We used to Ball the Tungsten. Now we Don't.... (usually)

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The deepest deep dive into the old school practice of balling tungsten in preparation for welding aluminum, and why it's pretty much obsolete these days. In this episode, Justin walks you through the history of AC welding and why modern welders don't ball the tungsten when welding aluminum (or aluminium for you others we read in the comments). Enjoy!

Опубликовано:

10 июл 2023

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Комментарии : 95

@johnwaterman9647 11 месяцев назад

I love that. "Set it to 70. If your tungsten explodes, turn it to 30!" 😂😂😂

@joeshomeshop 11 месяцев назад

Thanks, Justin! I was in a CC welding class last spring where the instructor was still insisting we had to ball our tungsten, even with state of the art Miller machines.

@ViktarPisarchyk 11 месяцев назад

No balls -Justin

@qcnck2776 11 месяцев назад

"if it explodes..... " 😄😄😄 Thanks for such a humorous but sensible video!

@nugenki 11 месяцев назад

I only recently full balled the tungsten, and just like you say, I had much less controll, and could see less. Very interesting to hear he "that's the way I've always done it, and my grandfather's grandfather has done it" story.

@vehdynam 11 месяцев назад

Awesome information ! Greatly appreciated ; love this new series. Keep it up. Thanks.

@petersilva4242 11 месяцев назад

Love to see a vid on the square wave ,triangle,smooth square wave form settings,been in the trade for 7 years played around abit with the different waves but yet to find a clear benefit of using the different wave forms

@themrgardner 11 месяцев назад

These videos have been super helpful I have learned a ton! Thank you!!

@FrankInAShed 11 месяцев назад

Very informative video, learned a lot from this. Subscribed. Will watch every video on this channel as they are released. 👍

@baconsledge 11 месяцев назад

I have learned so much on your CHANNELS! Thank you and wishing you continued good fortune!

@mh_vegas 11 месяцев назад

Wow, really loving these Weld Coach videos. Excellent info and quality! 😎

@larryegilman1 11 месяцев назад

The next best thing to in person instruction from Justin...as busy as you are, thank you for this new channel

@Chipmaker1200 11 месяцев назад

You are making awesome videos and you a such a good teacher. Please keep the videos coming. You explain this stuff so well.

@chrislarue07 11 месяцев назад

Watched that one then watching this one now. Thank you Justin for all the info through the years.

@jettagogettAW 6 месяцев назад

Thank you for putting the correct info out there ! Great video .

@bcc2a Месяц назад

Been balling my tungsten on a synchro wave 🤦🏽. Will definitely try running a tapered tungsten the next time I do some aluminium. Thanks for the video.

@user-pl1pj2ms1v 3 месяца назад

Thanks for clearing up the ball debacle for me new to tig and learning every day !

@craigwilhelm7335 11 месяцев назад

Loving the new channel sir!

@519CZRacer 11 месяцев назад

Watched this on the Fabrication channel and it was worth watching it again here. Thank you.

@VictorMPR 11 месяцев назад

I watched the original video and watched this one because I needed a refresher. Thank you!

@andyb7754 11 месяцев назад

Very good iformation, thank you. I can't remember if I watched your old video, but I have gotten this one down!!

@tsstn 9 месяцев назад

Thanks so much for putting out such good information. You really have saved me time and money.

@HWPcville 11 месяцев назад

I appreciate this video. I took welding in night classes in the 80's just for my own knowledge. We were taught to ball the electrode when TIG welding aluminum. I've welded numerous projects using Ocy/Actyl gas welding, ARC welding and MIG and over the years purchased all the machines to accomplish that. I never pursued TIG because I was just doing hobby-shop work and couldn't justify the cost of a TIG unit. Fast forward 40 years...... I have a friend who has a TIG machine (and he's not sure of how to use it) and we had a conversation about technique. He was talking about different colored electrodes and that you don't ball the tip, etc. I was totally lost as that went against everything I had learned so we didn't get very far in the conversation. Your video explains a lot so I think my friend and I can resume the conversation. Would you happen to have a video on tungsten electrode selection? Thanks for posting and I've subscribed.

@bradpage8967 11 месяцев назад

Love this channel!! Thank you for the history, it helps to understand where the “rules” come from and why.

