i need some help...i am using 2% thoriated tungsten, and i know i am supposed to ball the tip but how do i do this... also i need some help with welding aluminum....

 

Do a search. This exact topic has been covered multiple times. There are various ways of doing it, the ones I remember:
Grind tungsten to a point, switch to DC, strike an arc, it'll ball on its own, switch to AC, weld.
Grind tungsten to a point, strike on table, weld.
Etc.
30 second search for "ball aluminum weld" in the archives, search body enabled.
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1643621
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1564144
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1403482
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1213473
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1013333

 

You don't necessarily have to have a ball. Easiest way is to just strike an arc on some aluminum and let it ball up. Or jsut start welding and it will get there. The new inverter machines don't need a balled tungsten.

 

for tig on aluminum you dont need to ball up the tungsten but most people do i do it because if you notice the electricty flows differently, to ball the tungsten swtich you machine to DC + an at low amperage strike a arc on some scrap you will notice the tungsten start to heat up and ball up, you will be needing to ball up a green coated tungsten or a pure one for AC (AC flows better with pure tungsten) strike an arc on a piece of aluminum wait till you can see a miror reflection puddle an start dippin not to hard dont apply to much current so you dont tost your work, it takes lots of time to master welding on this metal

 

2% ball on dc+ on clean copper, green pure is the tungsten that ***** on its own. if you have an inverter machine you dont need to ball it. if you dont know how to ball it, you ramp up the heat slowly till you get a bright white light, then you will see it bubbble and bead up, if it worked you will have a nice shiny polished ball. also most people overdo this, i dont mean a BALL, i mean a sphered end on the tungsten. it shouldnt be any bigger then the diamater of the tungsten. make sure to keep the torch straight so the ball isint crooked.