AC Frequency Settings for TIG Welding Aluminum - "How to Tig Weld Aluminum" part 3

[@curtisballer688]

Even after watching these old videos years ago and again now I still really enjoy your content and lessons most of any!

[@GnosisMan50]

Insightful, as always, Jody. I just bought his DVD's along with an electrode bundle. I always go to his store first before I buy welding supplies because Jody is a zen master welder and without him I would have never learned how to weld. His passion is 100 times better than the instructor I had in night class. In the near future, I hope to trade in my conventional welder with one that is an inverter.

[@gdglock]

Your videos are well worth the price. I transfer them to a SIM card, catalog, and review when I have a difficult, code or infrequent weld. Thank you for all your effort! You really are better than most tech schools!!

[@mike216ism]

I'm a decent aluminum welder now thanks to you Jody! Learned so much from listening and watching your videos. Definitely have all of my good habits from you and certainly clarified bad advice from others by listening and watching you. Couldn't be more grateful! Thanks so much

[@mattleicester977]

Thank you for confirming that I'm not crazy. When I was at Lincoln's Advanced Motorsports class, I got a little tired of the same joint on Inconel day, grabbed a handful of aluminum coupons and started playing with frequencies. I built a stand to hold my wire brushes for the rest of the week, every corner I welded at a different frequency, and if I did not write which corner was which frequency, there is no way I could tell which was which. The first time I used an inverter machine I was glad I have transformer TIGs, the sound drives me nuts on the inverters.

[@chrisitsell6641]

Always calm, straight forward, and professional. Thank You!

[@imsowhiteandnerdy25]

"KZbins best of tig" is easily the most accurate title you could have put on there.

[@stcfabworx1687]

You rock Jody! I’m still stuck using all transformer setups. But they work. One day when I can afford to get my Miller aero wave fixed. I’ll hopefully get to play with all those bells and whistles! Thank you kindly sir for your time!!

[@ChadLisonbee]

Jody your arch shots are getting awesome.

[@brucer81]

Always good information for us beginning welders who have no other place to go or reliable information. Thanks.

[@waynecoots3634]

Your videos have helped me tremendously through the years! thank you for all that you do to improve welding education.

[@FerreirAveiro]

2:30 dont you ever stop and stainless steel brush it before going to make a puddle? what are your thoughts on that? thanks

[@41ace39]

Jody is so humble, man. Love the guy.

[@TechnicallyDane]

Your truly a 💎 of a content creator. Your videos are exceptionally informative. Your skills are master level. Keep doing what you do. We're all better off for it.

[@poolkillermonjaras5421]

You're really good welding aluminum boss never seen any better than this

[@Lurkzz]

I really appreciate that you put the metric measurements in there too! I cant really comprehend smaller inches that fast yet

[@greybeard3759]

Jody, would you please discuss the when, where & how of chill blocks?

[@J3N5_K1NG]

Would be nice to see a video about pulse mig vs. short arc/spray arc mig! Pros/cons, penetratio, vertical up and downhill and horizontal flat and overhead and cut and edge! I use a pulse mig in my work as my main welder and i really think its the best for thicker fast production welding and becouse we also weld thinner stuff its nice to be able to take the benefits of spray arc but to have it buffed down so you can weld thin metal! Awesome videos by the way, almost everything i learne about welding i learnt from you and your videos! i'm a fulltime welder and ive been so for 2 years and i'm currently waiting for a spot to be freed up at my local welding class so i can get some papers! Thanks for being an awesome youtuber and instructor, it really helps! Greetings from Finland and sorry for any misspelled words!

[@enriquemoreno8737]

Hi jody, you should find the way to be able to send to mexico, you have many followers of this side that we are interested in your products as well as supporting you. I thank you for sharing your knowledge with everyone.

[@5graney5]

excellent shots of the arc around 5:50, another excellent video

[@LegionzSerenity]

So do the Hz control the heat? Or are they controlling the rate of change in direction for the electrons??