@carpediemarts705 11 месяцев назад

I saw it the first time. Took everything to heart Been explaining everything you said to other welders

@loganworthington4208 11 месяцев назад

Thanks for the videos, I’ve learned a ton!

@MarcPilon 10 месяцев назад

The quality of your videos improved so much over the last few years ! For that : congratulation. You are now among the very few best in your field. Thanks.

@htownblue11 11 месяцев назад

Great explanation. Thanks Weld Coach!

@mikey2864 5 месяцев назад

Cool. I do appreciate have much time and effort you have put into this. I have learned a huge amount from you (you too Jody). Thanks very much. If I win the lottery.... I'll pay it back in Vegas.

@sizzle073 11 месяцев назад

I’ve watched both before bud and current vid. Both were helpful.

@chuntymcchuntface 6 месяцев назад

Didn't know how to explain this to someone. thanks for the insightful video

@paulkurilecz4209 Месяц назад

I have learned a lot from your videos. I have been learning to weld magnesium alloys. I obtained a reference from Lincoln Electric and they recommend that a balled end be used for TIG welding on magnesium alloys.

@tallyman15 11 месяцев назад

Watched on your other channel. Good review. Looking forward to more.

@Sak-zo1ui 9 месяцев назад

A few things, it would have been heliarc in those days with 50hz. 60hz didnt become a lot more common until mid 60s. This is also around the time gtaw sheilding gas experiments were getting more in depth and playing with different alloyed metals in gtaw. Then we started to see the viability of simply tig welding aluminum. As most applications dont require the added heat input of helium especially on thinner material. You also do not need to ball the tungsten. All the balling does is reduce transfer of tungsten to the workpiece and maintain stability in the tungsten. If you size your tungsten bigger the tungsten will only barely ball on the tip. Grind angle and quality is important when doing this. Thoriated will resist the balling throughout. Yes even on transformer machines. Most applications do not require modifying the ac wave. Balanced can be helpful at times also. Mainly on castings or broken down aluminum repairs. You can also weld aluminum on dcen if proper cleaning precautions are taken and the amps are set correctly for desired penetration thickness. A little helium helps too.

@charliehuntsman9827 11 месяцев назад

I'm here Justin hope all is going well keep it coming!!!

@SyedAli-nx4pl 9 месяцев назад

Wonderful video, Thank you.

@sash8589 11 месяцев назад

Fantastic stuff!!

@wcmwfab935 11 месяцев назад

Great refresh

@poetac15 11 месяцев назад

Thanks for posting

@jonelmore4539 8 месяцев назад

Bro for real, your content is awesome. Your just another tradesmen talking to tradesmen.... idk if that makes sense. Hell I watched your first video on it and learned something. Watched this one and still learned something. For real bub your doin a great thing. God bless be safe.

@Joe___R 11 месяцев назад

I am definitely in the don't ball camp. Even if you are using an old machine that is 50/50, your tungsten will then naturally ball as you are welding, so pre balling it is a waste of time.

@kellycoe1787 7 месяцев назад

Thanks man… good explanation

@mspacone 11 месяцев назад

Amazing - Thanks for this!

@CGT80 9 месяцев назад

My 460 amp Miller has balls! It is a 1965 Goldstar 330 abp. 23 years ago, I was taught in college to ball the tungsten but we had syncrowave machines. If I recall correctly, we may have just done a small ball on the tip. The semester before, I got the 330abp at home and taught myself to tig weld from miller's web site.......no youtube back then. Most of what I tig weld is steel with some stainless thrown in and only occasionally aluminum, and a spoolgun is sometimes a better choice on the miller 211 inverter mig. Lately, I have just sharpened the pure or lanthanated tungsten to a point and blunted the end, like I do for DC use, then I let it ball on it's own. We did use only thoriated on the syncrowave machines, if memory serves me right.

@TheMetalButcher 25 дней назад

I have a 330A/BP as well. So you are saying for aluminum you just use lanthinated and blunt it? Or do you use the green?

