I have tried to weld this once or twice with poor results . I am using a lincoln square wave tig 275 . I am trying to weld 6061 .055 intercooler tubing . I know to weld on ac but some of the other controls i am not sure of i have tried different settings it helped but still not perfect . I am also using a 1/8 inch pure tungston . Not sure if i would be better off with thinner tungston . Any tips would be great .

 

the tungsten your using is to large you can get away with 1/16 or use 3/32 and grind it to a slight point form a slight radius at the point and the tungsten will shape a small ball on its own as you start to weld 2% is fine for aluminum pure is not necessary if your only welding 055 then try 1/16 it will be the easiest but you won't be able to weld anything to much thicker

 

Sounds like your fillers too big and your probably too hot or moving slower than you should!

 

You should use a 1/16 tungsten, perferably Zirconia. Filler size should be 1/16" as well, does the machine have a pulser? That will help you if you burning through. 50-75 amps will do it.

 

OK i will have to get some smaller tungston and try that ....I do not think my machine has a pulser ....i will try it and i will post asap how it turns out ...

 

i am not familiar with the lincoln machines much but this isnt an inverter machine by any chance? i have frequency control on my inverter machine and tend to turn the freq. all the way to 200hz... welds like steel with a point on the tungsten...

 

Thanks for all the help i tryed a smaller tungston and it welds much better but i still need lots of practice .........

 

yah. 1/8" is much too big for that thickness tubing
use the minimum tungsten size for the amperage you are welding at
make sure you are using Pure Tungsten electrodes (usually green) and not the thoriated ones (red)

keep your filler rod in the shielding gas range but not too close to the electrode, or else it will get to hot and just drip all over, or when you go to deposit some it will look nasty cause more then you want will be left.
try pulling the rod out and inch or two from the tip after each bead. and then go back in with the filler right when the base metal is molten. pull back filler, move forward on base, when its molten go back in with the filler again to leave another bead . it's a faster process then it sounds though. you won't pull the filler rod out for more then a split second or two when welding something so thin

everyone has their own methods though. god luck. aluminum is tons of fun.