tacks, so to speaks.
But you gotta see it first!
Originally Posted by Deep Six
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