Need help QUICK ! Thick Aluminum

[Georgie]

Hey guys, gotta job I need to do NOW. hoping some of u have some good advice to give. As some of you may know I have a L-Tec Helliarc welder (BEAST) and need to weld 9mm/7mm U-chanel Aluminum.

I got some 5/32 zirconated rods ( roughtly 4mm) and some 3/32 lanthanated and thoriated rods.

What should I use and how many amps (got a pedal)

My plan in my head was

5/32 zirc
preheat
Traditional cup 10 (no gas lense for 5/32)
10 cfh
250 amps


imag

Any suggestions?

 

[Georgie]

anyone?

 

[octo0072000]

anyone?

it's midnight in the uk mate give people time

 

[Georgie]

oupps didn't realize that!

 

[shenion]

Those numbers look ok.

The Miller calculator for 3/8": 130-260 amps, 1/8 tungsten, 1/8 filler, 5/8" cup.

 

[Jim Davey]

Use a Helium mix if you've got it, will save on some preheat time. Get it as clean as you can, looks old and oxidised in the picture. You'll soon know if 250 amps is enough but on pure argon I'd guess it won't be without substantial preheat. (Can't sleep . )

 

[Georgie]

Ok guys will get some pics when im done of what went on...

 

[Georgie]

U think 3/32 filler 5252 is ok? The u chanel is 6061 t-1

 

[Georgie]

Sorry my 3/32 filler is R5356...

I also have some 1/8 but on the tag, under "alloy" its written "Sealcore" and "Heat#" its written "465883" and these filler rods arnt perfectly round like the 3/32...


screenshot pc

 

[Georgie]

*Okay and when i ball the end of the zirconated, do I put the machine in DCRP or AC? And if I ball it on DCRP, do i set the High Frequency in "START" like I would for DCSP. Or do I put the High Frquency in " CONTINUOUS" like I would for AC ?

OUFF thats alot of questions!***

 

[Georgie]

Ok I got a clean block of Aluminum, set the machine in DCRP, put the High Frequency to "START", adjusted the amps to 80, and balled the end with the foot pedal. It balled quit nicely.

I then switched the machine to AC, High Frequency to "CONTINUOUS", adjusted the Amp potentiometer to 250A, increased the ac/balance to about 75% penetration.

Preheat the joint with a MAP gas bottled torch. Then proceeded to welding.

Let me say, all I got was some mud like pool that would reject the filler rod. I cleaned the **** outta this to make it perfect. Acetone, wire brush,acetone, clean gloves(nitril) etc...


free photo upload


imagur

This is what the zirconated tungsten looked like after a few touchdowns on the hot aluminum and roughly 3 minutes @ 230 ams...


image share

 

[scott0031]

*Okay and when i ball the end of the zirconated, do I put the machine in DCRP or AC? And if I ball it on DCRP, do i set the High Frequency in "START" like I would for DCSP. Or do I put the High Frquency in " CONTINUOUS" like I would for AC ?

OUFF thats alot of questions!***

Being as its a time of night i doubt you will get a reply i will try to help not knowing what tig plant you have.

Im guessing an old style transformer unit reading between the lines. If it has ac facility then use ac ball the tungsten. Then weld in ac. Hf should be on continuous. not that i have played with my transformer welder for a few years...... memory fails a bit.


Have a play on scrap.


See if that helps.

 

[scott0031]

Upload images direct to the forum if you can. I cant see anything on those links or it wont connect.


If you are getting a lot of black muck and soot its a gas issue most likely. That extrusion looks clean enough in real terms as being an extrusion it will have a high aluminum content so it can be extruded, this in turn should make it good for welding.


If you have had touch downs with the tungsten let the tip cool and break it off until you get back to original looking tungsten. A contaminated tungsten will contaminate the weld.


Set up on scrap not the job.



Kind regards,


Scott

 

[Jim Davey]

I'll bet that the problem is the gigantic ceramic. I don't know why they sell them, but I've tried on several occasions to get a decent weld with one of those on there and all I got was porosity and dirty welds. Unfortunately the next one down is too small, and will overheat rapidly. Try a smaller ceramic cup and see how you get on, if you get a nice clean puddle before you add filler then there's your next problem, oxidised filler or overheated before it dips in the puddle or withdrawn too far from the gas shield after dipping the rod in, not easy to say which of these problems you're experiencing but the number one issue will be that 3/4" or whatever it is cup.

 

[Brad93]

Grind your tungsten to a point don't bother balling it up, you contaminate the tungsten too much doing that. Wipe the filler rod down with acetone and cut off the end.

As said a size 7 cup should be fine for that weld. Less stick out of the tungsten too.

 

[Georgie]

my arc is erratic when im going high amps... also work table isn't grounded.. maybe these are some problems?

I will try with a smaller cup and grinding the zirconated to a point on some scrap...

this is getting annoying. it says in my manual that I might have to check the spark gap?

anyways we have owned this machine since 1995 and im pretty sure its never been cleaned or opened up... will get you guys some pics of what it looks like in the machine lol

 

[Shox Dr]

In none of those pictures has the joint been at a point there it was ready to take rod.

All you are doing is blowing the rod it bits with the amps, contaminating the electrode and workpiece.

It doesn't look like you've learnt from the last advice that was given.

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

Looks like you also need to get the cleaning balance right on the welder. The filler looks a bit skanky. And the wekd pool isnt anywherr near ready to start putting filler in yet

 

[Georgie]

Shox, what do u mean by the joint at a point?

 

[Georgie]

When i was trying to make a pool all i would get is shinny mud. Even when the tungsten was newley rounded, as soon i i started my welding the arc was erratic like crazy.. Is that because its not ground to a point?