Just been out using my group buy tig on my rear brake calliper brackets and decided to hav a go at ali as well. Here's the results. I should add that I've cleaned/sanded some of the ali welds and I wondered if someone would care to tell me why when I introduce tha ali filler rod to the weld I'm getting spatter/explosions and major oxidisation of the rod where it drops into the weld pool.

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Come and do mine for me.......

Looks very good, can't answer the splatter and oxidisation question though

the rods may be have contamination on them, that will probs cause it or your eave setting change it more to cleaning than penertraion might help

Introduce the rod into the side of the weld pool rather than the centre?

Alex

Make sure that the filler rod does not touch the electrode, and that the electrode is clean with no aluminium on it.
If the filler rod touches the electrode you should stop welding and clean the electrode again.

Alex and truckparts I already know about these probs but thanks anyway. Maybe the settings for cleaning can be looked into later today.

Nice, like above. If the weld looks crap it probable is. They look good

I had a lot of that too Omega!!

Keep your torch almost vertical, not layed down like for steel, then next, use much less current than you think you need!! Dip the rod almost horizontal, parallel with your weld surface.

I assume you have a foot pedal, start on ally nice and slow, and watch the cleaning effect on the surface and all the oxide pinging off, then ramp the amps up a touch until you see the shiny bit form, then back off again so you can just hold the shiny bit (puddle)

The art is then to use just enough current to keep the puddle, while keeping it low enough that the cleaning effect has time to work before you need to more on and dip the rod.

Also you need to clean the rod with scotchbrite pad first, then wipe it (and the ally around your welding area) with brake cleaner or thinners etc.