Keeping Cool!

[SCW1154]

Hello All!
I need your help to end an arguement!

As per my previous post, I'm a newie and only just starting to learn about welding. I've taken your advise on Alloy welding, and have arranged for the parts I need to get TIG welded! Thank you!.

But I'm still none the wiser in relation to having a sensible attempt at Alloy welding with my MIG. I have fitted my 100E MIG with a Telfon liner, the correct wire, oversized tip and Argon gas. After many attempts and horrible failures, I've given up trying, but this is were my arguement starts!

I learnt to weld from a good friend, who called up to see how I was getting on! As per my previous thread, I explained the results and the best finish I could get. My friend has told me Alloy welding could be done to a satifactory level and all that I need is to get a cooler or refrigerating unit or something to keep the Agron cool for welding!

Is this right?!?

I have checked as much info about it that I can, but can find nothing to recommmend that the gas needs to be kept cold, or certainly cooler? There has been no response by anyone to offer any guide to my previous thread, so is there anyone that can help!?!?

Thanks to all!
I hope to get an answer and end the quirrel soon!

Cheers,
SCW.

 

[shenion]

Sounds like nonsense. Every time I have MIG welded aluminum I wanted more heat.

I bet your 100E us not up to the job. My 130EN barely had enough power for 2mm.

I found 0.8mm 4043 near impossible on my Clarke 130EN. It just balled up as it has a very low melting point and teh wire speed was near the max setting on the lowest power setting.

0.8mm 5356 was much easier as was 0.9mm 4043.

Post some pics of the welds, the sizes, type of wire and diameter.

 

[SCW1154]

Hi Shenion,
Thank you for your reply!

I'm not sure that my will cope, but I seemed to get either results!

1. Alloy Balls! No, I'm not being rude! He He! Nothing but Alloy balls running all over the place.

Or

2. Liquid Alloy! It would just run away, rather than build up any type of weld line! the best I can discible would be like solder! It would get to a mass and then just run!

I will try and get some picture loaded up, but other than that, there wasn't much else that I could get from the welder.

I don't want to argue with my mate, but have you ever heard of cooling the gas in anyway? It's not that I know anything myself, hence why I need help!

Thanks again!
SCW.

 

[shenion]

I have never heard of cooling gas. I have seen liquid cooled torches but that is to keep them from overheating (300A and above.)

You do have the torch set as positive?

You would want to do it flat, th weld pool is very liquid when using 4043 wire. Not god on positional (but doable.)

 

[rtbcomp]

I have never heard of cooling gas. ....

I've heard it mentioned with respect to conventional MIG - anyone care to start a thread on the subject before this one gets hijacked?

 

[Tino]

Cooling gas

I've never heard of cooling gas, it's usually very cold anyway as it is expanding, this can cause the regulator to freeze (mostly when using co2) often a heater is used to prevent this.

 

[Gasman]

I realize there is a small risk of being made to stupid (stupider!!) later on, but could your mate winding you up??

I've not heard of this either.

 

[rodofgod]

Hi All!

SCW1154, I think your mate is winding you up!

Think about it, you've spent all that time and energy lowering the temperature of your gas, which will already freeze as it's being drawn off from the bottle,if done fast enough, only for you to squirt it through a hot welding torch and welding arc that is around 3000°! ???

Regards

 

[Drains]

SCW, forgetting the nonsense you mate was talking (no, really, forget it - give him a slap next time you see him, might put some sense into him), what cleaning did you carry out on the ally before trying to weld it? The minimum you should do on anything but freshly cut ally is give it a good scrub with a stainless wire brush. (That's not quite true, you can get away with no cleaning, spesh on a good tig set) Also though, you'd need that wee set of yours on full whack to get anything like enough heat into the parent metal (and that would be on 2mm or so mat'l).

Either situation - oxide surface layer, or too low power, would lead to your "balling" effect.

Good luck!

 

[zardoz]

As Drains says you need a new stainless wire brush that is never used for anything other than ally so not to contaminate the weld.