Aluminium tig guide getting started.

[Retromeccanica]

I've just joined the forum and this is the first article I've read. Thanks for explaining it so well. I want to start TIG and this is really helpful.
Dean.

 

[Dim]

Purchased recently Vector OW240 Plus welder, but having issues welding aluminium. The manufacturer has not provided proper manuals.

I read this topic, but not certain if those impulse settings can be applied to this device. Wondered if someone tried welding aluminium with such model and how the welder should be adjusted ?

 

[Brad93]

Purchased recently Vector OW240 Plus welder, but having issues welding aluminium. The manufacturer has not provided proper manuals.

View attachment 170877

I read this topic, but not certain if those impulse settings can be applied to this device. Wondered if someone tried welding aluminium with such model and how the welder should be adjusted ?

Need clearer picture

 

[Brad93]

Purchased recently Vector OW240 Plus welder, but having issues welding aluminium. The manufacturer has not provided proper manuals.

View attachment 170877

I read this topic, but not certain if those impulse settings can be applied to this device. Wondered if someone tried welding aluminium with such model and how the welder should be adjusted ?

That’s a DC only machine you can’t weld aluminium with it. You need an AC tig welder

 

[Richard.]

Purchased recently Vector OW240 Plus welder, but having issues welding aluminium. The manufacturer has not provided proper manuals.

View attachment 170877

I read this topic, but not certain if those impulse settings can be applied to this device. Wondered if someone tried welding aluminium with such model and how the welder should be adjusted ?

Yep. Brad is right
Which I explain in the first post

Alu tig is welded in AC and
You require an AC DC tig machine to do this.

 

[Munty Scruntfundle]

Hi folks, I'm glad to see this thread is still being followed, some of the most useful information I've found.

One thing that would be really useful (which may have been covered, I haven't read every thread) is manufactures decoding sheet of knobs. (snigger)

They all call the tig variables different things, example, which direction is dc+ dc- on a dial called "Cleaning"? It's the very most basic of tig knowing which knob is which. Knowing which direction to turn it helps as well. It's taken me a while to find it all on other sites and tubes just for the machine I bought.

Just an idea. )

 

[Dutch Welder]

Good idea, but as there are many different manufacturers this could be quite a list.

For example a Rehm Tiger AC/DC defines AC balance at -80 to -50 or +50 to +80
There is no area between -50 and +50 which is very strange IMHO, but probably logical to the boffins who designed it.

For basic things like ac balance I usually turn it fully one way ,and start an arc on a test piece.If the tungsten balls up in an instant that would indicate that that position is maximum electrode positive (i.e. cleaning action.)

For a beginner on Aluminium the only things that matter as a startingpoint are AC balance and frequency.
With a frequency of 60-100 hz you are all set as a beginner(yes there are advantages for a certain freq. for a certain job, but as a beginner those kinds of jobs are not very easy, and maybe even a bit out of their capability) so concentrating on AC balance is key, forgo frequency and pulse (which on AC is just another complicating factor for a beginner IMHO)

Set the balance to where you get a good clean puddle (on a nice and clean piece of scrap) but do not get excessive balling. Keep on adding more AC negative until the puddle becomes muddy/peppery/not clean, and then add just a touch of AC Positive.

That setting is ballpark for clean materials, and imho as a beginner that's what you should be welding. Heavily oxidized or cast materials will require more AC positive, but you'll see when you nee dit, if the puddle isn't clean on the ballpark setting add more AC positive until you get a clean puddle, if you don't get one and your tungsten balls/melts then clean the material better or admit defeat.

 

[Appyasme1]

Are you using a Ziconiated Tungstan.White tip.The more positive you have will clean the oxide layer. This depends on the grade of Al you are welding

 

[maddog7]

I didn't notice this guide until recently, it's excellent.
Really very grateful for the effort and can see it being very valuable long term to refer back to.
On the subject of tungsten sharpening I used a tutorial from 6061.com that makes two different angles on the tip but Richards comment on sizing it up for different ball sizes is an interesting extension of that.
Would I presume you'd want a larger ball for larger current or is it about a particular arc shape to match a joint type?
Cheers
D

 

[Richard.]

