First try at aluminium

[Mike Pinches]

I've been doing a level 2 Tig course in the evening at my local college for the past few weeks. I got all my test pieces done with a few weeks to spare (all on steel and stainless) so have got an opportunity to play on some aluminium. Last week I only had time to run a couple of beads on a plate but this evening I tried a few joints.

I think the butt joint was a bit cold to start, but think I then turned the amps up too much as the bead became quite wide and very sunken at the end.

I was struggling with the t fillet, I was finding it much harder to see the weld past the torch. I was finding it the torch was anything other than 90° to the workpiece then the filler would melt away long before getting to the puddle.

 

[Matchless]

I would be very happy with any of those!

 

[zzr1200]

Are you using standard open gas nozzle holder or can you change over to a gas lens holder, ask the instructor?

Gas lens allows more stick out of the tungsten over a standard nozzle set up.

ie:- Better vision of the weld pool for a fillet and butt

 

[Mike Pinches]

I would be very happy with any of those!

I am very happy with them, I was expecting much worse for my first try.

Are you using standard open gas nozzle holder or can you change over to a gas lens holder, ask the instructor?

Gas lens allows more stick out of the tungsten over a standard nozzle set up.

ie:- Better vision of the weld pool for a fillet and butt

I was using a standard gas nozzle and no.6 cup. I will check with the instructor if I can swap to a gas lens, I imagine they will be ok with it but I would probably have to take one in. More stick out would definitely have helped with vision.