[@raymorassini3243]

I NEED HELP JODI!!! I'm Tig welding 2 inch thick aluminum at work and it's not going well. I have an 800 amp welder and a miller argon helium gas mixer. What gas percentages/flow rates do I need? What amperage? How many Hz and what should I put for the %EN? I'm looking for a super wide dime stack. I've been watching your videos for years and now I need help! I appreciate all the help your videos have given me so far! Thank you!!!

[@classicamericangunsmith2131]

Could you, at some point, demonstrate filling in a deep thin groove (1/8" wide 3/4" deep) on Al. Our indoor shooting range uses multi-stage pulleys where one of the stages drives a stainless steel cable. The cable grooves the pulley over time. Eventually, they have to be replaced. It would be nice to be able to fill the grooves back in so we don't have to toss what is otherwise a perfectly good pulley. Your videos are great. Thank you for all the information that you put out there.

[@kevin_nagle]

good stuff Jody thank you for taking the time to do this. I am new to TIG and have been watching your videos for help.

[@lucasrobinson537]

I'm just learning how to tig weld now. I've had my everlast welder for a while but mostly mig welding and some stick.

[@quikie1984]

Thank the baby jesus your channel exists. You have just solved all my issues in one lesson. Many thanks

[@patrickbehan8737]

another great video Jody thanks a mill,if you get a chance could you do a video on holding the torch while tig welding t joints I'm struggling with getting into the corner and getting a puddle to flow appreciate all your work👍

[@tptrsn]

Another killer video. You put together great content, and you're a very enjoyable presenter, thank you!!

[@dainiangrove5153]

welding aluminum but getting hole's should I go slow or fast ? You help alot thanks and God bless

[@CHOPPEDK181]

Good stuff through this series. Would like to hear you discuss different waveforms. Applications for them, conclusive expectations for each type of wave, and how this might tie into changes to other settings like balance, freq, etc. Also interested in learning about separate EP/EN current settings and the whens and whys in your opinion.

[@trailerpark187]

CHOPPEDK181 jody did this in a earlier video.

[@CHOPPEDK181]

NTH Welding Just rewatched it, noted that he really got a unique result on the adv pulse with high depth of penetration. To my understanding, this isn't the same as AC with different current settings for EN/EP, it actually held a long pulse of EN every 0.5s i think (2pps). I guess I am interested in how these settings tie in with eachother, and when to use one over another though. For example, when would you use that adv pulse with solid shots of EN, in comparison with just running higher current on the EN than the EP? I guess thick substrate where you need serious penetration... but which way of going about it is better? What, if any, effects does one way or the other have on the consumables?With the adv pulse, does it make sense to bring up the cleaning on the AC to compensate for the solid chunks of time that are EN? When would that make sense, and why didnt it seem to be needed in the demo on the positioner? It seems like theres more than one way to skin a cat, but Id like to hear some educated opinions on whats better and why.

[@CHOPPEDK181]

And then if youre doing all this, how do you, or can you get away with, running different grinds on the tungsten to help arc stability/starts for example.

[@trailerpark187]

CHOPPEDK181 I sharpen it to a sharp but blunt point. of that makes sense. like a 45 degree angle. hope that helps. always grind length wise also.

[@michaelb.5399]

@weldingtipsandtricks is there any chance that you can talk about tempering the aluminum after the welding process and where/how to get the right tempering process?? Like for example for a bicycle frame with 7005 or 6061 aluminum??

[@tcarter5750]

The problem with welding aluminium & quite a few other metals, is that there is a zone next to the weld which softens during the welding process. Unfortunately there is nothing which can be done to prevent it or eliminate it other than may be a heattreatnent of the complete structure. This is the reason why aircraft are not fabricated using welding procedures.

[@QAZ258236]

Hey Jody, I just finished welding school at Lincoln and I'm now out in the field in structural, throughout my last couple weeks of school I would watch Andrew Cardin a lot of him doing 309 stick fill and cap on 2"schedule 80 and never got enough time running 309 and didn't have enough time for him to give me some tips out of position, was wondering if you can possibly show some out of position 309 stick soon?

[@200xcBruce]

I always learn on your videos. I usually stick to 100 hz on most everything.

