Aluminium corner weld

[Drains]

Bruce - what's up tonight - you are seeming aggressive towards stick welders. (Can't be anything wrong with the sheep - they are common in SA).

SA only won the cricket because it was unusually sunny. We're more used to rain. Wait till the rainy match - we'll have you then.

It's an ongoing phobia of Bruces I think. Feeling myself that stickwelding is an art to be aspired to (as is TIG), whereas Mig is one for the lower orders, I could get peeved at him. The truth is of course that I am nobbut a Johnny-Come-Lately to the higher truth of the Stick, so can hardly start lobbing rocks at Bruce and his hang-ups.
He'll see the light, soon enough.

 

[runnach]

I see.




and this is something you felt obliged to share with us.





I see






So what do stickwelders carry...wellies?

I had a nostalgic moment at the mention of tig welder steady hand and dolly, or did you mean some other tool called a dolly?

Stick welders carry the same, plus their chipping hammer (when they need it) in their rigger boot

 

[dutchman]

Feeling myself that stickwelding is an art to be aspired to (as is TIG), whereas Mig is one for the lower orders, I could get peeved at him. .....
He'll see the light, soon enough.

Amen to that!

You can't weld if ya can't stick...
If you can't stick... use a MIG

Oh no, I am doing it again... sorry

 

[Bruce]

Bruce - what's up tonight - you are seeming aggressive towards stick welders. (Can't be anything wrong with the sheep - they are common in SA).

No Sir! Just having some sport, I didn't think they'd be offended, partly because most cant read and those that can and find themselves in the tig section are tresspassing.



on a serious note. I am taking the mickey here, I still do more stick than tig. In fact unless it's ali, I'm on stick because it's quicker and easier and an awful lot cheaper, but if you repeat that I'll deny it

 

[hotrodder]

Dollies, sheep, wellies, cricket??? all sounding a bit kinky

Thank you

My arc length too long? Heck, I dont know if I have the dexterity to get 2-3mm from the deck without touchdown or welding the tungsten to the filler rod. That torch is a bit unwieldy what with the hose and all the gubbins. Tig welders must have an increadibly steady hand..or do they use a dolly?

Welding the torch, filler and work into one big lump is all part of learning . Look at this way, you'll get to be very good at grinding tungstens

Steady hands help but making a pile bones helps more- rest your elbows on something to reduce the amount of joints that can shake, wrists are even better but it can hamper movement. Welding out of position i'll extend my little finger and use that as a guide to hold a consistant arc length- probably get a little too hot when welding small practice coupons but on larger pieces, works for me

No use on aluminium (or thin DC work) but many pipe welders use a technique known as 'walking the cup' to hold a consistant arc length. The ceramic rests on the work and is 'walked' in a similar manor to the way a large heavy drum is moved by hand

 

[G Jones]

In asked 'cos -- neatness of weld aside -- it's one of the issues with DC ally TIG.
More amps, maybe, or different rod. If you lay down a bead on a practice peice with your settings, what's the penetration like?

Hi - from reading various posts here and elsewhere - I had the idea that DC Tig on Aluminium was a non starter ?...
Mind you - I was always told you can't weld Ally' with oxy/acet....(not entirely true)

 

[Paul.]

Hi - from reading various posts here and elsewhere - I had the idea that DC Tig on Aluminium was a non starter ?...
Mind you - I was always told you can't weld Ally' with oxy/acet....(not entirely true)

DC on ally is possible but not practical for most people, you need to mechanically clean the refractory oxide from the joint area immediately before welding, clean the filler rod because that is oxidised as well, also the shielding gas needs to be helium not argon, and use a pointed electrode, I wouldn't recommend it on anything thinner than about 5mm, you'll get a sooty looking weld, AC is the way to go really

 

[G Jones]

DC on ally is possible but not practical for most people,
AC is the way to go really

Thanks for that - I guess you could put it in the "Get you out of trouble but not easy or recommended" category of welding ?

 

[hotrodder]

I tried it recently on 1mm aluminium with argon- even with very thorough cleaning, no sign of a weld pool at all (got to use 'the force' ), very dirty although i stuck 2 bits together it was more luck than anything else