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a setting on my HF-P

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  • #1

    a setting on my HF-P

    I can weld SS pretty easily, and it comes out nice...but I have lots of trouble with aluminum....and It seems its always been that way with this machine at work. I haven't welded on another tig, so I have no comparison. But I look up videos for help often and it is night and day what the weld process looks like on the video and what mine looks like.

    there are times when I can get decent welds on aluminum, but it takes a LONG time to get there and it is slow, and the position of my electrode is so critical... when cleaning and heating up, the machine has a certain sound and as soon as the aluminum wets out the machine changes sound to a smooth sound...but if I lift the torch ever so slightly, I lose the wet puddle and am back to that nasty sound... sometimes I see the arch moving around on the electrode...If I contaminate the electrode, I clean it and start over. yesterday I used lathanated and balled the tip 3/32" dia, and was welding 1/8th aluminum sheet ( 5052)that had been tacked previously by a vendor who bent some sheet for us. MY 100% argon was flowing at 30 psi. I looked at a video and the guy was welding in 2 seconds and he traveled at least 6 " dipping his filler in a nice wet puddle in about 10 seconds worth of time!!! it takes me way longer to weld that length . so I am THINKING the AC on this machine might have issues... or I am not set up right....so the main question is...

    what setting should the HF be on when doing aluminum?

    start,
    off
    continuous???

    I have always had it set to START...

    thanks

    bob
    Tags: None
  • #2
    For aluminum you need continuous, and AC. What machine are you using? Settings? Material thickness?

    Comment

    • #3
      thanks

      I just saw a video today that said CONTINUOUS!!!

      dam, all these years

      my machine is a Dialarc HF-P

      .125 aluminum 5052,.....4043 filler

      water cooled 280 amp torch

      bob

      Comment

      • #4
        a setting on my HF-P

        Definitely continuous.

        Comment

        • #5
          Yep you will want CONTINUOUS HF AC for Aluminum

          You will want to read the TIG Guidlines Booklet to better understand settings

          http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/gtawbook.pdf


          These 4 videos are really good info on technique for AL TIG

          TIG Welding Aluminum Part 1: How to Hold the Torch
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FadO0hqTaN0
          TIG welding aluminum requires knowledge of a few basic techniques, including proper puddle control. Aluminum can present challenges, even for experienced wel...
          .

          *******************************************
          The more you know, The better you know, How little you know

          “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten”

          Buy the best tools you can afford.. Learn to use them to the best of your ability.. and take care of them...

          My Blue Stuff:
          Dynasty 350DX Tigrunner
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          • #6
            thanks , but all I got when I opened the videos was youtube and an exclamation point in a circle...

            I can see the other titles listed to the right, but they also come up with an exclamation point!!

            bob

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            • #7
              Originally posted by dvice View Post
              thanks , but all I got when I opened the videos was youtube and an exclamation point in a circle...

              I can see the other titles listed to the right, but they also come up with an exclamation point!!

              bob
              That's ODD...Comes right up when I click on it..

              TIG Welding Aluminum Part 1: How to Hold the Torch
              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FadO0hqTaN0
              TIG welding aluminum requires knowledge of a few basic techniques, including proper puddle control. Aluminum can present challenges, even for experienced wel...


              your ISP might have heavy traffic
              .

              *******************************************
              The more you know, The better you know, How little you know

              “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten”

              Buy the best tools you can afford.. Learn to use them to the best of your ability.. and take care of them...

              My Blue Stuff:
              Dynasty 350DX Tigrunner
              Dynasty 200DX
              Millermatic 350P w/25ft Alumapro & 30A
              Millermatic 200

              TONS of Non-Blue Equip, plus CNC Mill, Lathes & a Plasmacam w/ PowerMax-1000

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              • #8
                it opens now....

                I went ahead and set the machine for continuous and cant believe how easy the welding became...

                it would have been 10 times easier to weld up that boat gas tank if I had the switch in the proper setting!!!!!!!!!

                I just welded some .080 sheet aluminum, edge to edge in a butt weld... it went so smoothly!

                thanks

                bob

                Comment

                • #9
                  Originally posted by dvice View Post
                  it opens now....

                  I went ahead and set the machine for continuous and cant believe how easy the welding became...

                  it would have been 10 times easier to weld up that boat gas tank if I had the switch in the proper setting!!!!!!!!!

                  I just welded some .080 sheet aluminum, edge to edge in a butt weld... it went so smoothly!

                  thanks

                  bob
                  Glad you got it sorted out..

                  you might want to print out that 24pg TIG pamphlet and keep it near the welder for quick reference...
                  Last edited by H80N; 09-04-2015, 04:54 PM.
                  .

                  *******************************************
                  The more you know, The better you know, How little you know

                  “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten”

                  Buy the best tools you can afford.. Learn to use them to the best of your ability.. and take care of them...

                  My Blue Stuff:
                  Dynasty 350DX Tigrunner
                  Dynasty 200DX
                  Millermatic 350P w/25ft Alumapro & 30A
                  Millermatic 200

                  TONS of Non-Blue Equip, plus CNC Mill, Lathes & a Plasmacam w/ PowerMax-1000

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Originally posted by dvice View Post
                    it opens now....I went ahead and set the machine for continuous and cant believe how easy the welding became...it would have been 10 times easier to weld up that boat gas tank if I had the switch in the proper setting!!!!!!!!!I just welded some .080 sheet aluminum, edge to edge in a butt weld... it went so smoothly!thanksbob

                    LMFAO, well I'm glad you knew what you were doing the first time. Your ready to start welding for NASA now that you have your machine figured out.


                    And its CFH (cubic feet per hour), not psi. And it should be in the range of 15-20 depending on your cup size, and I dont mean your bra.

                    Ja
                    Last edited by ja baudin; 09-05-2015, 08:13 PM. Reason: Changed minute to hour
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                    • #11
                      a setting on my HF-P

                      Well I would imagine welding with the proper settings is quite a bit of an improvement.

                      It's not like you had one of the most important aspects of TIG welding aluminum turned off or anything.

                      But I'm only poking fun at you a little bit. It's all in good humor.

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