so frustrated and ready to give up

[Goodhand]

1. Did you ever get lanthanated tungsten?
2. Is your aluminum anodized? If so, then it will be harder for the arc to break through the coating, unless you sand it off.
3. Are you brushing the joints with a stainless steel wire brush, prior to trying to tack?

It appears that you are attempting to learn to tig aluminum as you fab this project. May I suggest that you practice on some scrap pieces of the same dimensions that you are working on? I just ran a bead on the 1/2" thick end of a piece of irrigation pipe with my 165 (preheating with the arc), so you should be able to do similarly with your 180.

The fact that you are getting soot and melting the material before getting a puddle indicates that you are not applying enough heat from the git-go. Get a few practice pieces and work on developing that puddle by flooring the pedal at startup. You can take advantage of some pre-heating by moving the arc around in the direction of where you want to go, then retreat and add filler to the puddle. It is all too common for a tyro to hold back on puddle initiation for fear of melting the work piece, but what you need to do is floor the pedal to get the puddle started and then add the filler, as you progress. Remember to go hot and go fast (relatively speaking). Aluminum tig is not for the fainthearted.

[FernTJ]

Yes, the black soot indicates you have contaminated your tungsten.

I suggest you take some smaller pieces and practice different techniques, and pre heating. Then decide if you can weld up this project or move it on to someone with more machine.

[WillieB]

You've got all the signs of contaminated tungsten. You will have to preheat to make these welds with a Diversion 180. Heat provided by the welder, you'll hit your duty cycle 1.2 minutes into your weld, long before you form a puddle.

[brettbuck]

picks

some picks

[H80N]

with me welding this, would it mess up my welder. should i just eat the 90 buck in metal and buy thiner, or pay some one do weld it for me. i just dont know.

I have seen guys finesse some amazing welds using preheat on some stuff that I thought was too heavy for their equipment...

So... I would probably try it...

[brettbuck]

miller 180

That welder is busting its nuts to form a puddle on anything over 3/16. Even with pre heat you are fighting an uphill battle.

with me welding this, would it mess up my welder. should i just eat the 90 buck in metal and buy thiner, or pay some one do weld it for me. i just dont know.

[WillieB]

Keep your filler rod just out of the heat until ready to dip. Bring it in at a 90 degree angle to the tungsten. Dab quickly, move away. Zapster on WW suggests coming in from the side or even from behind the torch. It is critically important that the puddle, not the arc heats the filler. As you dip it in the liquid aluminum, heat will transfer to the filler, melting some.

[WillieB]

Mass can be more important than thickness. My Diversion 180 Could be coaxed into a weld on 1/4" if mass wasn't too great. Preheat with acetylene, and change to 4043 or 4943 3/32". There is some chance your machine can't do this weld. It gets expensive, but a mix of helium would help.
Build up your weld, I've had 1/4" welds crack with the Diversion.
I now have a Dynasty 280 DX. I don't have this sort of problem!

[walker]

That welder is busting its nuts to form a puddle on anything over 3/16. Even with pre heat you are fighting an uphill battle.

[H80N]

no pure, im going to get 2% lanthanated. how can i preheat. i dont have oxy acetylene. would i be able to us propane hand torch. and if so will that contaminate the aluminum.

propane torch could work..... or even gas grill...

[brettbuck]

ok so

no pure, im going to get 2% lanthanated. how can i preheat. i dont have oxy acetylene. would i be able to us propane hand torch. and if so will that contaminate the aluminum.

[brettbuck]

Wichita KS

Now I can picture it. There is no reason you should not be able to weld this. You may have to do it in stages & let the torch & machine cool but it should work.

I also agree that you should throw away the pure tungsten.

Where are you located? Maybe someone is close by & can do a visual to see what's going on.

####

[johnnyg340]

Preheat can go a long way towards making up the horsepower on an underpowered machine.... after all isn't that the OTHER reason you have a gas grill..??...

Be careful with preheat... Anything over 150F will substantially increase weakness in HAZ!

[MMW]

Now I can picture it. There is no reason you should not be able to weld this. You may have to do it in stages & let the torch & machine cool but it should work.

I also agree that you should throw away the pure tungsten.

Where are you located? Maybe someone is close by & can do a visual to see what's going on.

[H80N]

3/32 pure tungston, rod 4043 3/32. so think of a rod iron fence but its a head board and made out of aluminum, top and bottom rails are 75"x2"x1/4 and the rods a 32"x1/2x1/2. im trying to weld a tee joint where the rod is centered on the top and bottom rail.
im welding it on a table and my torch is at a 45 angle(in the joint.no bevel.)
so more or less i cant make a 1/2 tack weld around the rod.
i will work on it again this weekend thanks for helping.

Minor point.... you do NOT want to be using PURE tungsten (Green) with that machine.... you will have better results with Lanthanated or Ceriated properly ground to a point then blunted..

(NO Pure on inverter machines... it will ball and give you arc wander)

This guidebook should be helpful

http://www.diamondground.com/TungstenGuidebook2013.pdf

I do agree with what others have said about that machine being a bit underpowered for the thickness and mass of the aluminum you are trying to weld...

You might try some or a whole bunch of preheat and run that thing flat out..while keeping as short and tight an arc length as possible.. to keep the heat where you want it..

Preheat can go a long way towards making up the horsepower on an underpowered machine.... after all isn't that the OTHER reason you have a gas grill..??...

BTW... if your LWS carries it... 4943 is a Great filler for 6061....

Another point is to make sure your fitup is tight and to mechanically clean the oxide layer off the area to be welded with something like scotchbrite and then wipe with acetone soon before welding..... this will help you form a puddle a little quicker and cleaner...