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Author Topic: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences  (Read 10438 times)

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Offline fastcorvairs

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #15 on: March 31, 2009, 06:07:05 AM »
Quote from: Reidy02 on March 31, 2009, 01:32:07 AM
Also I would appreciate some advice, when welding Aluminum I find it hard to get a nice tidy bead and it's pissing me off someone help please!!

         Only adding the filler to the weld puddle also will help keep the weld bead cleaner.  Must us the rocking weld motion.   Heat pull the heat back and dab the filler to the puddle.  Bring the heat back and repeat.  It is all in the rhythm .  One good thing about a pulse machine it will help you keep the rhythm going. 
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Offline fabr

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #16 on: March 31, 2009, 06:44:14 AM »
That's not necessarily the case.  I do quite a bit of thin section stuff such as butt welds or the outside or a corner without filler at all and it is always a bright shiny weld.   I do always take a fine grit flap wheel to the areas to be welded tho just before welding.  I always add filler to all fillets.
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Offline Boostinjdm

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #17 on: March 31, 2009, 06:50:50 AM »
No matter what welding process I use, I tend to fit up inside corner to inside corner then lay in a fillet where the legs are the thickness of the material.  This excludes butt and tee joints ofcourse.
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Offline fabr

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #18 on: March 31, 2009, 06:55:44 AM »
There's as many ways to weld something as a centipede has legs. LOL!!  I always lap the corners so that the square edge provides the filler material needed for a nice outside corner. I'm talking about 3/16 or less thickness material tho like most things buggy related are. I do as you do on thicker stuff.
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"There can be no divided allegiance here.  Any man who says he is an American,
but something else also, isn't an American at all.  We have room for but one
flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is
the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

-----------------------------------------------------------
 " You have all the right in the world to believe any damn thing you'd like, but you don't have the right to demand that I agree with your fantasy"

Offline Boostinjdm

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #19 on: March 31, 2009, 07:01:09 AM »
I figured that's what you did when you said no filler.  When I do it that way it either cracks or I can't get it to lay right.  I always use filler.  4043 for alum and 316l for stainless and mild.  I should prolly switch to something else for mild, but I haven't had any problems and I love the fact that I can leave the filler sit and not get all rusty.
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Offline fabr

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #20 on: March 31, 2009, 07:05:42 AM »
I only do it when welding both sides. If you go the no filler route it is very important that a person get full penetration. If it's a critical part needing the max strength I'll do what you do. Most of my work that I have done using the method I described was fabricating sheetmetal intake manifolds where strength is not much of an issue.
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"There can be no divided allegiance here.  Any man who says he is an American,
but something else also, isn't an American at all.  We have room for but one
flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is
the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

-----------------------------------------------------------
 " You have all the right in the world to believe any damn thing you'd like, but you don't have the right to demand that I agree with your fantasy"

Offline Yoshi

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #21 on: March 31, 2009, 07:18:57 AM »
I have to admit I've never tried to weld aluminum, although I bought the aluminum tungsten and aluminum rod just in case, I don't even know how to set the machine up.  I know your suppose to have a ball on the end of the tungsten, not sharp, but anyone know how i'm suppose to set up my machine for aluminum, and what the process is so I can goof off with it?  I have .050 aluminum that I would be working with.  I run straight Argon for my mild, so I know that's fine on gas as well......

« Last Edit: March 31, 2009, 07:20:47 AM by Yoshi »
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Offline Boostinjdm

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #22 on: March 31, 2009, 07:41:14 AM »
  Just flip the switch to ac,  and have at it.  I hope you are more familiar with your machine than I am, I just had to read through the manual to figure out all the hidden menus.  The defaults should be ok for messing around.  I use either green or red, mostly red tungsten.  I grind them too.  the green is kinda unstable though.  It will form it's own ball, but if you see the ball getting bigger than the dia of the tungsten you need a larger tungsten.  if you seel the ball movin and changing shape while welding.....be prepared to grind a chunk of it out of your alum cuz it's about to fall off.  :o This is why I run red.  I'd start with 1/8" material and work my way to the thinner stuff if I were you.
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Offline fabr

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #23 on: March 31, 2009, 07:49:42 AM »
To form a perfect ball to weld aluminum set your machine on dc+. Hold the tungsten just above a copper item and strike an arc. Increase heat till a ball begins to form.  The dc+ will melt the tip and form a perfect ball.It should  form a radius on the end of the tungsten and not really a ball.The radius end should be the same diameter as the tungsten and no larger. If you screw it up just knock it off and try again.A couple of times and you'll be a pro at making the ball end for aluminum. I have also switched to lanthaniated(sp?) tungstens for aluminum.  It will spit less tungsten and makes for a very stable arc.
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"There can be no divided allegiance here.  Any man who says he is an American,
but something else also, isn't an American at all.  We have room for but one
flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is
the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

