Reply to "Learning to TIG aluminum"

Here is the best tip I can give anyone trying to tig weld aluminum. Make sure you have a clean joint to weld. What I mean by clean is to wire brush off the outside oxide layer of metal. Aluminum oxide has a lot higher melting point than pure aluminum. If you have a heavy oxidation build up on the surface and try to weld it it will suddenly flow all over the place because the inside melted before the outside. If you take just a little more time in preperation, you can wind up with welds that look like you oxyaccetalened them. In other words, smooth, even and strong.