[@decision-inc]

Hi Jody, thanks for your videos. Can you explain in a next video what are all these different cup sizes and lenghts for? There are cups on the market which are called aluminium cup and they are very long?! Why is that and what does it? WHen use a gas lens and when use a normal one? Thanks in advance!

[@mynameismud76]

Love your videos as always. Is it too soon to ask about a video on matching filler with various grades of aluminium?

[@HawleyLand]

Jody, this series is great!!! I'm a builder with the Experimental Aircraft Association. I would love some information on welding 3003 sheet (.040-.060) for wheel pants and cowlings, and 5052 (.090+) for fuel tanks. There is plenty on the internet for 4130 chromoly and 6061-t6, but it is so hard to find good info on welding aluminum sheet. Thanks.

[@korievgenii]

Thank you Jody! and what difference between sinusoidal wave and square wave welding?

[@ecr125x]

Ievgenii Korobchenko he has an older video where he explains wave "formats" and does a test on pipe in a positionier and with torch holder

[@5351factory]

Thanks for making these videos. When would you use the pulse function and does the pulse frequency over lap/interfere with the AC frequency?

[@mike216ism]

Wonder what size filler rod he was using on those lap joints. I seem to do better using 3/32 rods. Appreciate all of the excellent lessons

[@bigal1568]

I like your video's and I love welding, I started to weld in high school shop class now i'm 61 years old. I have a pacemaker in my chest and I have to watch what I can weld. My doctor say's not to but I got to make a living, I have talked to the pacemaker manufacturer and they say its cool up to or keep it below 400 amps but I have never tried to tig welding. I have all the equipment but never did so watching your video's gives me that satisfaction I guess, anyway good stuff, thank you.

[@sethrosellini3576]

Hey Jody, long time fan of your videos man, but could you do a video tig welding some sch. 10 stainless steel pipe -304 or 316 or whatever. I do a lot of backfeeding on carbon but I've struggled with the sch. 10 stainless. Backfeeding, laywire, whatever u want. Thanks. (I asked u a couple of months ago, figured u might of forgot)

[@darmstrong9334]

Do you fiddle with the individual EP and EN settings on inverter machines?

[@ryanjones9305]

Jody, do you think the frequency has any impact of how hot the torch gets over time? I ask because I use an HTP inverter at the bench but have an old monster airco 3a with much longer leads (for work outside the front of my shop...boats and trailers and such). Seems to me that the 60hz of the airco gets the torch to molten carbide like conditions faster than the inverter when running the same amps. I generally run the htp at 120hz. Both have a 17 air cooled torch.

[@montec3113]

Are you using the dynasty on 50hz welding the angle at the beginning?

[@alexschmidig4332]

could you please show how to hold the filler metal the right way

[@jeremycrane6111]

Alex Schmidig he shows that in part 2

[@jonathanklein8426]

This guy can weld, get his app it helps out big time!

[@tamiyathundershot]

Excellent series of videos! Very useful thanks 😀

[@autoaddictions]

Can you demonstrate welding .063 alum tubing. Butt weld style. I have trouble welding this for one its round and hard to position. Mostly making intercooler piping. 2" and 3" polished

[@lightningxx]

Best thing you can do for IC piping would be to make sure each piece butts up flush with one another and that you've put a nice groove for the metal to flow into. When the prep isnt good the weld usually isnt either. On mine I used 0.060 piping, 3/32 Tungsten 2% lanthanated, 1/16 filler, 100 amps 120hz 35% balance on my AHP.

[@bsj.420]

who makes that gun?love the versatility and ergonomics of that.i need one

[@RaysGarage]

Thanks Jody, I need all the help I can get with welding aluminum!

[@geoffreysearle7162]

A very useful resource video - and thoughtful too

[@renevanderkraats3811]

Very educational and clear explanations! Well done! I'll be checking out other videos for sure!

