Welcome to the community! Tell us about yourself, your welding interests, skills, specialties, equipment, etc.
Randy Forbes
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Fri Mar 24, 2017 5:14 pm
  • Location:
    SW Florida

... thought I was the third, but looks like I get silver instead of bronze!

I saw a link to How to Weld Aluminum Pt 1 today, and that led me to weldmonger.com and then to here. Good video, by the way; now if I could only remember what I was looking for when I started watching the YouTube video__it seemed important at the time.

I'm in SW Florida, and work on BMW M Coupes and Rdstrs (1998 -2002 model years) although I will take in the occasional M3 or Z4/M cars for friends and some locals. I work out of a shop built behind my house, staying busy enough to have quit my day-job some twelve (<12) years ago. Consequently, I do a fair amount of welding, though I'm probably not qualified to be a pimple on a real weldor's butt!

I weld on steel most of the time (MIG) and I (TIG) weld aluminum so rarely that half the time, I forget how to even set up the machine properly. I do adhere to the cleanliness is Godliness thing, and always clean my work and rods with a dedicated s/s toothbrush and lacquer thinner before starting. I'm using a Miller Dynasty 200 DX for TIG work, so the machine is certainly capable, even when I'm not. I get lost in its many setting options; I actually reverted back to the manual a week or so ago when I needed to stick something together :?

Before buying the TIG machine (2004) I took a Lincoln Motorsports Welding class (4-1/2 days at their Cleveland facility) just to see if I could even hold a TIG torch, before spending $3k to buy one. I did okay there, though for a solid 3+ days, we were primarily focussed on aluminum (like I said, I just don't do it often enough now).

Anyway, I'm here now, so I'll be taking a good look around and I'm hopeful that I can retain some of the knowledge and tips presented. Sorry that this got windy, just following the suggestion to get a first post in.
Poland308
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Sep 10, 2015 8:45 pm
  • Location:
    Iowa

Welcome. Nothing to be ashamed of here. Think there are a few other BMW fans around as well.
I have more questions than answers

Josh
Farmwelding
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Mar 10, 2016 11:37 pm
  • Location:
    Wisconsin

Welcome aboard mate!

Randy, I'm gonna tell you this and I want you to beleive me. Until you can make decent welds with no issue whatsoever wothout the fancy settings, don't use the fancy settings. just set polarity and amperage for now. Once you can get back into it with little problem then start working into settings. Start with balance and then work into pulse of you have to. The machines have so many buttons and secret modes that it isn't worth learning until you can do tig well without them. Don't confuse yourself more than you already are with doing three or four things at once and focus on the puddle.

Best of luck

Nick
A student now but really want to weld everyday. Want to learn everything about everything. Want to become a knower of all and master of none.
Instagram: @farmwelding
Nick
Randy Forbes
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Fri Mar 24, 2017 5:14 pm
  • Location:
    SW Florida

Nick, I did just that! Just played played with the amperage output__starting at 1.0 amp per .001" thickness, but needed more heat than that provided.

I do believe and agree with you, in that I should just stick to the basics. Instead of watching Russian dash-cam fails, I'm going to start searching for welding aluminum videos!

Oddly enough, I have a much better time of it welding magnesium (also AC TIG) than I do aluminum. Probably done more of it too.
Mike
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:09 pm
  • Location:
    Andover, Ohio

Randy, welcome to the forum.
M J Mauer Andover, Ohio

Linoln A/C 225
Everlast PA 200
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