@CGT80 24 дня назад

@@TheMetalButcher Originally, I was taught to use green. After watching videos, I tried 2% lanthanated, blue. It handles more current but seems to work the same as green. I sharpen and then blunt the end, the same as I would for welding steel with 2% thoriated. Recently, I tried balling the lanthanated after sharpening but I don't recall if the arc was more stable. My biggest problem with the 330abp is the arc wandering when doing ac on aluminum. Aluminum and stainless are something I only occasionally do, so I'm no expert at what is the best method for the old machines like our 330's. For aluminum 1/8" or thicker, I use 1/8" tungsten and run my power on the middle tap maxed out and control the pedal. It takes a lot of heat to get going. On 3/16 or 1/4 material, I will use the top tap (3rd position on big selector) and turn down the knob to 10-40 percent. The 330 with sine waveform just does not have a focused arc with deep penetration. I'm not sure if mine has issues or if it is normal for a since wave transformer machine. On thicker material, stomping on the pedal works. On thinner material, like 1/16" x 7/8" aluminum tube, it was very hard to get a nice bead and not burn through. The arc has a mind of it's own, even with cleaning and prep. That is when I tried balling the tungsten again. That part, I ended up grinding and blending the welds on. There were no voids, so the weld was good, just didn't look like a stack of dimes. The syncrowave machines I used in college were much better at making a nice bead.

@johndeninger8905 11 месяцев назад

thanks justin 👍👍👍

@paulmorrey4298 11 месяцев назад

Thanks Justin

@spevakdesigns 8 месяцев назад

Very timely video!! I run a 400A modern inverter machine in my home shop and infrequently use a 300A transformer syncrowave at work. Currently building some very large 1/4" wall tubing frames at work on the syncrowave and was balling 1/8" lanthanated tungstens and not seeing great results, especially on fillets. I'll have to play with the tungsten shape and balance a bit more tomorrow and see how that works for me. I'm also happy to have found your weld coach channel. I was a big fan of TFS and really liked your past videos on there. Lastly if you or anyone has other tungsten suggestions for the transformer machine that could also be helpful!

@codykastler4709 11 месяцев назад

Dude. This video just gave me the confidence to weld aluminum. I haven't needed to yet, but now it's not so scary. Thanks bro. 🔥

@SeamlessFab 10 месяцев назад

Easier than carbon steel imo

@CraigLYoung 11 месяцев назад

Thanks for sharing 👍

@ypaulbrown 11 месяцев назад

Justin, wonderful.....been fight with this over the last few weeks.....Paul 'Paulie' Brown

@hubbunchdd6035 3 месяца назад

Very interesting indeed

@joemurray8902 29 дней назад

Possibly (just spit balln' here) the reason why the first machine was set up to adjust the positive is possibly because for a long time it was thought that the electrons ran from +ve to -ve. That's because the multi meters gave a positive deflection when measuring the voltage and current. What they were measuring was the "holes" left behind when the electron jumped to the next hole on it's way to the positive terminal. Kinda like sitting in a moving train and measuring the world going past you thinking the world is moving and not you. So they thought the electron was moving to the +ve. Once they could detect the direction of the electron they realized it was moving from -ve to +ve. But by then we had a whole industry set up thinking in the opposite direction. Like I said, just spit balln' here.

@Toyotajunkie 11 месяцев назад

Thanks!

@zenjon7892 10 месяцев назад

IdealArc 300 that was constructed in 1984-user here. I use green tips and ball the end on DCEP before I weld the aluminum

@markd6777 11 месяцев назад

Nice!

@paulkurilecz4209 3 месяца назад

tyvm

@mikewalker4062 11 месяцев назад

Thanks Justin. I did see the original…….no ball…. Got it

@manmachinemake3708 11 месяцев назад

Old skool Lincoln Squarewave 175 here. Balls all around ! That said, i just picked up a Primeweld and am scared to use it. 😂 need some alone time with a bunch of coupons once I find the, ... time.

@TheMetalButcher 25 дней назад

So I have a 330A/BP, no balance control. I have only blue, 2% lanthinated tungsten right now, up to 1/8". In the past I welded aluminum with 3/32nd overdriven, and split a few ends. I had a dull tungsten, not balled, and it wouldn't ball. Would I be better off getting 5/32nd and trying to sharpen in, or go with the green and let it ball?

