Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
Reply |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
zirconated tungstens for AC TIG welding aluminum
A big thanks to him or those that mentioned this.
I ordered some that arrived today. I tried them out. Wow! Thick to thin (1/2" to .078), no problem. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Don Foreman wrote:
A big thanks to him or those that mentioned this. I ordered some that arrived today. I tried them out. Wow! Thick to thin (1/2" to .078), no problem. Great! Ernie Leimkuhler recommended them, and his advice seems to be REALLY fine! Also, the Lincoln book I got says the same. They do work a LOT better than the EWP pure tungstens. I was even able to make a passable weld in 2024, which is not supposed to be weldable. Using EWP or thoriated tungstens (which I had) I mostly got balls and melted-back edges with no metal fusion. With the Zirconiated electrodes I got much better fusion, and some truly good-looking welds. I guess they were as strong as one could expect from a non-weldable base material. I'm in kind of short supply of suitable scraps, but I may have some better scraps to practice on from a current job. Aluminum is a lot more tricky than steel due to the fast oxidation and refractory nature of the oxide. A welder with a balance control is a big help. Jon |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Aluminum stick welding rod..field report | Metalworking | |||
What are the aluminum repair welding rods ... | Metalworking | |||
Welding an Aluminum Bellhousing? | Metalworking | |||
Welding Aluminum (WAS: Welding Magnesium) | Metalworking |