Welds came out dirty, set up is diversion 165 1/8 orange tungsten #8 gas lens 14 cfm this is on new 3/16 6061 t6 butt weld. Any recommendations?



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And a couple picks of mig spoolgun welds, as usual starts cold, ends hot, but the in between is not bad.



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weld looks vary dirty.. brush it then hit it with acetone

 

Did, twice

 

Try a regular collet body and cup with a clean tungsten. I can't tell any difference with a gas lens on aluminum and they always get **** in them when I weld dirty aluminum and then cause problems like this.

Or at least try a fresh lens, tungsten, collet.

It could be gas related too so maybe switch tanks if you have another one handy.

 

What's your balance set to? I barely see any etch in the first bunch of pics. Are you using a stainless steel brush to clean the aluminium? What are you using to cut it? Aluminium is very picky and needs to be clean to get good welds. Just noticed the thickness... how much current are you running? I don't think you can do 3/16" aluminium with a machine that small, I weld 3/16" well over 200 amps regularly.

 

thanks, i'll try to do a better job of cleaning it. the diversion should do 3/16 according to miller. i would like a better machine but this is what i have and i don't like the cold start on the miller 210 mig, it leaves cracks when it cools. i think i'll try to preheat it some.

trying to make a table for my new torchmate 2x2



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are you pulling or pushing the mig gun?

 

I noticed the cart which has your diversion has a mig welder above, are you using a mixed gas for you Tig or 100%?

 

Try pure tungsten (green) 1/16, acetone, scotchbrite pad

 

That's exactly what I do.

My aluminum turns out pretty well.

- Derek

 

I would go with 20cf of flow. 14 is not enough. Make sure there is NO draft either!!!! A diversion may be able to weld 3/16 but not large pcs that absorb alot of heat. You can also try mixing a small amount of helium with the argon to boost the capacity of the machine.

 

Try using 3/32 2% lanthanated electrode, 3/32 4043 rod, #6 or #7 cup, 13-15cfh, and 75/25 or 50/50 argon/helium mix. This is what I use with my Diversion 165. As others have said, the Diversion 165 does not have the power to weld that thickness, this why you can cheat and use argon/helium mix. Because of the poor duty cycle at the upper end of the amperage capability, it will take for ever to weld anything.

 

20cfm is overkill for aluminum IMO.

 

20 cfh is a safe setting for welding aluminum using a 7 cup. You can go a little less but then any draft can screw up the weld. The draft can come from the machines own cooling fan let alone a person walking by or the heater/ AC , ceiling fan. I have regulators with real flowmeters not the reg with the 2 2inch round gauges. The real flowmeters don't lie. Weld quality and consistency is much more important to me then a few cfh I might save only to have to maybe go and try and fix a contaminated area.

Been welding since the later 70's so I have been around the block

 

you cant use pure (green) tungsten on inverter welders???

 

green tungsten, denatured alcohol, no lens, clean the cup
Is the filler rod aluminum or an alloy? clean your rods before you use them too.

 

^^^^ did you read the post above yours? ^^^^

 

yeah, got it worked out and yes the diversion can't weld 3/16 for ****. spool gunned most of it with a miller 210.

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I made some vids today, here is a license plate thing I made for a friend and some shelf gussets I made with a logo I’ve been playing with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgKhb...eature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGU-9VNslUc

and some pics


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afterh welding and powder coating



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Tell that to my Diversion. It's been doing it for a year now.

- Derek

 

pure tungsten is most certainly not recommended for use with an inverter machine.

 

He said that most problems with food in aluminum because people use the same weapon for mild steel and wire, leaving the dirt inside the pipe, causing problems for the power wire aluminum. Also aluminum wire is developing very quickly when you hit the bow and the contracts of the soldering tip.

 

Idk who told you that but I have the 180 and it works perfectly fine with pure while welding aluminum.

 

wow that thing is awesome! how much did it cost u?

 

he was just going by what basically the entire welding industry says, but what do they know.

 

I dont see a reason not to use pure tungsten on an inverter ive never had a problem and im sure others have not had a problem. The welding industry is big everyone has there own opinion we dont run off a handbook.

I was just giving him a simple way to weld aluminum that i never had a problem with, maybe it helped him?