SportAir TIG Workshop

[Bdflies]

Chris, You'll notice that the arc cone angle narrows noticeably as the AC frequency increases. As the arc narrows (by increasing frequency), heat input becomes more focused. This becomes really beneficial when welding thinner aluminum. Aluminum conducts heat so well, it takes a lot of current to weld, because the cooler surrounding metal sucks heat away so quickly. With the narrow, higher AC frequency, the heat can be more focused on the joint, allowing you to weld at slightly lower current and at faster travel speeds. I find I have less burn through issues on thin aluminum, with higher frequency. You'll also notice that the higher the frequency, the smaller the 'cleaned area' surrounding the weld.. I'm sure Mr. Tig stressed the importance of cleaning the base metal and cleaning the filler rod too.
Have fun! Play with all the controls to see what suits you best.....and practice, practice and practice more.

Bill

[Chris In Milwaukee]

Cleanliness, indeed. We didn’t have any solvents on hand, but acetone is his preferred. I’ll have to make sure I have some on hand. As always, be careful because it’s flammable, of course!

[Bdflies]

I always keep some abrasive pads (Scotchbrite) handy, when working aluminum. A quick buff of the weld area and a few swipes on the filler rod, followed by a wipe with a clean cloth, does wonders.
I would only use solvents for degreasing. Be VERY CAREFUL with solvents around welding arcs. Some chlorinated solvents (think brake cleaner) produce very nasty fumes, in the presence of flame or arcs.

Bill

[Chris In Milwaukee]

PS---- I have watches swain online--- but I think a better source of instruction is Jody at weldingtipsandtricks.com
I think he is a better welder and also better teacher. IMHO----- I find Jodys vids more complete. Swains are a little too
simplistic to satisfy me usually. Plus Jody does lots of equipment reviews. Good honest opinions.

I spent time this afternoon with WeldingTipsAndTricks.com videos, and you're absolutely right! He really spends a lot of time discussing technique and finesse when he's covering a topic. Insanely thorough and covers the common machine settings and what to expect when using them. That's a lot more than what we got from Wyatt in the class. But Jody probably spent hours just to get 15 minutes of material for a single video.

I'll be spending a lot more time with his videos and see if I can make my process a lot better.