Tig welding alum.

[bill71762]

I've changed argon bottles and I've also tried 3 different torches,
I've also changed my regulators it has really had me scratching my head, but thhanks for the help
Bill

[HAWK]

ANDY,

Good point. I recently had a torch with the gas hose fitting loose inside the handle. I tightened it up and it fixed the problem. THe gas flow out the torch nozzle was insufficient.

[klsm54]

I hate to be the guy with bad news, but changing the bottle may not have solved the gas problem, if indeed there was one.

Yes, you could get one bottle of bad gas, somehow contaminated, but there is also a very good chance, that if one bottle was contaminated when it was filled, that all the bottles on that bank of cylinders are also contaminated. So, you very well could get the second bottle that was filled from same bank of cylinders.

It is also possible that the fill plant has a problem that is contaminating all their argon bottles. I know, because it happened to me. We had a relief valve that was letting ambient air into the manifold when we would fill cylinders. It was a real headscratcher until we found it. It was only letting in a very small amount of air,and it did not affect mig welds, with mix or straight argon. It only showed up on tig welding, and then only on....are you ready...aluminum!

So, there is a chance, even though it may be small, that your problem is gas related, the tungsten discoloration , like Andy said, makes me at least consider that as a possibility.

[myhemi]

Alumium/ Miller Road Show

WELL-Well-Well, I had thought the same things that you had discussed also. i have Dynasty 200DX, when i just got i started practicing witht all the settings on steel, AL, copper, etc. the Al kicked my butt.......... it really pissed me off i tried checking and re checking every little thing, just couldn't get it right???? Luckily the Miller Road Show can into town in April!!!!!!!!! So i grabbed my test pieces, wrote down my settings and was the first one to show that morning.. we finally determined that i got bad base material, and i should be filling with 5300 filler... i didn't take the time to think of it with AL, but it made sense.. i have gotten alot carbon steel that has been bad.. Thanks to the Miller Road Show, really enjoyed the hands on experience, knowledge, and support that was given!!!!!!!

[Justin00Stang]

I didn't read the other posts but I will just add this.

It took me a little while to realize that I had to clean the rods and work really well with an acetone soaked paper towel. After that the welds came out very nice and consistent.

Acetone is the only way to clean rods in my experience, and it also works very well on already 'clean' work.