FIRST TIG ALUMINUM JOB DID NOT GO TO PLAN!! - PRIMEWELD TIG 225X 

Terrible to say the least, thankfully you are a fitter by trade.

You've got more guts than I do not having tig welded aluminum for a while and letting everyone see your mistakes I say bravo

I like to use a whoooole lot less stick out and ceriated or lanthanated tungsten. Turn the cleaning action way up(balance) and frequency way up to focus the arc when filling those holes. I never use pulse especially if you have a foot pedal or finger amp control. Turn the amps higher than what you think you need to help start and back off with the pedal. I use helium/argon 75/25 mix. The helium will not be as clean as straight argon but helps you start the puddle faster especially on thick or big parts. I mostly use a Lincoln square wave 200 on small stuff like this. The helium will make it like a 300 amp machine. The absolute best place to see instructional videos is Jody and 6061 on RU-vid. Thanks for sharing!

To anyone that reads the comments. Aluminum and rust when in a "powder" form, like after grinding, creates a substance that is essentially thermite. And the heat from the sparks can ignite it. So keep them away from each other.

I’ll give you some pointers. When you brush it with a stainless brush only brush in one direction if you don’t you’ll embed the contamination in the aluminum again. Acetone is a good cleaner. Clean even the filler. A sharper grind angle say 22.5 doesn’t penetrate deep, so its shallow which is good on thin aluminum. 2% Thoriated 3/32 is what I prefer but I also use Ck layzr it gives good results for me. 70/30 on your balance is good place. Pulse is good for keeping the heat lower while using higher amperage. Frequency 60 - 120 for most but higher results in a narrower bead. I like 40* grinds on some tunsten also. Works good. What you learned on is good for transformer machines balling the pure tungsten as you stated. I like old 60hz machines also. Getting to know the different aluminums can be difficult because you don’t know if it 4043, 5356, 6061 etc so practice like you stated and it will come together for you. Keep in mind with aluminum the oxide layer melts at roughly 3x what the aluminum under it melts at. Enjoy your videos keep up the good work. Remember in failing comes learning which is a good thing but aggravating. Keep the videos coming

I use 100% pure acetone to clean, way better then any laqour thinner

I definitely give you information and experience I use the same welder the primeweld tig225x I also have a water-cooled flexlok torch. I usually keep my frequency at about 120 hurts and keep my keep my balance at 20 to 35% far as tungsten goes I use a 2% lanthanated or 2% ceriated I use either blue or gray I use blue under 150amp the gray I use over 150 amps . And the motto goes 1 amp per 1 thousandths. But other than that practice practice practice......😆😆😆😆🍻🍻🍻

Apparently the lanthanated tungsten is better for these newer inverter type machines over the pure tungsten.. which was what you would use for aluminum on the older transformer style tig machines which is what I learned on.

Part of the struggle might have been the pure tungsten I find that almost anything works better than pure. Keep up the good work

2% lanthanated and pink multi mix is all I use anymore. Clean, Clean, and when you think the aluminum is clean Clean it one more time. Changing your ac balance that helps a lot go to a more high pitched sound kinda like a fly flying near your ear. Wait an extra second for the weld puddle to form before adding filler. Welding tips and tricks has fantastic aluminum videos. Aluminum is tough the more you do it the better you will get. Finally just keep practicing. I have a Lincoln 225 tig at home and weld on Miller inverter machines at my part time job. I love the inverter machines at the shop. I am looking into possibly getting a Primeweld for home / portable use because of the price for the inverter technology. Hope this helps some.

Acetone works the best for cleaning aluminum to be welded. Especially with tig.

Watch Dusty from Pacific arc welding

This was really good thanks for being real

Great video keep uploading

Some copper on the back side of those holes would have helped…slit a copper pipe and pound it flat. Aluminum doesn’t stick to it and keeps your argon where it needs to be.

Pure tungsten (GREEN) is used for transformer machines and normally balled first (Grey or blue is the ticket). What I think is fighting you is lots of aluminum sucking up heat. Try to heat area up to 300 degrees with butane torch, then weld immediately. Set balance to about 30-35%.. Measure thickness of aluminum in decimal form. Example 1/8"1.25. Multiply x 100 for 125 AMPS as general rule. With pulse I multiply the 1.25 x 115 as an example as pulse needs a bit more power. I would set gas at 20-25 CFH. You should also tig weld in closed room with fume vent, Your argon shielding is probably being away. It looks like your torch handling is good just some setting adjustments needing.

Life is a learning curve, don’t apologise.

every thing will work out.

My guy! Glad to see you! I need some stickers for my hood

Mark Winchester, Deep South dime stacker is a excellent aluminum welder also. 5th street fab is good too

Green or purple. I always balled the green. I've seen people grind the purple to a sharp point. Also, try going with small tungsten and filler wire.

maybe try the following settings: Start Current= lowest setting / End Current = lowest setting / Up and Downslope might be ok (when foot pedal: lowest setting) / AC Ballance round about 30-40% / Tungsten color: grey, blue or the best of the best: layzr from CK. at some maschines the green ones work great and on other they.... i dont know why. But the other colors should work great

You did well enough to call it a day and onto the next adventures... that's all that matters... It's crazy that society allows people to emotionally vomit on others because they weren't taught how to communicate with others... or get triggered from their past states... Cheers!

👍

Tig welding thin aluminum ain't easy. Expecally old contaminated aluminum, If you got the holes sealed up you did good. You kept at it and got the job done so that's a win.

The Pulse should actually help out with keeping the weld puddle staying cool, as aluminum has a lower melting point.

Someone probably already said this but looks like your AC balance is a little high. I run this exact same Prime Weld machine and have tried the same buckshot approach to testing settings on aluminum a few times! I welded some old street signs for a guy that was making them into a tool box one time and STRUGGLED. Who knows what kind of aluminum those were.

Inverter tigs use a different tungsten than the transformer ones and when I bought my Lincoln inverter tig it came with the wrong tungsten in a start up kit. Took me years to figure it out. I use the blue now. Also, I don't know if you cleaned both sides but tig will pull contamination thru from the other side. I still suck at welding aluminum and stainless.

dude.... I am JUST NOW doing my old jon boat so THANKS for the "help?" Seems to me that 74 amps was too low? Maybe 120... but that's just me.

Sears rowboat.....hmm are they affiliated with Sears and Roebuck?

I'm sure you have already heard acetone for aluminum

no pulse for aluminum, no power brushes or tiger paws for cleaning prior to welding, 2% thoriated worjs fine. welding on duck boats is like welding on trash dumpsters.

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Welding on boats sucks!

maybe a spool gun?