[@MRTYREMULISHA]

Nice arc shots again jody,they seem to help me the most seeing how the puddle looks and acts is awesome. Could you talk about transformer machines and how welding Aluminium on them is different and how you can work around not having adjustable frequency,pulse,and different wave form etc? Also tricks that you have learned how to do things with a set frequency 50hz - 60hz ? eg: tungsten prep,size,stick out,ac balance,cup size,joint prep angle,chill blocks etc PS: Love you guy's :)

[@garypostell5268]

Got to really learn to control that arc length 💯

[@AS-nx2uf]

Great weld shots! What are your camera settings and which lens / filter do you use?? Keep up the great teaching!

[@trinityac6735]

Your really good at explaining man 💯

[@imienazwisko3630]

thanks! tomorrow I will try lower frequency on my 19 mm thick aluminium job and I see what will happen in on 100 Hz now and takes ages to puddle

[@MichaelA-rp2hy]

Hey Jodi I can't seem to find the answer to this question so in hopes you'll see this here goes I've been practicing trying to get certified for 0.060 welded in the horizontal position with no backing bar.. Made a fixture using aluminum chill bar.. Probably should be steel.. now I know the ideal power source to use would be a inverter unfortunately we don't have the luxury of high frequency settings or pulse on our traditional Miller syncrowave (transformer) so I'm stuck trying to manually pulse with the foot control, also tried a back and forth motion to let the puddle cool yet I still find myself blowing through the root or I don't blow through but don't fully penetrate .. .. I was hoping to get your professional opinion on the following settings I'm currently using Amperage: 70 Tungsten: 2% Thor with pencil like tip Filler: 3/32 4043 Cfh: 20-25... (kinda high, compensating for a 1/4 stick out on the tungsten) Cup size : #5 Balance : 75 /25(clean action) Root opening: 0.063 Would appreciate any advice thanks Jodi and keep up the good work you're educational videos are inspirational fun to watch.... next to none in my opinion 👍

[@johnwendell537]

concerning tungsten prep.... whats the best way to re prep your tungsten after its badly contaminated? just grind of the dabbed metal? or break off the piece? what if the tungsten is sooted up halfway up?

[@christopherhogan656]

Both ways work well. You can break off the contaminated end by softly tapping it with a hammer or mallet. Then you would grind it off with a fine grinding wheel. Bench grinders or specialized tungsten grinders work best. (It's important that you make sure that the grinding wheel you use is specifically for grinding tungsten; otherwise you can recontaminate the tip!) When the tungsten has soot a couple inches up the side, if you can't wipe it off by hand, try to brush or grind it off; sometimes it can cause the tungsten to get stuck in the collet.

[@SWREngineering]

Don't break the tungsten with a hammer. You run a high risk of having a non-visible split in it and then you will see erratic arc starts over and over... put it to the edge of the grinding wheel and cut it off, then proceed to taper it.

[@danielhocking5922]

Hey Jody have you got any tips for a 16 year old looking for a part time trigger pulling job or something like that, Where are good places to start? Thanks :)

[@dieseld4281]

Hi Jodie. What's best filler rod to use for tiging any aluminum?

[@0nestinkybadger]

Thanks mate you have inspired me for many years

[@eriggsbe1]

I have a Lincoln special 100 might 115v I use organ gas all the time, from aluminum to stanless steel to mild steel. I get small jobs and use it for myself. am I messing out on anything from using strict organ than the other mix?

[@gavinbrown38]

Is there a rule of thumb for filler size? Like with stainless you usually use a smaller filler size vs carbon steel?

[@kevinblackwellwelder]

Filler size depends on how large you want your puddle and how thick the material is. Don't use a rod larger than your material (which gets difficult as you get smaller). If you're needing to dip tiny amounts of rod it's too big. I'd say I dip about 1/8th each time. It's easier to feed more filler in than less.

[@stephankody8645]

Can you tig weld aluminum with conventional wave on older ac buzz boxes ?

[@mcqcjc8409]

Looking for advice. How would u weld 1 inch aluminium pipe with 1mm wall thickness perpendicular to a 10mm plate? Cheers

[@jamesgilligan812]

Hello my name's James. I've been in the welding field for heck over 10 yrs now. An I've just recently moved to Tig welding aluminum. I just purchased a Lotos Tig 200ACDCP welder an I'm having the hardest time ever. Figuring out the ACDC pulse an frequency. I'd be Soo SOOO happy if I could get a chance to talk with you or get a response on the setting of the welder I have

[@m3fuster355]

Hi Jody. How much current do you run for the edge build up on .063"?

