I'm going to have to try Aluminum at some point! Damn this project, no time to experiment! Good info here guys! Thanks. :thumbsup:

The tubing comes pre-polished and the guy that was doing the TIG work for me before said it was giving him grief when he was welding and with everything I've read about TIG not liking contamination I scrub the crap out of the tubing before welding with a stainless brush.

It looks like I did run back over it with a stainless wire brush post-weld.

No, I cant adjust frequency on my TIG. Its a Miller Diversion 165- pretty basic but I got it for a good price to learn with and it should burn everything I'm doing for now.

Nothing wrong with the Diversion to learn on!!!!

If you brush the aluminum brush one direction only. Going back and forth can cause the oxides to get pushed deeper into the material.

My little Diversion (165 with a pedal) seems to be "under rated" as it does a pretty good job on thicker materials. As long as you don't "force" it. Give her some time and away you go.

You will be able to get excellent results with the diversion. Everyone on the miller Forums say the Diversion Aluminum settings are the "std" Dynasty 200dx settings.

Chris

I actually find aluminum "easy" but it's all about being able to see the puddle especially on aluminum.... and I find the speed is far faster once you get going --- it's a real dip move dip move process.

It figures, I can't dance either! :rofl:

One thing that really helps, especially with tig, is to be able to get really "up close and personal" with the weld (Not you Greg) and see exactly what is going on with the puddle. Even if you are not "getting on in years", get yourself a 1.0 or 1.5 diopter magnifying ("cheater") lens for your helmet, and just try it. The Miller ones cost all of eight dollars on Ebay....It's a cheap experiment.

And even if you don't have a Miller helmet, you can just tape one inside whatever helmet you may have. Using one will make a better welder out of almost anyone (my opinion).

I agree with you Rob -- perhaps the method is "crude" -- but I've said over and over again on these welding questions.... If you can't see the puddle - you just can't weld. Period. Whatever that "is"... different shades of lens - glasses - head angle - torch angle.... Ya got to be able to clearly see the puddle. If all you're seeing is a white spot - or it's so dark you can't see the color of the metal changing - or you can't see when it goes from solid to molten... ya gotta change what you're doing until you can.

Great idea! On it!

Darren

X2, I ordered one today. Thanks for the tip.

Don

Well I will get slammed for this but - I just use a 80 grit flapper disc on my hand grinder to sharpen my tungsten, and its whatever flapper disc I happen to have. It mostly gets used on aluminum but is is FAR from a clean disc. I am not the best Tig welder in the world but I do all right, and don't really have a problem with a wide or wandering arc. I do clean the crap out of my aluminum and rod before welding or else I get bad contamination. Perhaps having a dirtier tungsten is why I have to be so meticulous about cleaning my parts, but if it is welding clean it is welding clean. I might try using a virgin disc next time I am TIG'ing to see if it helps.

Just another data point.