Search found 404 matches

by Arno
Fri Sep 03, 2021 2:50 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Is there a secret to TIG Tack welds?
Replies: 15
Views: 3938

Re: Is there a secret to TIG Tack welds?

Also with the 6061 video isn't that actually a thing though or am I crazy? Pretty sure I remember a article in the past about NASA and friction stir welding. Friction-stir welding is quite different in that it takes what looks like a weirdly shaped milling cutter and by force jams it into the base ...
by Arno
Thu Sep 02, 2021 2:58 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Is there a secret to TIG Tack welds?
Replies: 15
Views: 3938

Re: Is there a secret to TIG Tack welds?

Could always go the 'interesting' route shown by 6061.com to bridge 2 puddles..

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Never tried it, but might as well as dipping the tungsten when welding alu is my default anyway.. :lol:

Bye, Arno.
by Arno
Mon Jun 14, 2021 4:52 am
Forum: Welding Forum General Shop Talk
Topic: Best flooring option for a welding/fabrication shop?
Replies: 20
Views: 6253

Re: Best flooring option for a welding/fabrication shop?

For the longest lasting and least easy to damage: polished concrete floor with a surface hardener applied. Eg: https://www.wrmeadows.com/concrete-densifiers-hardeners-polished-concrete-flooring/ It ends up non-porous/impervious to fluids and as there's no 'coating' as such there's nothing to lift/da...
by Arno
Mon May 10, 2021 3:28 am
Forum: Member Introductions
Topic: Shawky's welding adventure
Replies: 12
Views: 1748

Re: Shawky's welding adventure

BTW.. Solarflux-B should be OK with 309 as it's allowed to be used with up to 25% Cr content and thats the max for 309 too. I don't use it often, but when I do I use it on big-volume or open sections (eg. silencers) so I don't need to back-purge as much and conserve my Argon. Works well in my opinio...
by Arno
Sun May 09, 2021 3:16 am
Forum: Member Introductions
Topic: Shawky's welding adventure
Replies: 12
Views: 1748

Re: Shawky's welding adventure

A suitable T or Y-piece and a second floating-ball flowmeter can turn any normal regulator into twin for a backpurge setup. Something like: https://weldingstore.tokentools.com.au/images/detailed/5/AR101A_Back_Purging_Welding_Regulator_Bubble_Flow_Meter_Top.png Doesn't need to be expensive :D Most hi...
by Arno
Thu May 06, 2021 1:19 am
Forum: Member Introductions
Topic: Shawky's welding adventure
Replies: 12
Views: 1748

Re: Shawky's welding adventure

Definitely backpurge stainless. Makes it all so much nicer. Dual flowmeter works great and usually not too expensive as it's still on a single regulator and bottle. Also, check out the plumbing section in your local DIY store for your welding back-purge supllies ;) Expanding plumbing plugs like thes...
by Arno
Fri Apr 23, 2021 1:13 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: HTP Invertig 221 thermal over-load torture test.
Replies: 15
Views: 1339

Re: HTP Invertig 221 thermal over-load torture test.

I'm just curious if it's due to ambient temperature or if the thermal overload is actually set far beyond the given duty cycle. AFAIK the standard test performed for the duty cycle by the manufacturers is at a very high ambient temperature. Can't find it at the moment, but it was something like 45C...
by Arno
Sun Apr 18, 2021 5:11 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Cemont Smarty tx160 ac dc foot controller
Replies: 15
Views: 3614

Re: Cemont Smarty tx160 ac dc foot controller

Yup.. Looks like your machine is pretty much the same as mine internally. I just added the wiring for the pedal as mine is a model where they did not bring the wires to the front: IMG_0047.jpg The wiring to the 7-pin row should indeed be: 1 + 2 -> trigger switch of the pedal 3 = potentiometer + 4 = ...
by Arno
Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:02 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Cemont Smarty tx160 ac dc foot controller
Replies: 15
Views: 3614

Re: Cemont Smarty tx160 ac dc foot controller

If you open up the machine you should at least already be able to see with the schematics you have which pins on the circuit board go to which pins on the connector. If I recall correctly they are in a single row connector on the circuit board like on the diagram, so you should be able to see the 'X...
by Arno
Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:29 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Cemont Smarty tx160 ac dc foot controller
Replies: 15
Views: 3614

Re: Cemont Smarty tx160 ac dc foot controller

Yup.. Should probably be: A - B - C -> 10K pot You need to use a multimeter to find out which pin provides a (low) voltage, which is ground and then the remaining one would be the wiper connection. E - F -> trigger switch LIkely you'll need to link 'H' to the power pin in the A-B-C range so the weld...
by Arno
Fri Mar 26, 2021 4:31 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Cemont Smarty tx160 ac dc foot controller
Replies: 15
Views: 3614

Re: Cemont Smarty tx160 ac dc foot controller

The Cemont Smarty tx160 AC/DC was sold under several names like the Air Liquide T 150i AC/DC, Oerlikon CITIG 1500 AC/DC (internal circuit boards are the same, although here they dropped the external pedal connector for some reason), SAF-FRO SAXOTIG 160 AC/DC, etc. Like Louie said, there's not much i...
by Arno
Wed Mar 10, 2021 7:06 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Cracks in center of weld
Replies: 25
Views: 2320

Re: Cracks in center of weld

Also 'scraps of aluminum' is often 'mystery metal' unless there's still some identification printed on it. 7000 series alu for instance is classed as not-weldable with arc welding as it tends to crack immediately when the weld cools (Some types can get away with friction-stir welding and such though...
by Arno
Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:23 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: How would you tackle this?
Replies: 6
Views: 666

Re: How would you tackle this?

