On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 11:07:36 -0500, "Waynemak"
wrote:

Scratch start can be done on iron with success. You are going to have a hard
time doing aluminum with a DC machine. If you used DCEN it would do the
cleaning you need for aluminun but would put about 70% of the heat to your
torch. If you use DCEP you will put 70% the heat to the aluminum but have no
cleaning and never get a good weld.
I learned to weld aluminum DCEP with helium as the shielding gas. It
was dirty, but only on the weld surface. The parts were frames made
from 6061 channel 4 inches wide, 2 inch legs, and 5/16 inch web. The
weld was veed out and after welding the part of the bead that was
proud was removed. This way the frame had sharp corners and flat
sides. No porosity was visible. None of the frames, which were about 4
feet high and 3 wide, and held a bunch of pneumatic equipment, ever
failed or cracked. They were reinforced by covers 1/8 inch thick
though. Can''t say that I was real pleased welding that way either.
ERS

As to the remote heat control you might be able to wire in a plug for a
remote POT.
"Steve W." wrote in message
...
Glenn,
Is this item # 91811 ? I thought the knob on the TIG torch was the
control knob? Scratch start and TIG? Wonder if that is the reason the
electrode keeps balling. Kind of hard not to contaminate the electrode
with scratch start.

--
Steve Williams


"Glenn" wrote in message
...
Well curiosity overcame better judgement and I bought one yesterday.
Got to
play with it for awhile today and .. it was interestin to say the
least.
It has a nice range of adjust ment from 5 amps to 130 amps but the
only
control is on the box. No foot pedal or even a control on the torch.
It is
scratch start but seems pretty easy to light untill you get way down
on the
power for really light guage stuff. It did not come with a regulator.
Fit
and finish looks really good and better than I expected. The
"tungsten"
electrode that came with it is junk and balled right up. I did get to
make
a few decent welds with it before the tungsten went away and being
Saturday
no place to get more. I feel with a lot more practice it could well
be a
nice machine for the small stuff but the jury is still out on that. I
didn't try the stick function as I have no use for a 90 amp stick
machine
Mostly I need to get a good electrode and figure out how far to stick
it out
of the cup to get the "flame" I want. For a lunch box sized machine
it is
actually sort of impressive. Way easier to setup and get going than
the big
Miller box .. no water hoses and I can pick it up with one hand
I did have trouble getting the aluminum to puddle right but I think I
had
the gas turned down too much and the tungston kept misbehaving.
(possibly
due to my ignorance but it just didn't act quite right)
Anyway I will have to play with it some more before I decide if it is
worth
having in the shop.

Glenn





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