[@drifterengines243]

On an old Hobart transformer type machine What does the High Frequency Intensity knob do?

[@ZeroGroundAviation]

Great video.. Will you be attending sun N fun this year?

[@slayergaming5923]

Wait so should aluminum alway stack like a colder 7018 rod or should they spread out hotter

[@halfinchholes88]

I finally acquire a Miller 250 DX, and now I need higher freqs? 250DX for sale?...

[@808mafiawelds7]

Im using a Miller Syncrowave 350 LX at work and im currently working on some thin aluminum. That machine doesn’t come with HF settings and i assume it’s standard at 100Hz. What can I do to help with my thinner wall aluminum? I use a 1/16 tungsten with #6 cup with a gas lense.

[@axispowerdiesel]

thanks again for all these great videos jody

[@brandonjohnson7559]

What amperage would you run on an aluminum casting thats 3-4 inches around of solid aluminum?

[@johnyboybuddy1153]

I do a lot of sheetmetal mig welding and not well versed on the tig. So i need to weld a bracket onto my patio furniture leg. Aluminum 1/2 thick, bracket, the weld cracked down the middle. I've tried different settings and cant seem to get the old weld to melt. Help

[@Jaydenh390]

How do take the filler metal away so far without contaminating the weld? I had a quick little lesson on tig with aluminum at school and my instructor told me not to take the rod away?

[@kevinblackwellwelder]

The purged area is actually pretty large. You can tell if you're too far away when your filler rod gets soot or black flakes in it, and for steels it turns grey. This usually only happens when you stop welding. The junk on the filler will be deposited in the weld so it's easy to tell.

[@10000rambos]

We use 400 for stuff at our plant. I just wear ear plugs

[@Innaui]

Like to see paremeters and tips for welding T test 20 mm plates.

[@OGMsAxiomatic]

Any suggestions for settings on 1/4 inch aluminum with 3/32 tungsten and 1/8filler AC? Been struggling with settings on my YesWelder 250p AC/DC. It runs dirty and even though it cleans it's almost like it's too hot even though it won't puddle and when it does puddle it looks like there are oodles of smoke and contaminants floating in the puddle. I've messed with arc balance, frequency and all the other settings I could think of but, no dice. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[@motecalevol]

Could you do a video with a transformer machine that doesn't have frequency or balance control?

[@supermistersemen]

he has made multiple videos like that. look through his channel

[@b-radr-ing3074]

What amps should you use I have a thumb control not a foot pedal

[@c0ulter]

Jody, can you shed some light on Tig welding aluminum with an old AC/DC Miller Thunderbolt? Using a dry rig. Is it possible? I've got my Dads thunderbolt. I've sticked with it a little. But have never hooked a dry rig up to it. Any thoughts?

[@fredwilliam1574]

I don't think you'll have AC balance adjustment on a thunderbolt so you may end up melting a lot of tungsten tips. My first aluminum tig welder was an inexpensive everlast inverter. If you are serious about aluminum tig that might be the best way to go.

[@shreevigneshb.6585]

Hello, Here is my question. In your process, you have fixed 60amps as your parameter.Why don't you put 50 or 40 there? Thank you.

[@justa_dude]

6061 did a video on this recently. Good ole 60hz will handle any and everything.

[@zod-engineering-welding]

They will handle anything and everything that *he* does......

[@maximfadeev2012]

Люблю ваши видео! Спасибо большое!!!

[@waluigi233]

how much argon to helium to you use in shielding gas

[@Darkdexter123]

I'm seeming to blow through as soon as I start my arc both my pieces of pipe butted it together

[@niceguy1183]

what is a chill bar? And, the rest of that edge stuff. My welder only runs at 60ish mhz.