In this setup with a sheet inside the frame you are fighting multiple distortion effects from heat input to differing tensions in the sheet as the welds cool and they start to pull/draw on the sheet in different amounts/directions. Welding any sort of sheet metal pretty much inevitably needs some 'm...
by Arno
Tue Jan 26, 2021 3:26 am
Forum: Welding Forum General Shop Talk
Topic: Some doubts regarding welding
Replies: 3
Views: 825

Re: Some doubts regarding welding in a car

Yup.. First is chemical seam-sealer, second is spotweld. It's very uncommon on any production car to find seam-welds on any body panels. They are all spot welded together at the factory as that's way faster in a factory setting to manufacture. Strength in these usually comes from the way the sheet m...
by Arno
Mon Dec 14, 2020 2:11 am
Forum: Stick Welding/Arc Welding - Shielded Metal Arc Welding
Topic: what's the cause of this?
Replies: 10
Views: 2347

Re: what's the cause of this?

Brake rotors by themselves should be kinda weldable, but being a cast iron (most of the time) it will get very hard and brittle in the weld area so impacts will tend to break it. Biggest issue I suspect (and to echo the other comments) is that the brake rotor is kinda massive and made to dissipate/m...
by Arno
Mon Dec 07, 2020 2:11 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: How would you weld this?
Replies: 14
Views: 1310

Re: How would you weld this?

Do the ends of the pipes need to stay round? If not.. You canm squeeze/hammer the ends flat you could probably also cut/grind the ends into 'V' shapes so they all fit/slot together and basically create a flat plane where you weld the pieces together from both sides. May not even need the washer at a...
by Arno
Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:06 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: 90% isopropyl alcohol
Replies: 29
Views: 6031

Re: 90% isopropyl alcohol

Fully carbonised bread (aka. 'carbon foam') basically works like an activated charcoal filter and binds several chemical contaminants as they pass. Same as with respirator masks that have a layer of activated charcoal in them for this same purpose. The regular filtration membranes take out particles...
by Arno
Wed Nov 04, 2020 3:36 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Help! I can't TIG weld
Replies: 14
Views: 1573

Re: Help! I can't TIG weld

Don't forget that tig t joints aren't simple and aluminium is definitely not simple. This! It's a bit of a 'learned art' to get inside corners to work/weld well on alu. But here Jody's mantra really helps.. "Keep a tight arc!" Alu corner joints go much better if you: Make sure the fitup i...
by Arno
Tue Nov 03, 2020 2:56 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Can you push aircooled torches?
Replies: 21
Views: 2111

Re: Can you push aircooled torches?

I know you said no space or budget for water cooling, but I've seen folks build a water setup with nothing more than a 5 gallon bucket, soda fountain carbonator pump and a 20 series torch. Can be done even cheaper.. It even works fine if you hook a line up to a water faucet and put the outlet to a ...
by Arno
Fri Oct 09, 2020 12:43 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: What rod? Clean 6061 to cast GM oil pan
Replies: 4
Views: 875

Re: What rod? Clean 6061 to cast GM oil pan

If you don't need to build up any layers then 4047 would be a good fit. It's extra fluidity because of high Silicon content usually matches well with similar high content in alu casting alloys and helps to resist voids and such. https://www.esabna.com/us/en/education/blog/what-are-the-advantages-of-...
by Arno
Mon Oct 05, 2020 2:58 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Titanium welding
Replies: 16
Views: 1438

Re: Titanium welding

My first thoughts are you 100% sure the exhaust is Ti? This.. If it's a manifold or similar 'hot' section close to the engine then titanium is not used very often. That's usually the area where inconel and stainless (321 if you're fancy ;) ) are used. After a cat, yeah, titanium can be done. (can e...
by Arno
Mon Sep 28, 2020 3:01 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Argon issues
Replies: 9
Views: 845

Re: Argon issues

Yup.. LIke mentioned above, normal regulators/flowmeter combo's allow the outlet to pressurise to something like 50psi when the gas-solenoid in the machine is shut off. This basically 'inflates' the hose from the tank/regulator. When you hit the pedal, the gas solenoid opens and this initial volume ...
by Arno
Sat Sep 12, 2020 4:19 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: Making a home-made "gas lens" using standard consumables
Replies: 28
Views: 2996

Re: Making a home-made "gas lens" using standard consumables

Hi, sorry for the inexperienced question.....what is a gas lens on a Tig torch and what does it actually do? :? it's basically a different collet holder (and matching 'fatter' cups) that has several mesh screens where the argon gas flows through towards the cup outlet. Like on a water faucet with s...
by Arno
Tue Jul 28, 2020 1:14 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: TIG stainless secondary cat, no purge? solar flux?
Replies: 6
Views: 1207

Re: TIG stainless secondary cat, no purge? solar flux?

If the new cat is a slide-fit over the existing exhaust pipes then no back purge is usually not too bad as you don't tend to penetrate fully to the inside in that case and the sugaring is limited. On a butt-weld it's going to sugar on the back without some sort of backing. It will tend to rust there...
by Arno
Fri Jul 24, 2020 1:13 am
Forum: Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
Topic: New TIG Welding, new welder, new gas bottle, bad welds
Replies: 85
Views: 5564

Re: New TIG Welding, new welder, new gas bottle, bad welds

after all those tests I never dipped the tungsten but in the end it balled up and it was blue : IMG_0761.JPG That means you need more post-flow and perhaps a little more gasflow. I usually run around 7 to 8 L/min (15/16cfh) on alu with an 8 size gas lens with about 10 second post-flow. It turns blu...