@hunnybunnysheavymetalmusic6542 11 месяцев назад

Hmmm... I wonder if my cheapo welder has that adjustment. That MIGHT be some of the reason I'm going through electrodes so fast... I'll check that as soon as I get in the shop. May be a game changer for me.

@blauesKopftuch 11 месяцев назад

It's not about getting hot enough to melt the aluminium-oxide, it's an electro-chemical process turning the aluminium-oxide back into aluminium. If it would get hot enough to melt the aluminium-oxide it would also get hot enough to vaporize (turn into a metal gas) the aluminium. Instead you can see the aluminium-oxide "vanish" with still non-molten aluminium "underneath" (it is not underneath, it is the same aluminium that was bonded to oxide atoms before).

@tweake7175 11 месяцев назад

nice video as always. it just needs a better way to describe the cleaning action rather than "melting it". technically i think its called cathodic reaction, converting the oxide back to aluminium, which makes most peoples eyes roll back in their head. sorry i don't know whats an easy way to describe it. also the big factor in balling is the type of tungsten used. more robust tungsten's don't ball as much as the old pure does which i think is worth mentioning.

@fuckingpippaman 10 месяцев назад

its called ion blasting.

@hermannthegerman8 11 месяцев назад

Can you please explain why the fronius machine you are also using has a function for that?

@arnoldrios1606 11 месяцев назад

Thanks for the info. What type of safety equipment will I need for an exploding tungsten?

@KZ-yy9pm 11 месяцев назад

t shirt and diaper

@jeffeilenberger5856 11 месяцев назад

At least with the 60Hz transformer TIG welder you didn't have everyone asking for your settings ...

@TheFabricatorSeries 11 месяцев назад

That is so true 😂

@stefanszabo3 11 месяцев назад

Hi Justin. I have a question. I want to buy a welding machine(AC tig). But I found that it is locked at 60 Hz. So for example, instead of welding at 120 Hz 110A, welding at 60 Hz but a bit lower amps, would it be about the same thing ? Thanks.

@toycoma98 11 месяцев назад

I watched the old video. U didn't talk about square wave this time.

@mikeiver 10 месяцев назад

Totally about balling but you left out the effects of frequency. Throw out at 200HZ or even 400HZ and the arc cone gets very narrow and controllable to steer on AC. Also, at home where I only have 50Amps at 240Vac I am sometimes forced to weld thick aluminum with DC. It is easy but requires meticulous prep and Helium. Single pass on 1/2" to a 1" plate, no problem. Another good video though.

@paradiselost9946 11 месяцев назад

"time, not amperage". mines weird. it has clean area width. thats cool. it also has clean area _depth_ and that, as far as ive worked out with my fiddling, IS amperage. doing really thin stuff i find its great with a 3070, but with a lot more current dumped on the positive... or at least, winding the depth up to +50. tend not to blast through edges as its the electrode taking the brunt of it. giantz. other than feeling a bit colder than the dial says, its been pretty damn nice for a chinese unit. knock on wood. a foray into selecting frequency might be good? again, from what i see... low frequency if you gotta get in deep, or positional... high frequency seems to make the puddle more liquid but less penetrative.

@Joseph-Colin-EXP 2 месяца назад

Whoa whoa, who's that handsome fella.😊

@avmech2126 11 месяцев назад

Used to weld with balls, no more nowadays……………….wonder if the wife put them up on a shelf somewhere 🤷🏻‍♂️😂😂

@photonashville 11 месяцев назад

So unless I missed it, a how-to on prepping the tungsten tip for aluminum without the ball would be useful.

@1960fl 11 месяцев назад

I consider myself a baller! :-) But in the privy I'm a folder LOL!

@thebubbacontinuum2645 11 месяцев назад

You explain things so well. Maybe they could have you explain why the US is waist-deep in Ukraine.

@spamento 11 месяцев назад

Great video, now.... glasses or no glasses?

@scottsprague9974 11 месяцев назад

That video was a ball😂

@timothywhieldon1971 11 месяцев назад

those glasses

@kricketscreations4887 11 месяцев назад

I like to just tip ball it a tiny bit

@countryracer69 11 месяцев назад

I remember that one! Many jokes also popped in my head. But since I cant decide which to pop off I will refrain. Maybe. Maybe I'm scared. Like a lack of balls perhaps...