I did it, screw the world!!!

[MD13ailey]

So being only 22 my welding experience of 7 years may not sound super impressive but I have competed at the state and national levels So I know my way around the art. So.. In my short welding years I have always been told DC tig welding of aluminum is impossible.... Well it ISNT!!!. im getting.ready to build an aluminum can for my fuel cell and all I have is an old huge miller DC machine. And a lift arc tig torch for it. Me being a cheap *ss I didnt want to pay anyone to weld it for me and I dont want to buy a spool gun. apparently it is a highly debated topic on the internet. And I read on it for a few days and it seemed possible. So I tried it and it worked. The arc is a little squirly but I got the hang of it. I will post pictures when I get my can built hopefully this weekend

So for those of you wanting to try it..
I have a standard ck9 rigid tig torch
Running straight argon
With 2% tungsten
And a DCEP configuration
6061 aluminum sheet
4043 aluminum filler
On as low as the amperage will go im guess 30 ish the numbers are worn off

Note. the DCEP causes your tungsten to take.most of the arc abuse so low amperage and large tungsten on thin material only. Im using it on .090" 6061 aluminum

 

[pontiacgp]

congrats on doing the impossible, I'm not a great welder but it sure has improved my grinding skills...

 

[MD13ailey]

Lol just takes practice. My grinding skills are top notch from when I was learning. Im just super stoked I can weld aluminum without haveing to buy another machine

 

[joesregalproject]

Sweet, I took a couple metal classes this year with the intent of taking CHS welding next year, so hopefully I will learn to weld pretty soon. I have a pretty good shop teacher, so I'm not too worried.

 

[MD13ailey]

Ask your instructor about DC tig welding aluminum and see what is said

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Pretty cool. I taught myself how to weld with a small name brand MIG. The thinnest I have welded so far is 16 gauge. One thing I learned is those fancy auto darkening helmets makes things alot easier.

 

[rccktmn2]

In theory you can tig weld pretty much anything on any setting ac, dc+ or dc-, you just need enough amps (heat) to get the metal to melt the way you want. Good job.

 

[hurst1979olds]

I bought an Eastwood 175amp with spool gun for aluminium. So far it seems like a nice mig. I liked this one because of the spool gun, I'm just too cheap to buy argon for it. I'll buy argon when I need it.

 

[joesregalproject]

Ask your instructor about DC tig welding aluminum and see what is said

I'll ask him about it. He's a pretty neat guy, he's like me, a car guy, into all the industrial, heavy machinery stuff. I'm the only one in the class who gets any of his automotive references, lol. Anymore, most kids in shop classes are boneheads who don't care about it, whereas, I'm the opposite. I'm really interested in it, and love learning about it. I even stay after school sometimes to go down to the shop and work, even though I miss the bus and have to walk 2 miles home.