1st Aluminum welds

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Bulldog
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2005
    • 868

    1st Aluminum welds

    Ok Guys,
    Here they are my very 1st (Tig) Aluminum welds EVER! I was at a surplus store the other day looking for a turntable (no luck) when I spotted some square aluminum tube. I thought that would be good to weld so I bought it - 3 bucks. Anyway I forgot about it until today. So I fired up the Spectrum and started to get ready to weld. I cut a bunch of 4" pieces on the band saw. I know that some where along the way someone said that aluminum needs to be real clean to weld so I got out some Stainless Steel brushes and cleaned up the pieces. (I have no acitone). Anyway I had no clue as what settings to start with. The tube is pretty thin (.048) so I turn the Syncro down to 85 amps. The 1st pick is the 1st weld. Man it was hard to get a puddle to form! Nothin but a black spot... Well I thought about it for a second then BANG it hit me...Aluminum needs to be welded with AC not DC oops. No problem no one was looking . So there ya go. I actually welded Aluminum! Not good not great but I TIG welded Aluminum.
    The 2nd pic is the second weld and so on. The last pic is a comparison between the 1st and last. The pics are in the order of the welds.
    See ya,
    Bulldog

    Setup;
    1/16 2%CeriumTungsten
    85-90 amps foot regulated
    1/16" filler on the 1st and 2nd weld
    then 1/8" on the rest.
    .5sec pulse 50% back ground and 85 - 90 peek
    Attached Files
    5 Passport Pluses
    2 MM 212's
    MM 210
    MM 251 MIA
    MM 350 P w/Python
    Syncrowave 250
    w/ tig runner
    Trailblazer 302
    12RC w/meters
    Spectrum 1000
    Spectrum 2050
    2 Black BWEs
    Joker BWE
    Star & stripe BWE Digital
    2 star & stripe xlix's

    REAL TRUCKS RATTLE
    CUMMINS BABY
  • Paul Seaman
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2005
    • 2302

    #2
    Bulldog:
    Pretty good start, you need to roll off a bit slower at the end of the weld and add one more dab before letting off entirely. The consistancy is a bit loose, but that is a practice issue and getting used to how fluid the puddle is. Great start now just practice some more and you'll be up there with Dan and Hawk. I haven't welded any in tig for 3 monthes, your probably up on me right now! I get rusty real fast when I don't weld every week.

    Keep it up,

    Comment

    • Bulldog
      Senior Member
      • Sep 2005
      • 868

      #3
      Thanks Paul!
      I was very happy for my 1st Aluminum welds. It's different then steel that's for sure.
      I'll practice and post more pics later.
      Bulldog
      5 Passport Pluses
      2 MM 212's
      MM 210
      MM 251 MIA
      MM 350 P w/Python
      Syncrowave 250
      w/ tig runner
      Trailblazer 302
      12RC w/meters
      Spectrum 1000
      Spectrum 2050
      2 Black BWEs
      Joker BWE
      Star & stripe BWE Digital
      2 star & stripe xlix's

      REAL TRUCKS RATTLE
      CUMMINS BABY

      Comment

      • KB Fabrications
        Senior Member
        • Jan 2006
        • 1632

        #4
        Bulldog,
        Good go for your first try. You show some real promise there. Keep up the practice.
        Dynasty 350DX
        Dynasty 200DX TigRunner
        MM 350P
        MM Passport Plus
        Spectrum 375 Extreme
        08' Trailblazer 302

        Comment

        • Sundown
          Senior Member
          • Jan 2006
          • 1642

          #5
          Very nice for just starting, practice will help ... I am in the same boat as Paul in that I have been doing steel for the past weeks and I would bet that any aluminum skill I had is vanished.
          Regards, George

          Hobart Handler 210 w/DP3035 - Great 240V small Mig
          Hobart Handler 140 - Great 120V Mig
          Hobart Handler EZ125 - IMO the best 120V Flux Core only machine

          Miller Dynasty 200DX with cooler of my design, works for me
          Miller Spectrum 375 - Nice Cutter

          Comment

          • Paul Seaman
            Senior Member
            • Sep 2005
            • 2302

            #6
            My welders are in storage, so it will be a while till I am welding again. In fact I built some stakes for a friend last week and had to go to the Vocational school and use the mig. That was sorta humiliating!

            Bulldog remember with aluminum you'll make small gains at a time, it just doesn't happen over night. Quite a few arc hours till you feel confident.

            Keep on,

            Comment

            • Engloid
              Senior Member
              • Oct 2006
              • 637

              #7
              Not bad for the first time.

              My advice...
              1) Run enough heat that the width of your puddle doesn't change when you add filler.

              2) Let your puddle melt the filler, not your arc.

              Comment

              • precisionworks
                Senior Member
                • Oct 2005
                • 626

                #8
                If my first aluminum work had looked that good, I'd have died & gone to Heaven

                Nice Job!!!

                If you can find someone locally who is really proficient (like a full time aluminum fabricator) the learning curve will be shorter. Pay them what they want for a few hours of one on one, some of the best money you'll ever spend.
                Barry Milton
                ____________________

                HTP Invertig 201
                HTP MIG2400

                Miller Trailblazer 302, Spoolmatic 30A, Suitcase 12RC
                Clarke Hotshot

                Comment

                • tallwelder
                  Senior Member
                  • Mar 2007
                  • 88

                  #9
                  Those possibly could be the nicest looking first time al. welds I've seen! Keep it up! Carl

                  Comment

                  • HAWK
                    Senior Member
                    • Feb 2006
                    • 3586

                    #10
                    Originally posted by tallwelder
                    Those possibly could be the nicest looking first time al. welds I've seen! Keep it up! Carl

                    I agree 100%! Very nice job Bulldog. All that steel TIG is paying off in a way you never imagined.

                    Comment

                    • Coalsmoke
                      Senior Member
                      • Nov 2006
                      • 2128

                      #11
                      Bulldog, you are ROCKIN! it seems you have the mechanics of it down, the rest are just details.
                      hre

                      Comment

                      • Bulldog
                        Senior Member
                        • Sep 2005
                        • 868

                        #12
                        Hey guys,
                        Thanks for all the kind words and the good advise! I hope to get some more time to practice and when and if I do I'll post more pics. I can use all the help I can get.
                        Thanks again,
                        Bulldog
                        5 Passport Pluses
                        2 MM 212's
                        MM 210
                        MM 251 MIA
                        MM 350 P w/Python
                        Syncrowave 250
                        w/ tig runner
                        Trailblazer 302
                        12RC w/meters
                        Spectrum 1000
                        Spectrum 2050
                        2 Black BWEs
                        Joker BWE
                        Star & stripe BWE Digital
                        2 star & stripe xlix's

                        REAL TRUCKS RATTLE
                        CUMMINS BABY

                        Comment

                        • Stick rod
                          Senior Member
                          • Sep 2005
                          • 475

                          #13
                          Bulldog,
                          Youve got the basics covered now as those before me said you need to practice,practice,practice.Looks good for the first time keep it up!

                          Comment

                          • martymar333
                            Senior Member
                            • Mar 2006
                            • 320

                            #14
                            nice

                            for the first time.....those are very nice welds, keep up the practice.

                            marty
                            Miller Synchrowave 250
                            OTC 300DM with external wire feeder
                            Miller XLi Dale Sr., fibre metal hoods
                            Metaltek of Ky. Inc.
                            Home of the Stephensburg weld

                            Comment

                            Working...
                            X