Changing a normal TIG to weld Ali

[Dodgyiti]

I have a metal TIG welder, but I have 'heard' that you can modify or add some doodads to it to weld ali.
Anyone shed some light on this? Dual polarity welders were about a grand more expensive when I bought this but finding it limiting only being able to do steel and stainless steel.
Is there some online geek page that could show a schematic or something?
Anyone actually done it?

I am fairly confident on getting into it, already blown it up and fixed it :whistle:

[Sensei]

Unless the machine has " High Frequency AC " it cann't do it plus pulse helps , you will need to have a different grade tungsten & cermic . Then you will need to know what type of wire you need 4043 / 5356 one has 5% magnesium the other 5% silicon plus alot more others types as well as the grade of Alloy . Have weld for 30+ ys from Carbon , stainless , Alloy ,duplex , Kuinfer , cromolly etc .

[Number 5]

I have a metal TIG welder, but I have 'heard' that you can modify or add some doodads to it to weld ali.
Anyone shed some light on this? Dual polarity welders were about a grand more expensive when I bought this but finding it limiting only being able to do steel and stainless steel.
Is there some online geek page that could show a schematic or something?
Anyone actually done it?

I am fairly confident on getting into it, already blown it up and fixed it :whistle:

You can weld aluminium with your set up, depending on size of your unit (max amps) as ali needs a lot more heat to weld, and whether you are welding Tungsten positive or negative.

PM me your e-mail and I'll send you some books on ali tig welding.

[Dodgyiti]

Unless the machine has " High Frequency AC " it cann't do it plus you have to have a different grade tungsten & cermic . Then you will need to know what type of wire you need 4043 / 5356 one has 5% magnesium the other 5% silicon plus alot more others types as well as the grade of Alloy . Have weld for 30+ ys from Carbon , stainless , Alloy ,duplex , Kuinfer , cromolly etc .

Thanks, bummer.
Yeah I was a Sheetie in a past life and want to make some alloy bodywork on a project from 16g and 18g sheet. Hammer and sandbag stuff and I need to make pieces and join them together.
I might have to bite the bullet and buy one

Any one wanna buy a TIG? Never been blown up, honest :sweatdrop

[Sensei]

You can still use gas to weld it & is easy as

[Dodgyiti]

You can still use gas to weld it & is easy as

It was a tough choice when I bought the TIG, the rental on two bottles over a year sort of influenced the decision. I rent a medium sized bottle of Argon per year and it is really handy to have it on site 24/7 cause you never know when you will need it. A gas set would have been double for having to rent both bottles Vs the amount of use because I have not used more than 2/3rds of it in 11 months.
I do have a big rust repair job to do on an old ute that I have been 'postponing' because it is all underneath :weep: and that is the job I originally bought the TIG for. It has been used on everything but since:oi-grr:

[Number 5]

I have a metal TIG welder, but I have 'heard' that you can modify or add some doodads to it to weld ali.
Anyone shed some light on this? Dual polarity welders were about a grand more expensive when I bought this but finding it limiting only being able to do steel and stainless steel.
Is there some online geek page that could show a schematic or something?
Anyone actually done it?

I am fairly confident on getting into it, already blown it up and fixed it :whistle:

I weld alloy tanks regulary on DCEN using helium, have never had the need to go to AC high frequency on the thinner gauge sheet, even though I have one (Millar).

Will send you the Millar hand book on welding Ali on DC.

Previous to this I always used Oxy/Actn, (still do sometimes, but seems to be a lost art in modern welding shops. and on occasion arc welding,though the rods are expensive from Weldwell)

[Dodgyiti]

I weld alloy tanks regulary on DCEN using helium, have never had the need to go to AC high frequency on the thinner gauge sheet, even though I have one (Millar).

Will send you the Millar hand book on welding Ali on DC.

Previous to this I always used Oxy/Actn, (still do sometimes, but seems to be a lost art in modern welding shops. and on occasion arc welding,though the rods are expensive from Weldwell)

Thanks for that.
When I was doing my time MIGs were new and so were TIGs. So we did gas at tech on ali. I love the narrow heat spread of TIGing ali

[Number 5]

Thanks for that.
When I was doing my time MIGs were new and so were TIGs. So we did gas at tech on ali. I love the narrow heat spread of TIGing ali

Love it too.

for 18g about 140 amps for quick pool, but use a thick piece of ali underneath as a heat sink, and don't forget to clean the metal thoroughly with a stainless steel brush as the ali self coats after a few minutes and will not allow the metal to melt (except underneath this coating, and will then sink!!!!!!).

[roadracingoldfart]

Stuff the TIG machine. Get a good home MIG (170-210 amps) and you can do Steel , Alloy , and Bronze through the same machine with a little adjusment between each metal. Easy.

[geoffm]

Stuff the TIG machine. Get a good home MIG (170-210 amps) and you can do Steel , Alloy , and Bronze through the same machine with a little adjusment between each metal. Easy.

TIG is nicer for the fine stuff.
You can buy (2nd hand) a HF add on box for AC welders and do ali. T Hat is basically my setup. Don't pay to much - the 200A inverter AC/DC/HF welders (like http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farming-industry/Industrial/Manufacturing-metalwork/Welders/auction-208540181.htm) are coming down heaps in price, and they are much better than a cobbled together kit. Some are DC only or DC with HF arc starting - not really what you want.
Geoff