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

[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

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

[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 and that is the job I originally bought the TIG for. It has been used on everything but since

[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

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-fa...-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