[@b-radr-ing3074]

How do you keep from melting the tungsten

[@mrredcat113]

Hey jody what filer rod do I need for a transmission bracket that broke I'm using Er-4043 and it chips right off please help

[@SomervilleMetalWorks]

4043 is correct rod your probably not blending with the base you needs to vee or spot drill almost completely through and get enough heat your puddling the parent metal. dont worry about stacking dimes key to doing cast is blending.

[@weldingtipsandtricks]

martin ferrari try 4943 or 4047

[@SWREngineering]

Make sure it's really alu... a lot of transmission casing parts are MgAl9 now. Aka magnesium... I found out the hard way.

[@waltermckinney606]

Jody I have bee getting a lot of request to make things from 20 gauge mild steel. lots of outside corners, most of the weld are ok, but some are hard to get to, 90 deg weld about 1 to 1 1/4 " recessed with little room to move the cup, having problems burning holes. clean metal best I can, but mods are to auto oil pans so can not get 100% , new clean metal to old metal . usually 70 amps to tack and weld at 40/50 amps to weld 20cfh on gas, machine Miller 250 syncrowave 3/32 2% thor long #4 cup. any Ideas??

[@mrgreenswelding2853]

do you send to Australia?

[@chadcollins9358]

where did you get that torch

[@vr6swp]

Trying to weld some 1/2 6061 plate, as practice for a job from a local machine shop. I have beveled the pieces, and was trying to run multiple beads to fill in the V. Problem is, the puddle keeps getting out of control and turns to mush about halfway thru the first pass. Lots of pepper too. Ends up looking like "how not to TIG weld". I have tried both 3/32 and 1/8" tungsten (Lathanated and Thoriated) as well as several different sizes of filler (up to 1/8"). Today I tried adjusting the frequency way down but that didn't help either. Setting the machine at about 225, it maxes out at 250. I know I'm doing something wrong, but not really sure what. I can handle thinner 6061 sheet and tubing with decent results.

[@robertatwood2503]

vr6swp you said dropping Hertz didn't matter he said that he noticed the difference and dropping the Hertz way down I don't know I'm trying to learn if he respond then I will will know

[@vr6swp]

I'm sure adjusting AC frequency does make a difference in most applications. In this particular case it didn't. As stated, I know I'm doing something wrong here, just don't know what yet. Going to try changing some other variables tomorrow.

[@Mightiflier]

Could you be getting air infiltration? Sounds like you may not be getting enough shield from your Ar. That was my problem on a project, mine was thin Al, however, and I cured my problem with Aluminum foil behind the two pieces. May need to back flow some argon behind it, someone else will need to fill you in on that.

[@kevinblackwellwelder]

Does your mush look slightly grey and appear to have little wrinkles in it instead of a clear shiney puddle? That means you're either losing argon coverage, or your tungsten isn't clean. Check your tungsten, make sure you don't have aluminum balled around the side of your tungsten. Try a brush and or wipe to clean the material, you could have something on the material. My guess is it will be one of the first two.

[@vr6swp]

Was able to fix the problem, somewhat, by turning the argon up to aprox 35cfm (regulator isn't super accurate), turning the heat down to 190-ish, and pre-heating the plates a little. I wasn't too impressed with the final result, but the machine shop guy was happy enough to give me some paying work.

[@trianglechokeU]

I use an old miller 250 transformer and the hf dial goes from 1-100. How do you translate that?

[@podcast4.0]

What should be starting current for TIG welding of Aluminium alloy sheet? Starting current should be higher, lower or equal to Welding current and how much should be upslope seconds ? Plz reply me I am getting problem @weldingtipsandtricks

[@jihadghanim4276]

PLease.. I have alumnium alloy plate 7075 T6( 3mm thickness )I welding them by tig welding ,Can I welding them by filler metal 4043 (2.4 mm thickness)

[@elgalloblanco1980]

Would I be able to weld aluminum with a Lincoln stick welder set on AC with a scratch start

[@jamiebuckley1769]

yes you can with a high frequency box hooked up to your welding machine. thats the way i alluminum tig welded before i got an alluminum invertor tig machine.

[@stevefriedlander7053]

You're simply the best!!

[@kdknitro]

Lower frequencies can be handy, Check