|
Posted by Andrew Bishop on May 31, 2006, 5:40 pm
Please log in for more thread options
having a problem with tig welding aluminium
when I add filler wire I seem to get a crust on the weld it may be the
casting I'm welding is the problem or me
any suggestions
gas is boc argon shield pure
wire is al mg
I have also noticed a few black deposits in the weld
I should add I a novice when it comes to aluminium
been welding steel with oxy acetylene gas /mig /brazing for 20 years but
this is all new to me
|
|
Posted by on May 31, 2006, 6:25 pm
Please log in for more thread options
Starting with the hard stuff eh? I can think of five things that can
cause trouble right off the top of my head:
-Low quality casting: Very likely, aluminum castings usually vary from
bad to horrible in terms of porosity and contamination. It might just
be a low quality casting.
-Not heating the piece well enough: Novice aluminum welders do this all
the time. If things aren't going the way you think they should it might
just be that you aren't getting the work hot enough. You have to lean
on the pedal a lot more and a lot longer than you think.
-Wrong filler approach: The combination of the very hot arc and the low
melting point of aluminum makes it difficult to add filler without it
melting and oxidizing first. Try coming in from from a different
direction or angle.
-Inadequite shiedling gas / contamination: Always a consideration. Make
sure you have good flow and no leaks in the line. Your local careless
welding store may have also given you bad gas but that's less likely.
-Incorrect filler: I've seen several different people pick up and use
stainless filler in aluminum on several different occasions. This
probably isn't your problem, check it anyway.
Andrew Bishop wrote:
> having a problem with tig welding aluminium
> when I add filler wire I seem to get a crust on the weld it may be the
> casting I'm welding is the problem or me
> any suggestions
> gas is boc argon shield pure
> wire is al mg
> I have also noticed a few black deposits in the weld
>
> I should add I a novice when it comes to aluminium
> been welding steel with oxy acetylene gas /mig /brazing for 20 years but
> this is all new to me
|
|
Posted by Ken on June 1, 2006, 2:40 am
Please log in for more thread options From the problems you are having sounds like you may be better off heating
the weld area, and wire brushing until the surface of material is free from
impurities, then welding using 4043 rod.
k
> Starting with the hard stuff eh? I can think of five things that can
> cause trouble right off the top of my head:
>
> -Low quality casting: Very likely, aluminum castings usually vary from
> bad to horrible in terms of porosity and contamination. It might just
> be a low quality casting.
> -Not heating the piece well enough: Novice aluminum welders do this all
> the time. If things aren't going the way you think they should it might
> just be that you aren't getting the work hot enough. You have to lean
> on the pedal a lot more and a lot longer than you think.
> -Wrong filler approach: The combination of the very hot arc and the low
> melting point of aluminum makes it difficult to add filler without it
> melting and oxidizing first. Try coming in from from a different
> direction or angle.
> -Inadequite shiedling gas / contamination: Always a consideration. Make
> sure you have good flow and no leaks in the line. Your local careless
> welding store may have also given you bad gas but that's less likely.
> -Incorrect filler: I've seen several different people pick up and use
> stainless filler in aluminum on several different occasions. This
> probably isn't your problem, check it anyway.
>
>
> Andrew Bishop wrote:
>> having a problem with tig welding aluminium
>> when I add filler wire I seem to get a crust on the weld it may be the
>> casting I'm welding is the problem or me
>> any suggestions
>> gas is boc argon shield pure
>> wire is al mg
>> I have also noticed a few black deposits in the weld
>>
>> I should add I a novice when it comes to aluminium
>> been welding steel with oxy acetylene gas /mig /brazing for 20 years but
>> this is all new to me
>
|
|
Posted by xray on June 1, 2006, 3:41 am
Please log in for more thread options On Wed, 31 May 2006 22:40:12 +0100, "Andrew Bishop"
>having a problem with tig welding aluminium
Nothing to offer, but here is my bad story on welding aluminum.
I am a self taught tig welder. I've noticed steel is much easier to weld
than aluminum. Anyhoo, I wanted to stick together heavier alum pieces
than I ever tried. A section of 3/8 x 1/2 bar onto a 3/16 plate. Total
penetration and strength were not important, so I figured I could do it.
I clamped the bar onto the plate with a couple of small steel spring
clamps. I tacked the weld in a few places and all seemed to be going ok.
Started welding along the length. Ok, maybe not the prettiest weld but
it'll hold. As I approached the last few inches of weld I noticed that I
was moving much faster that I ever had before. In retrospect I should
have backed way off on the pedal. As I got to the last part where the
spring clamp was still holding the tacked pieces, the whole end of the
bar piece melted and collapsed under the force of the spring. Arrgh!
Obviously too much heat.
I cut out the last inch-and-a-half or so and got a new piece welded in.
Job successfully accomplished eventually, but I obviously am a long way
from being a competent aluminum welder.
|
|
Posted by Ken on June 1, 2006, 4:07 am
Please log in for more thread options
> On Wed, 31 May 2006 22:40:12 +0100, "Andrew Bishop"
>
>>having a problem with tig welding aluminium
>
> Nothing to offer, but here is my bad story on welding aluminum.
>
> I am a self taught tig welder. I've noticed steel is much easier to weld
> than aluminum. Anyhoo, I wanted to stick together heavier alum pieces
> than I ever tried. A section of 3/8 x 1/2 bar onto a 3/16 plate. Total
> penetration and strength were not important, so I figured I could do it.
>
> I clamped the bar onto the plate with a couple of small steel spring
> clamps. I tacked the weld in a few places and all seemed to be going ok.
> Started welding along the length. Ok, maybe not the prettiest weld but
> it'll hold. As I approached the last few inches of weld I noticed that I
> was moving much faster that I ever had before. In retrospect I should
> have backed way off on the pedal. As I got to the last part where the
> spring clamp was still holding the tacked pieces, the whole end of the
> bar piece melted and collapsed under the force of the spring. Arrgh!
> Obviously too much heat.
>
> I cut out the last inch-and-a-half or so and got a new piece welded in.
>
> Job successfully accomplished eventually, but I obviously am a long way
> from being a competent aluminum welder.
In actual fact when you are used to it, welding aluminuin is in my view
easier than steel!
As with any form of welding though, close control of the amount of heat you
are putting into the job is very very important, and this is the main reason
why a beginner needs plenty of practice, after getting a good idea of the
basic techniques.
k
|
| Similar Threads | Posted | | Aluminium | March 15, 2008, 8:34 am |
| Gas welding Aluminium | April 27, 2006, 5:51 am |
| stick welding aluminium | July 1, 2007, 2:14 pm |
| What grade of filler rod do I need to weld Aluminium car body? | April 27, 2006, 4:22 pm |
| Help with a problem. | May 2, 2007, 12:08 am |
| Re: Lincoln 175 SP+ problem | September 25, 2007, 10:21 am |
| Re: Lincoln 175 SP+ problem | September 25, 2007, 7:25 pm |
| gas welding regulator problem,.. | March 15, 2007, 3:21 am |
| help with welding/welder problem | May 11, 2007, 10:16 pm |
| Lincoln Precision 185 problem | July 7, 2007, 9:58 pm |
|
|
Yahoo! 
Google 
Windows Live 
del.icio.us 
digg 
Netscape 
XML Sitemap
> when I add filler wire I seem to get a crust on the weld it may be the
> casting I'm welding is the problem or me
> any suggestions
> gas is boc argon shield pure
> wire is al mg
> I have also noticed a few black deposits in the weld
>
> I should add I a novice when it comes to aluminium
> been welding steel with oxy acetylene gas /mig /brazing for 20 years but
> this is all new to me