TIG Aluminum welding - Tips for TIG Welding Aluminum

A More Advanced Technique for TIG Aluminum Welding is pulsing with the foot pedal.  Brad Goodman aka @deepsouthdimestacker on Instagram demonstrates the "pedal pumping technique"

What is the best tungsten for aluminum?

It depends on several things but I think the 2 top choices are 2% lanthanted and LaYZr tungsten from CK worldwide.

2% lanthanated can handle more amperage but the LaZyr works very well in maintaining a point on AC at mid range amperage settings. If you watched the video above, you might have noticed that the tip of the electrode stayed sharp while Brad was pulsing with the foot pedal on those corner joints.  Brad likes to use LaYZr tungsten for tig welding aluminum.

TIG aluminum, welding aluminum with TIG, Tips for TIG welding aluminum 

For best results, you need to make sure the metal is clean enough before welding.

But what exactly does "clean enough" mean?

For plasma cut edges, clean enough could mean filing or sanding down the dross on the cut edges.

For brand new aluminum sheet with a peel coat, clean enough could be only a simple wipe down to remove shop dust.

For dirty aluminum that is corroded or been in a bucket along side steel for a long time, clean enough might mean sanding with a flap disc or scotchbrite disc to remove the layer of corrosion or contaminants.

You read in text books that aluminum should be brushed with a stainless wire brush to remove the oxide layer before welding.

But on certain applications, for example, polished or finish machined aluminum products, wire brush marks are not tolerated.

Personally, I think wire brushing brand new aluminum is only really needed for a handful of applications like a full penetration butt weld on sheet or tubing or an aerospace weld test that will be X rayed.

You certainly wont find a manufacturer of polished aluminum tread plate truck boxes wire wheeling the weld area before welding.  

AC balance needs to be set with enough cleaning action to provide a clean shiny puddle.  Gas flow also affects cleaning action

AC balance and argon flow rate are related.

The cleaning action of the AC arc will only go where there is argon coverage.

Not having enough flow rate for a given cup will limit your cleaning action of the arc and you might think you need to adjust your AC balance setting when what you really need to do is adjust argon flow rate.

In my opinion, the primeweld 225 is one of the best choices in affordable tig welders.

The problem with most other really affordable tig welders is usually the foot pedal and the torch are just bad and clunky.

Primeweld went to extra expense to include genuine ck torches with superflex hoses along with a smooth SSC style foot pedal.

They also have a responsive primeweld equipment users group on facebook and also have demonstrated great customer support

Watch some primeweld videos and you will see what I mean.