Tig Welding Aluminum Castings
Tig welding inverters which can be capable of Tig welding aluminum using 115v or 230v energy; the Miller Dynasty 200dx and the Lincoln Invertec v205t. Each machines are prime quality energy sources but both of those welding machines are limited to around 200 amps output. Being restricted to 200 amps makes you weld smarter not hotter. Preheating thick aluminum components is a proven strategy to reduce the amperage required to weld. Use a gas grill. (It might truly be a good suggestion to have an affordable grill dedicated for preheating aluminum components)Not solely will you want less amperage, but the aluminum will puddle faster and cleaner than with pure argon. Lastly, I like to recommend utilizing as small a Tig cup as possible. Some people refer to them as Tig welding nozzles but in any case it is the ceramic tip that goes on the top of the Tig torch that directs the shielding fuel to the weld and protects the tungsten electrode from being oxidized. Using a small Tig cup requires much less shielding gas. That a lot less fuel blowing on the part makes a big difference in the amperage required. I reminded myself of all the following pointers just last evening once I welded a 4 inch machined ingot of 6061 aluminum utilizing a Miller Dynasty 200 amp Tig welding inverter. I used a 50-50 argon/helium mix, and I used a three/32 dia thoriated electrode with a 4 ceramic Tig nozzle.
How to Tig Weld Aluminum Castings
The only greatest tip for Tig welding aluminum castings is to use a helium/argon combine as an alternative of straight argon. A 50/50 argon/helium mix works great and so do mixes that include up to 80 p.c helium. Helium provides extra energy to the arc and makes extra difference on heavy aluminum than some other welding method you'll be able to suppose of.
Have you ever ever lit up on a heavy aluminum casting using straight argon fuel and had to wait a really very long time to even get a puddle? Not so while you add helium. You get a puddle immediately and it's even a cleaner puddle... an added bonus.Welding textbooks recommend straight argon for anything less than ¼ inch thick aluminum. preheat the aluminum casting. A 200 diploma preheat will work wonders and in case you are using a small tig inverter like a Miller Dynasty 200dx or a Lincoln Invertec v205t, you only have about 200 amps to play with and you will want every little bit of it. A preheat will get you over the hump.be careful not to use an excessive amount of torch gas. Just to be clear, that's the fuel coming out of the tig cup.If you use an excessive amount of