Welding Aluminum .... Sigh...

[frederic]

I have a friend who TIG welds in the aerospace industry. To test his welding ability he was asked to TIG weld a bead down the length of the sharp edge of a razor blade without a microscope, and the bead be no wider than the body of the blade.

And he did it, first try.

Welding is part science, part skill, and part "art". The last part is most elusive.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

I have a friend who TIG welds in the aerospace industry. To test his welding ability he was asked to TIG weld a bead down the length of the sharp edge of a razor blade without a microscope, and the bead be no wider than the body of the blade.

And he did it, first try.

Welding is part science, part skill, and part "art". The last part is most elusive.

Thats impressive.

 

[jr dragster T]

My dad was qualified to solder to aerospace specs when he was younger. All of his joins where in very difficult places and they where inspected under a microscope for flaws or impurity's.

 

[frederic]

Thats impressive.

It is... of course when he told us the story none of us believed him so he demonstrated by tig welding two unfolded paper clips end to end since we didn't have any razor blades handy at the time.

That was equally impressive and I never challenged any of his tales from work.

 

[lemegacool]

lol that is probably not done using a harbor freight tig LOL... at school we had a plasma welder... its like a tig but... plasma... its weird you can hold the torch far from the workpiece (1inch) and you get a very small pool and EXELLENT heat control...

 

[frederic]

Yeah, we were at my friend's shop (who did the razor blade thing and in turn, the paper clip thing) and he has a digitally controlled Miller for the "little jobs" and another, bigger unit that's more traditional TIG for regular welding.

My buddy Ray is one heck of a welder, and it's funny (to me) that you mentioned a plasma welder... because when I bought my plasma cutter, Ray showed me how to use it in place of an oxy/acetelyne torch for welding.

I could watch him weld all day actually... his hands have incredible control. He's been welding since 11 or 12 or thereabouts, and he's mid 40's now. He inherited his father's body shop in his late teens when his father passed away, and has been welding on a near-daily basis since. A lot of collector and antique cars pass through his shop because his work is that good.

I always appreciate an "artist".

Me, well, my hands are unsteady and everything I weld looks like "pig welding" but it sticks so I don't complain too much. I'm lucky I can weld at all.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

I just tigged aluminum for the first time today, and man is it easy. Not as easy as steel for sure, but my first bead actually resembled stacked dimes. The hardest part is getting the power just right, but it isn't all that hard.

 

[jr dragster T]

After school at home today I decided to fire up the Lincoln 180C with the spool gun and I had some 1/4" 8" aluminum pipe scrap to practice welding on. First get a sand flapper wheel and a grinder and clean it up really good. I also found it took a Little more Argon pressure to weld the aluminum. Most of my welds look pretty good and have really good penetration. You can even see the bead right on the back as well. I hate how it always makes a crater right where I stop every time. Aluminum is notorious for this. I gotta say, Aluminum MIG is a fine art to do. I'm getting better at it and the welds do look better in person.

 

[lemegacool]

for the crater thing... try backing up in the pool a litle at the end or let go trigger, let it cool a little then put a tack in the crater

 

[jr dragster T]

I tried to weld aluminum to steel today just for fun and it actually stuck enough to lift up that peice of scrap pipe, Then it fell. I thought I found the jackpot welder!

 

[lemegacool]

did you tried that with alu wire or steel wire... cause i once tried it too (was bored at school LOL) with steel wire and it held up quite strong...(brokeable with a hammer)

 

[The Product]

i welded steel to aluminum! haha my header the tip is aluminum and the header pipe is steel worked pretty decent i must say is strong as hell.

 

[jr dragster T]

Lol, It was welding Aluminum to Steel with Aluminum wire.

 

[That One Guy]

This takes some practise....

I DID THAT IN SHOP! Twas' probably one of the hardest feats i have accomplished thus far.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

Can you cut a MD can in half and weld it back together? That would take some skillz!

 

[That One Guy]

If you're asking me, then HECK no, I cant do that. I'm not an Imperial Engineer, or whatever those dudes that work on the AT-AT's are called.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

I have heard of it being done, with very expensive oxy fuel torches that had some very skilled guys behind them. I would almost pay money to see it done.

 

[That One Guy]

Almost.

 

[whitepower]

im the beset welder EVERY

 

[rmkrider1]

im the beset welder EVERY

Good think you "think" that you can weld.....I hope you spent more time in the shop then you did in spelling class