Hello
I finally got hold of an inverter AC/DC TIG welder, and started practicing.
After a couple of successful attempts of messing up the electrode on stainless scrap pieces, I got the hang of it and did my first decent-looking welds. I didn't have any filler rods, but as this was my first practice, I wanted to see how the puddle forms, arc length, angle, amps etc, so I don't think it really matters.
Then i decided to try AC, just to see a puddle forming, but things got a bit messy. I'm sure this is a very common mistake with a very simple solution, but a search didn't give up much, I guess I'm not using the right tags. So, got myself a couple of scrap pieces of aluminum and tried giving it a go. Disaster. Any settings, ANY amps, AC balance, angle or whatever i could think of, and the electrode would ball and burn up almost instantly without coming even close to forming a puddle.
Scrap piece was cleaned with a stainless brush, welder on AC (no DCEN/DCEP settings), argon on about 20cfh, 2% Ceriated 1.6mm electrode pointed at every try.
Is it just a case of a small electrode? If so, why is it balling up even on the lowest amperage?
Thanks!
I finally got hold of an inverter AC/DC TIG welder, and started practicing.
After a couple of successful attempts of messing up the electrode on stainless scrap pieces, I got the hang of it and did my first decent-looking welds. I didn't have any filler rods, but as this was my first practice, I wanted to see how the puddle forms, arc length, angle, amps etc, so I don't think it really matters.
Then i decided to try AC, just to see a puddle forming, but things got a bit messy. I'm sure this is a very common mistake with a very simple solution, but a search didn't give up much, I guess I'm not using the right tags. So, got myself a couple of scrap pieces of aluminum and tried giving it a go. Disaster. Any settings, ANY amps, AC balance, angle or whatever i could think of, and the electrode would ball and burn up almost instantly without coming even close to forming a puddle.
Scrap piece was cleaned with a stainless brush, welder on AC (no DCEN/DCEP settings), argon on about 20cfh, 2% Ceriated 1.6mm electrode pointed at every try.
Is it just a case of a small electrode? If so, why is it balling up even on the lowest amperage?
Thanks!