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 " You have all the right in the world to believe any damn thing you'd like, but you don't have the right to demand that I agree with your fantasy"

Offline fabr

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #24 on: March 31, 2009, 07:52:48 AM »
Remember that aluminum takes a large amount of heat to get it to flow well since it conducts heat much better than steel and will cool the weld puddle very quickly.You've got it right when the weld puddle "shimmers" at you while welding.If you don't see that shimmer you are way too cold.
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"There can be no divided allegiance here.  Any man who says he is an American,
but something else also, isn't an American at all.  We have room for but one
flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is
the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

-----------------------------------------------------------
 " You have all the right in the world to believe any damn thing you'd like, but you don't have the right to demand that I agree with your fantasy"

Offline fastcorvairs

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #25 on: March 31, 2009, 07:54:17 AM »
Quote from: Boostinjdm on March 31, 2009, 07:41:14 AM
  Just flip the switch to ac,  and have at it.  I hope you are more familiar with your machine than I am, I just had to read through the manual to figure out all the hidden menus.  The defaults should be ok for messing around.  I use either green or red, mostly red tungsten.  I grind them too.  the green is kinda unstable though.  It will form it's own ball, but if you see the ball getting bigger than the dia of the tungsten you need a larger tungsten.  if you seel the ball movin and changing shape while welding.....be prepared to grind a chunk of it out of your alum cuz it's about to fall off.  :o This is why I run red.  I'd start with 1/8" material and work my way to the thinner stuff if I were you.

     If you can find it in your area the best tungsten to use on steel or alum is the zirconium tungsten. It will take allot more heat before the end falls off.  You can use a smaller size that way. It has a brown end on it.  I find that with the zirconium I can use 3/32 on a job that would normally take 1/8 inch.   
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Offline fabr

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #26 on: March 31, 2009, 08:00:39 AM »
Also on aluminum be very clean and remove all contaminates from the weld ares and also remove surface oxides by either grinding/sanding/stainless steel brush. I use a flap wheel myself.  Fit up is also crucial to nice welds in aluminum.The better the fit up the easier welding will be.Many times we get away with a sloppy fit up on steel and just add filler.Not nearly as easy with aluminum. And it looks like shit anyway.
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"There can be no divided allegiance here.  Any man who says he is an American,
but something else also, isn't an American at all.  We have room for but one
flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is
the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

-----------------------------------------------------------
 " You have all the right in the world to believe any damn thing you'd like, but you don't have the right to demand that I agree with your fantasy"

Offline fabr

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #27 on: March 31, 2009, 08:03:58 AM »
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"There can be no divided allegiance here.  Any man who says he is an American,
but something else also, isn't an American at all.  We have room for but one
flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is
the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

-----------------------------------------------------------
 " You have all the right in the world to believe any damn thing you'd like, but you don't have the right to demand that I agree with your fantasy"

Offline Yoshi

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #28 on: March 31, 2009, 08:12:12 AM »
Quote from: Boostinjdm on March 31, 2009, 07:41:14 AM
  Just flip the switch to ac,  and have at it.  I hope you are more familiar with your machine than I am, I just had to read through the manual to figure out all the hidden menus.  The defaults should be ok for messing around.  I use either green or red, mostly red tungsten.  I grind them too.  the green is kinda unstable though.  It will form it's own ball, but if you see the ball getting bigger than the dia of the tungsten you need a larger tungsten.  if you seel the ball movin and changing shape while welding.....be prepared to grind a chunk of it out of your alum cuz it's about to fall off.  :o This is why I run red.  I'd start with 1/8" material and work my way to the thinner stuff if I were you.
Been using it for about 3 years. I adjusted all the settings when I bought it, but I can re adjust them if I need to.  I run red for steel,  green for aluminum.  I set it at 125 amps for my tubing (120 wall), 140 for 1/4" stuff, not sure what to use for .050 aluminum.



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Offline Boostinjdm

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Re: Square wave TIGgin' and conventional differences
« Reply #29 on: March 31, 2009, 08:26:12 AM »
if you have not tried alum before stick with the thicker stuff, like I said.  Starting with .050 with leave you frustrated.  Alum dissipates the heat like you wouldn't believe, and some times you just can't back off the pedal fast enough to prevent a hole.  with thinner material it only gets worse.  Just my opinion though.  My welder pretty much stays at 150amps, but I never use all the pedal.  I'd bet I'm actually running around 60-80 amps when my helmet is down.
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