Question why is it that when im tigging the beads are coming out fat with not much penitration . my tigg is a Licoin PT185 I was welding this at 70amps 12psi of argon and my tip on the tig is flush with the housing.




Anyone some setting changes and so forth post please

 

 

aluminum? thickness of both pieces?
cleaning method?
also what does it mean when you said tip is flush with the housing?

you should be at around 20cfh as well.
need more info to help.

-derek


Modified by dfoxengr at 6:41 PM 11/15/2006

 

looks like your not letting the puddle form before you add filler.

simply get the arc going, and just floor the pedal, and wait there....

wait holding steady for a pool of molten aluminum to form, then touch the rod to the pool. the pool should like "suck" the aluminum right off your rod.

if you have to like stick it in there to get it to take, it isnt molten/hot enough.

then after that, you proceed to move the torch, form another pool, and add the rod...........

 

Well TIAL BOV flange 1/16" i believe the pipe is a cast piece 3/16" cleaning method right now was both sides with brake clean I do not have any acetone here.

Both alum

 

When i look threw my mask the flame is yellowish orangish and there is no actual electron arc that i can see. I posted a pic of my tip possible the tungstien is too far in the housing??

 

I think you guys are talking about cfm not psi (i could be wrong)

What filler rod are you using? Are you using an uncontaminated ss brush? Im not seeing any cleaning action around the weld, what is your balance?

I'd try bumping up the amps to 80-90 and cleaning a litttle more/better.

Good luck!

 

balance was half way and then i tried auto. Im thinking its my tip and contamination

Im using 4043 filler rod its 2.4mm thick

 

Your welds are too cold. That flange is pretty thick, I would increase the current to 100 amps at least.

Good luck man!

 

yes 100 amps or even 110, i like to stab the puddle very quickly when im welding aluminum.

you also need to be cleaning with a stainless wire brush, then acetone it. no more brake cleaner

also this "housing" youre referring to, is the cup.

i like my tungsten to be balled,green, and about 3/8" out of the cup when i do aluminum. im no pro, but my welds look almost as good as my steel welds.

i think the orange that youre seeing is your ceramic cup getting too hot, as well as the tungsten, and theyll both start to glow orange. not good.

start the arc, slam the pedal until you see it start to mirror up, dab alittle then start working and stabing the mirror-like puddle. watch the edges as well and make sure the aluminum is flowing to the edge.
-derek

 

Does anyone have a pic of what the proper distance from the cup to the materials is i think my tip setting are not good. My tung is flush with the cup and im holding it pretty close.

 

read my post above.

-derek

 

Just tried what u said here is what i got



The top bead

 

now just practice, your settings are close.

I have used both acetone and brake clean with good results. I prefer acetone though as it seems to take off oils faster.

 

I would just practice now. It looks like in your first pics you just lacked gas coverage(bump it to 20+ cfm) and your tungsten should be sticking out at least half the inside diamter of your cup. I find with AL it's a little easier to stick the tungsten out slightly more( a lense will help, just search "gas lense tig" in google to find out more) and make sure to hold your tungsten further away from your work as AL beads are typically taller than beads run on steel. It looks like you are on the right track now.

PS. get some flat stock to practice on then post some more pics.

 

make sure your torch is together properly. i had an irratic arc one time and i must have been pulling some oxygen in somehow. took the torch apart and put it all back together and was good to go. looks like it is working better for you now. just something to keep in mind

 

stick the tungsten out ~3/16" on flat, 1/4 - 3/8" on a T-joint

because the tungsten is so far back, you're letting the arc ride up the Al and are making a wider fillet than necessary; additionally, longer arc=hotter

if you think about the geometry, having the tungsten flush with the cup, the closest the tungsten can get to the joint is half of the cup diameter (and that's if you're touching the cup to both pieces at a 45* angle) and with amount of restricted space, gas flow can be messing with you

extend the electrode and try again w/o filler

 

Ok coo i tried this and i notice that my beads become small and highe like just puddling there then when i give it a bit more heat they widen and turn grey

 

have you practiced fusing too? just to get some good puddle control? fusing is when you create a "bead" without using filler rod and i used a inverted U motion. Thsi is just what i did when working with stainless, dunno if it will work the same on aluminium

 

Yeah i tried that got a weld but it was not to strong lol.

I just need more practice. Ill try more tomorrow and post up some pics.

Anyone have the charts for gas and amp for metals and alums mine is lost

 

if you're new to welding, then your jumping in head first trying to weld that. The different thicknesses are moderately difficult and definitely not easy especially making it look good lol. Try putting filler down on top of aluminum (no joints) then try butt welds with filler, and just keep practicing, you'll start getting the hang of it the more and more you weld. It's all in practice.

 

Just FYI, if you use brake cleaner to clean your parts, a small amount of chlorine is left on the part after it dries, and when you weld on it, it releases chlorine gas. This can be bad.

It looks like you need to practice more on flat stock before you jump into more complicated stuff. I would recommend trying basic joints first. Start with butt joints, fillets, outside corners, and lap joints till you get proficient at them and then start doing different thicknesses.

 

what if its non chlorinated?

i actually use a die grinder with a brillo style buffing pad to clean off my aluminum before welding

 

Non chlorinated is fine.

 

Its non chlorinated but im gonna go get some Acthone and a new SS brush and maybe a mask

Thanks guys ill let u know