How to Tig Weld Aluminum Castings - The Best 3 Tips For Tig Welding Thick Cast Aluminum Parts
Use a helium/argon mix instead of pure argon gas for Tig welding aluminum castings. In my opinion, this is a rather forceful remark, but I fully support it.
A 50/50 mixture of argon and helium works well, as does a mixture with up to 80% helium. Helium welding produces a more powerful arc than any other welding process, making a noticeable difference in the strength of the weld on aluminum.
It's possible to get greater voltage out of your TIG welder by using Helium gas, but you don't have to use more power. We all know this to be true.
Have you ever had to wait a long time to obtain a puddle after lighting a hefty metal casting with pure argon gas? Adding helium changes all of it. As an extra benefit, you get a cleaner puddle as soon as you apply the solution.
Using direct argon is recommended for aluminum that is less than 1/8 inch thick, according to welding literature. However, after using an argon-helium mixture, I guarantee you won't want to use any other argon save for a very thin aluminum sheet again.
TIP #2: Preheating the aluminum casting is the second tip. To get the best results with a small tig inverter like the Miller Dynasty 200dx or Lincoln Invertec v205t, start with a 200-degree warmup. You will need all 200 amps you can get your hands on. You'll get over the hump with a quick warmup.
No matter how you make the component heated, it doesn't matter.
Both a propane torch and an old gas barbecue can do the trick.
TIP #3: Be cautious not to overfill your torch with gas. To be clear, it is tig cup gas escaping.
The more you add, the worse it becomes. Just enough flow is needed to protect the puddle from the rain. You may have too much Tig welding gas flow if the arc's roar is making you nauseous. Just think about it: why would you want to heat anything with cold gas blowing on it?
You're working against the arc if you're using too much torch gas flow.
You can hear the change when the torch gas is reduced to 13-15 cfh. Flowmeters aren't all the same, so if your puddle isn't clear, you may need to increase the torch gas slightly. But just enough to make it clear again.
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