Aluminium welding problem.

Welding Techniques, Theory, Machines and Questions.

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toglhot
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Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2012 6:03 pm

Aluminium welding problem.

Post by toglhot »

First time aluminium welding. Just hooked everything up for aluminium welding: Argon pressure set at at 8 lpm, wire is 5356, volts at 18, wire feed at 8.5, base metal cleaned with stainless, aluminium liner installed, earth is negative but weld wire globbing on base metal regardless of voltage, any ideas?
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GlennW
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Re: Aluminium welding problem.

Post by GlennW »

Were you outside in the wind?
Glenn

Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
toglhot
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Re: Aluminium welding problem.

Post by toglhot »

Nope, inside, no wind.
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NP317
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Re: Aluminium welding problem.

Post by NP317 »

Looks like the base metal is not getting heated enough.
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Bob D.
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Re: Aluminium welding problem.

Post by Bob D. »

You say your ground is negative.... are you using a DC mig? I TIG weld aluminum and that is done AC. Your results look like my TIG when I forget to change over from DC after welding steel.
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toglhot
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Re: Aluminium welding problem.

Post by toglhot »

Of course it's a DC, I wouldn't be trying otherwise. Why does everyone bring up Tig? Anyway, practiced all day, suggested settings in the book were wrong, messed around with the settings all day today, managed to get a few horrible looking beads, then in the absence of any real help, I gave up, waste of time.
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Harold_V
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Re: Aluminium welding problem.

Post by Harold_V »

toglhot wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 12:48 am Of course it's a DC, I wouldn't be trying otherwise. Why does everyone bring up Tig?
Because they're trying to be helpful. It wouldn't hurt you to show some gratitude. If your attitude doesn't improve, I'd be surprised if anyone responds in the future. Just sayin'! :wink:

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
toglhot
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Re: Aluminium welding problem.

Post by toglhot »

Sounds good to me, everyone's so busy stroking their egos, I'll just leave them too it. BTW, not a single post was in anyway helpful, asking obvious questions to elicit obvious answere is no help at all.
Bob D.
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Re: Aluminium welding problem.

Post by Bob D. »

Your only hope is to go back to a hammer and nails......
3/4" Juliet II 0-4-0
3/4" Purinton Mogul "Pogo"
3/4" Hall Class 10 wheeler
3/4" Evans Caribou/Buffalo 2-8-0
3/4" Sweet Violet 0-4-0
3/4" Hunslet 4-6-0
3/4" Kozo A3. Delayed construction project

1 1/2" A5 Camelback 0-4-0
whateg0
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Re: Aluminium welding problem.

Post by whateg0 »

Ok, OP, I suppose many would be okay to say pound sand.

The reason TIG is mentioned is because that is what many people are familiar with and are trying to relate that to what you are apparently trying to do. People ask questions about your setup because it isn't clear to them. Get pissy about them asking questions and they won't ask questions, and they also won't try to help.

8 lpm is only 0.28 cfm. Glenn asked about being in the wind because that's what it looks like when there is a breeze blowing away your shielding gas. 0.28 cfm is nowhere near enough gas. A good starting point would be 15 cfm or about 425 lpm. You don't say anything about what your setup is, so I can only assume you talking about "pressure set at at 8 lpm" means you have a regulator, not a flow meter. While doubtful it will impact your setup, a regulator is a half-assed way of regulating flow as it depends on the downstream restriction to be accurate.

"wire feed at 8.5" means nothing to us. Wirespeed on my Lincoln goes from 1-10. Wirespeed on my Miller goes from 0-100. So, you can see how obviously ambiguous "8.5" is without knowing more information.

Good luck or piss off, depending on your attitude.

Dave
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Harold_V
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Re: Aluminium welding problem.

Post by Harold_V »

And that pretty much says it all.
We have prided ourselves, on this board, in keeping things civil. Some folks simply have to have a negative attitude about things, and expect preferential treatment, or so it seems.

One can catch a lot more bees with sugar water than with vinegar. How one sets the trap is all important. Show respect for your fellow readers and you're most likely to be treated with respect in return. Cop an attitude----then all bets are off, as the last post shows.

To be clear, I agree with his comments, and the post will remain, unedited.

I am locking this thread, as it is of no use now. It will die a natural death, but remain as an example of how not to behave, and why.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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