What machine are you using, and what is the trick. I have been meaning to try, but have not had a chance.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hulkhb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What do you guys think of the Miller synchrowave 180SD ? I have been looking at that one. i am gona be doing IC endtaks and manifolds. (SS and mild)

Or how about this little thing http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...45031 Which one will do the best job for me ?

Modified by hulkhb at 9:04 PM 10/1/2003</TD></TR></TABLE>

I would suggest the 180 if you're new to tig and if you have the amperage to handle it at home. It takes like a 85-90amp breaker(ouch!) I almost bought it until I got a great deal on a Thermal Arc 185. That tiny little thing you found on ebay would probaly do alright until you try aluminum because it doesn't have AC. If you have the money for a syncro 180 you might want to wait around and get a T/A 185. Its a small inverter machine with AC and pulsing that comes with everything except the gas for around $1700. The only complaint that I've ever heard from someone with a TA 185 is that it isn't blue(miller)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tinker219 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This is me, now that I can finally SUCCESFULLY weld aluminum:
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BWAHAHA....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jeff C &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What machine are you using, and what is the trick. I have been meaning to try, but have not had a chance.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Well, get a nice rounded Tungsten tip(youre supposed to go to DC+, and strike an arc on some copper), but I prefer the grinder to achive mine. The real trick is to make sure you have a nice HOT rich puddle before you start dipping the filler in. Otherwise, the filler gets "rejected" from the puddle. Then, proceed like w/any other metal.
Lincoln Squarwave 175....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hulkhb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What do you guys think of the Miller synchrowave 180SD ?
Modified by hulkhb at 9:04 PM 10/1/2003</TD></TR></TABLE>

i just got that welder, its awesome, works great with everything so far

 

god, you guys are killing me! I gotta wait a week and a half before I can get my welder

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SpdFrk &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't know if this O/T or not but i have a question. Im about to take the sunroof out of my hatch. Im using a MIG wire feed welder. My question is how hot should i set the temp to be for welding?</TD></TR></TABLE>
REALLY low. It's really thin stuff. I just did this. Took the sunroof apart and just spot welded in the little panel (with some little spacers). Then fiberglassed the thing smooth and leak-proof. This is probably the best way to go, apart from putting in a non-sunroof roof. Mine looks OK but not great...not highly recommended for something other than a race car.

 

ttt

just trying to keep a good thing going

 

K, this is gonna sounds like a "n00b" question, considering Im fairly confident in welding, but WHAT FILLER ROD DO YOU USE FOR Cast aluminum? Ive tried welding on a few intake manifolds, and it doesnt work for **** because of serious contamiation. I can get a decent puddle ont he manifold itself, but when I try to get the filler in there, it instantly contaminates. Ive heard that there are special rods for this purpose, anybody want to share??? Im asking becasue Im about to make a sick I.M. for my h22, and Itd be much better to do it in AL, using the stock flange/injector bungs...

 

Tinker.. Just clean it and clean it and keep cleaning it.. I used 4043 with good results before. Make sure you scotchbrite your rod and use some rubbing alcohol on it. Some times its really hard to get started.

The problem is when you heat the alum up the oils cook out of it and into the weld. Preheating it and cleaning it while hot might help.

 

ok, ill try this, thanx Todd. I think Im using 4043 anyway, so cool...

 

yep, liek i IM'ed you

i jumped into TIG welding by not steel but aluminum which is harder, and not to mention, cast aluminum to regular aluminum which is the almightty hardness IMHO

the cast is a dirty/impure metal cause its cast in sand i believe, anyways, make sure its 1000000000000% clean, or that **** pops, and its a PITA cause once your tungsten touches it, you gotta grind tahtshit back down

but as for filler rod, i just use regular 6061 alum i believe ( i think thats normal) andit works great for the custom intake manifolds i make which are under pressure, works fine for me

 

I was told one time to clean then put cast into an oven and bake the hell out of it to get as much of the contaminants out as possible. Then clean it again and repeat the process a couple of times.

 

getting the aluminum clean is definately a bitch, i was welding a piece last night that i kept cleaning and cleaning and cleaning, tried different rod, tried a new tungsten, but no matter what i did it was contaminating, it really effected the strength of the weld and it looked pretty bad

 

you guys might want to check out http://www.hobartwelders.com There was a pretty good topic on there about cleaning aluminum.

 

one of my old intake manifolds was made by a guy here on H-T...He used teh stock cast flange and welded sheet metal to it. HIs welds looked good on both the sheet and teh cast.

his name was turbointeg95(brian) if you wanna contact him

 

my dads an appliance repairman, so I have lots of ovens around the house Ill try this when I have some free-time(not much, and probably not for another couple months).

 

This time next week, I'll finally get mine

 

I started welding on Aluminum with a TIG 175 square wave Lincoln. This was about two weeks after I had ever started welding.

Intake Manifold for my 2.4L Neon


Turbo Manifold I made for a "customer" with a Turbo Neon


Some of my early Stainless welds


Downpipe I make for the SRT-4 (so tell your friends!)

 

you have got to be some kind of prodigy welder to lay down welds like that after onyl 2 weeks of welding...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RTErnie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Intake Manifold for my 2.4L Neon


</TD></TR></TABLE>

That is exactly what I told my roomate he needed for his Neon. We ended up putting on the Indy instead. Looks awesome!

 

Here's my relatively poor weld. I'm using a not-so-great machine, but the price was right (got it for free). It's a 1986-era AIRCO MIG LITE 100. It's rated at 100 amps @ 20 Volts, which would mean it's 200 watts. Was hoping for some suggestions, I can't seem to get anything close to pretty out of it. My welds work, but leave a lot to be desired. Thanks!



EDIT: BTW, it's the weld on the left, not the one on the right

 

Don't worry, your welds still kick my welds ***.

 

to everyone trying to improve their welds, get the book "performance welding" i'll get the author's name and publisher tomorrow.. it is one of the best welding books ive ever read and it has lots of info for stuff we would be welding.. its really good

 

all types of welding? i know that i need help with my tig welds...


Rob