On Apr 2, 2:10*pm, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:
I had a tigging job done recently on a workpiece I have historically MIG
welded (milled aluminum to cast aluminum).

I can swing a reel gun OK, but the TIG work was purely elegant in both
penetration and cosmetics. *So, now I'm interested.

I have a small budget (no minimum G). *Anybody have experience with
affordable TIG units that have enough features to make it work well on
aluminum and stainless?

LLoyd

What thickness?

That will set your budget.

TMT

Too_Many_Tools fired this volley in
:

What thickness?


nothing over 1/4" in a single pass.

LLoyd

On Apr 3, 12:31*pm, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:


What thickness?

nothing over 1/4" in a single pass.

LLoyd

With TIG you need to consider the minumum thicknesls as well as the
max. Generally the less expensive welders will not weld thin
material.

Also 1/4 inch aluminum takes a bunch of amps. If I recall correctly
Ernie uses 1 amp per .001 of thickness as a starting point. So 1/4
needs a welder capable of 250 amps.

I also do not understand all the posts that say they can not see the
puddle when welding aluminum. You do have to use AC to get the
cleaning power needed to keep the aluminum oxide from obscuring the
puddle, and start with absolutely no oxide on the aluminum. And of
course adequate inert gas. But you should be able to see the puddle.

I suspect those people did not clean the aluminum well enough. The
aluminum oxide is clear. Scrubbing with a stainless brush is not
enough. Use some sandpaper first, followed by the stainless brush
just before welding.

Start with some 1/16 to 1/8 inch material and just get a puddle and
move the puddle from one end to the other. When I first tried
aluminum I had been welding steel. And I did not use enough heat to
get a puddle.

Dan

wrote in message
...
On Apr 3, 12:31 pm, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:


What thickness?

nothing over 1/4" in a single pass.

LLoyd

With TIG you need to consider the minumum thicknesls as well as the
max. Generally the less expensive welders will not weld thin
material.

Also 1/4 inch aluminum takes a bunch of amps. If I recall correctly
Ernie uses 1 amp per .001 of thickness as a starting point. So 1/4
needs a welder capable of 250 amps.

I also do not understand all the posts that say they can not see the
puddle when welding aluminum. You do have to use AC to get the
cleaning power needed to keep the aluminum oxide from obscuring the
puddle, and start with absolutely no oxide on the aluminum. And of
course adequate inert gas. But you should be able to see the puddle.

I suspect those people did not clean the aluminum well enough. The
aluminum oxide is clear. Scrubbing with a stainless brush is not
enough. Use some sandpaper first, followed by the stainless brush
just before welding.

Start with some 1/16 to 1/8 inch material and just get a puddle and
move the puddle from one end to the other. When I first tried
aluminum I had been welding steel. And I did not use enough heat to
get a puddle.

Dan

I had to go to a 14 lens to finally see the puddle. Other than that,
everything was white. Try a 14 gold.

Steve