Ac-dc tig welder

[ausdier]

  WOO HOO 
My latest new toy, a 200AMP MITECH AC DC TIG ARC INVERTER WELDER.
                           

[winklmj]

Sweet. I got an Eastwood TIG 200 a few weeks back. I'm pretty good at melting metal with it--actual welding, not so much Have fun.

[ausdier]

Thanks winkimj,
I will post some pictures when my welding gets good enough..........................see you next year............................maybe.

[22cal]

first time responder long time welder.  try out www.weldingtipsandtricks.com
a very good site for tig, mig,etc.  lots of info even for vetrans.

[ausdier]

Thanks 22cal, I have been looking at a few clips on U-tube and these were part of them.
I have done a TIG welding corse a few years back and from time to time used my scratch TIG on MS and SS but now I am just waiting on some new zirconiated tungsten electrodes.
Already have two orders for ally welding jobs................mmmmm I can already tase the rum ( payment  )

[AdeV]

Already have two orders for ally welding jobs................mmmmm I can already tase the rum ( payment  )

Prepare to be REALLY frustrated to begin with.... aluminium is evil stuff at first, you'll find the molten bits just move away from each other, and even if you do get them to join up, the next thing you know there'll either be a hole in your work, or it'll have warped into something Picasso would have been proud of...

Lots of practice is the key, once you get the hang of it it's actually pretty easy & very satisfying. IME you want more power than you would think reasonable, and weld in short bursts rather than trying to run a long bead. A slightly pointed electrode helps control the arc direction, and if you do accidentally dip it in the weld pool (and you will, frequently), just stop, remove electrode, pin it to the bench with the contaminated bit sticking over the edge, and tap it sharply with a hammer to  break off the knackered bit. Sharpen, return to torch & start again. It won't take long before you can do the whole electrode repair thing in about 30 seconds...

[hopefuldave]

+1 on Ade's comments, I did some TIG at college years ago, got to the "aesthetic welds" stage with steel and stainless, aluminium was a fish of a different colour... A fish with very irregular scales.
 Practice and more practice, and currents a bit higher than you'd expect, *thorough* cleaning - the higher the "cleaning" dialled in the more heat goes into the tungsten, so the bigger the tungsten needs to be, so the bigger the arc and weld pool.
 If your welder "pulse frequency" works on AC as well as DC it's probably worth experimenting with - short pulses tend to spread the arc less, so concentrate the heat a bit more in the weld puddle. Some really posh TIGs let you set the AC arc frequency as well, same effect, higher frequency = narrower arc.

Dave H. (the other one)

[ausdier]

Yay melted some aluminium today.
 This is 2mm thick pieces.
 A little more practice and more playing with the settings should get better.