I didn't notice this guide until recently, it's excellent.
Really very grateful for the effort and can see it being very valuable long term to refer back to.
On the subject of tungsten sharpening I used a tutorial from 6061.com that makes two different angles on the tip but Richards comment on sizing it up for different ball sizes is an interesting extension of that.
Would I presume you'd want a larger ball for larger current or is it about a particular arc shape to match a joint type?
Cheers
D

In all honesty if I could get away with no ball at all for every joint and situation I would. The balling is inevitable as we need cleaning and we need current. So I grind up my tungstens with various sized preps to allow various sized ball caps depending on how much current I want to apply. I won’t let the ball go out of control and keep it as small as possible. I don’t really want it there I’d rather weld with the point. It’s an old school thing. Some people are of the belief that in order to weld aluminium you need a big round ball on the electrode. Well it’s not that you need it but back then it was the norm with big soft wave transformers and pure tungstens you welded with domed electrodes. Modern inverters on advanced square waves with much harder tungstens allow you to slam the balance at 80-85% and still keep things clean. The ball will always be there but you can keep it much smaller and keep the tungsten more focused.
I can weld with a 1.6 lanth tungsten at 150 amps and still keep that ball at under 1mm diameter with my balance control at 85%. The welds still come out clean.

 

[maddog7]

In all honesty if I could get away with no ball at all for every joint and situation I would. The balling is inevitable as we need cleaning and we need current. So I grind up my tungstens with various sized preps to allow various sized ball caps depending on how much current I want to apply. I won’t let the ball go out of control and keep it as small as possible. I don’t really want it there I’d rather weld with the point. It’s an old school thing. Some people are of the belief that in order to weld aluminium you need a big round ball on the electrode. Well it’s not that you need it but back then it was the norm with big soft wave transformers and pure tungstens you welded with domed electrodes. Modern inverters on advanced square waves with much harder tungstens allow you to slam the balance at 80-85% and still keep things clean. The ball will always be there but you can keep it much smaller and keep the tungsten more focused.
I can weld with a 1.6 lanth tungsten at 150 amps and still keep that ball at under 1mm diameter with my balance control at 85%. The welds still come out clean.

That's great info Richard, primed with it, I'll do a bit experimenting when I can.
Cheers
D

 

[baldy]

This is Great Stuff, Richard. Im learning every day ! Many thanks !

 

[harveyglen]

Great stuff Rich

 

[Salvatore Prestianni]

Fantastic information Richard. Have to put some of your ideas to practise. Could have used this info for my cast aluminium weld. Cast can be a bit tricky, doesn't puddle that easy. Keep up the good work.

 

[divya_mathur]

Well I don't have much idea about this. Aluminium Tig welding is one of the best tig welding used in welding industries. Everyone knows aluminum is an excellent conductor of heat.

 

[Richard.]

Aluminium Tig welding is one of the best tig welding used in welding industries.

It’s only as useful as any other welding process. It’s no good if you’ve got 2 bits of stainless to slap together.

 

[Fixedwheelnut]

This list is excellent and just what I needed, I have had an R-Tech TIG201 for a few months now and much prefer TIG over MIG welding, probably because it is more akin to gas welding feeding the wire in.
Just had my first go at Aluminium tonight repairing my Son in Laws bike 'cracked seat tube' so welded the crack and added a strengthening piece of webbing. All was going well until the last bit when it suddenly went in to scratch start mode without any settings changing so I await a reply from R-Tech technical department

 

[Exuptoy]

I have been struggling to tack using my normal weld current including the slope and flow settings, you’ve just cleared something up for me @Richard.
Cheers.

 

[Exuptoy]

I also never realised you can tap the trigger on the Parweld to reduce the current. Saw it happen once or twice when trying to downslope but thought it was something wrong or I hadn’t been forceful enough. The manual doesn’t even mention it (I think?).

 

[Hood]

I also never realised you can tap the trigger on the Parweld to reduce the current. Saw it happen once or twice when trying to downslope but thought it was something wrong or I hadn’t been forceful enough. The manual doesn’t even mention it (I think?).

Very handy feature and one I miss now I no longer have the XTT. My Mig also has this feature when in single pulse and I use it all the time.
BTW the manual does mention it.