Your video was super awesome and had great information for welders looking to better their craft. I was a NDT inspector in Naval Ship repair for many years. One extremely big thing you failed mention but clearly you had done is, emphasize cleaning! Oil left on the surface will contaminat the weld bead. Burnt oxides present after a pass is clearly obvious when improper or lack of cleaning prior welding aluminum. Any metal to be honest.
I find number 6 cup works very well. You can always change the frequency to help the arc smaller. You get a much cleaner weld if you use 5 % helium with argon. and will generate more heat.
Thanks for the in-depth explanation like always Justin! Glad to see you back we all know you had a very busy summer but definitely looking forward to the next video! Definitely missed you! Keep it up brotha 🤘
Great Video. This actually solves a problem that I've been fighting. I never considered that my cup being to large was causing my issue. Excellent information. I noticed the issue but wasn't sure how to correct.
Great video! It’s funny, I pretty much always use a standard collet body and 5 cup on aluminum. Earlier today, I had some aluminum to run and there was a gas lens on the torch so my lazy self threw on a 7 cup and let’er rip. Half way through, I thought this works pretty good.
Holy crap!!! That was super informative. I started experimenting with #12 cups with a gas lens on stainless steel and thought it would be good on aluminum. Sir, I am super grateful for the tip!!!!
Great video! I was talked into a large gas lens a couple years ago. After watching this, I threw my original set up on my torch with a #5, and laid down one of my better aluminum welds.
I've been Tig welding for many years and never really put thought into the cup size for aluminum. Your explanation makes perfect sense. Thanks for taking the time to explain to us mortals!!
I’ve been combo welding for 17 years now. Struck my first arc when I was 10 years old. But This is the most detailed explanation video I’ve seen. Makes me wonder if I should be a UA-camr lol. Well done man. Keep burning and earning
I wondered about that setup since I was out of town. I actually kinda liked the elevated platform myself. Nick is really awesome at coming up with solutions and I'm glad to have him on our staff.
@@TheFabricatorSeries Yeah he was great... only problem was he got me to buy a new Optrel 2.0 with 2.5x magnification lol. Being able to see the arc and everything up close with the magnification was a game changer for my stainless work. Still wish we could have chatted about our Vipers while i was there. Maybe next year when I'm back in Vegas.
I find myself watching this video, without any preexisting plans to start welding. I don't know how I got here, still I have watched several of your videos. I don't have any reason why I need to weld, still I'm trying to persuade myself not to buy a TIG/MIG-welder... But it is tempting! I think the way you present the subjects and the format you choose contribute to that success. So keep up the great work!
one of the best aluminum welding explanations I've seen. bar none. what was great is that your explanation matched my observations in the last month where i tried a number ten furick cup.... needed twenty five cfh... random arcs... etc. thought i was doing something wrong. also noted, like you said, i increased the stick out... helped. but needed an additional 2-5 cfh... so by the time i get it running right... it sounds like a hissing snake spitting money during post flow lol... awesome to see you making new vids... thanks!!!
Just started to Tig aluminium it's been 3 days adjusting amps, AC Hz, AC balance I'm getting better but it wasn't till I put a No 5 cup on that I saw improvement. Thanks
Great video. I've been using a #7 gas lens since forever and I can't even remember why anymore. It has always just worked form me. This has motivated me to try a #5 and see what I can see. I completely understand the "boring" technical theory here which I would like to see in practice for myself.
I've tried all the cups, there is about 2mm etching difference between 5-12 with the stubby gass lense however if you turn the amps up the smaller cups don't cool the weld enough so my findings are if you use more gas you end up with a shinier weld which I'd prefer over 1mm of etch line
such a simple concept that can completely change the look of your welds. ive always wondered why i kept getting more and more cleaning action on my welds despite having bigger cups and higher CFH lol well now i know!
I make hardtop cabins for 30 foot aluminum fishing boats, and I generally use a #6 with a little bit of stickout for TIGing grab handles, corners, etc. Seems to work alright. Used to use a 5 but it just never turned out quite right.
Great video. I only have a stick start DC tig so I can't do aluminum, but these vidoes help me to know for the future. You are top notch for teaching videos.
Awesome thanks for explaining, i was using a #5 and got my weld ok, but was told I should be using a #12 cup and have been struggling with it ever since (I have about 15mins total tig welding with the new machine). ill switch back to the #5 now thanks!
That explains why my 6 looks better at my shop than my weld at a friends with his 8. I need a smaller yet obviously. My buddy's welds all look like your #8 examples. Thank you sir.
I was running a #6 on 15cfh argon. I'll switch it to a #5 and 12cfh and give it a whirl. Save a few cfh... literally, lol. My issue was dirty aluminum that I got out of a scrap pile. Cleaned it with a stainless steel brush and some acetone but was still getting black shit in my weld pool. I put my torch down and put in an order for 40 coupons from Weld Metals Online. It's on it's way. Thanks for the tip!!!
i simply cant run a Ally5 as good as 8 pro glass. especially on outside corner joints where gas coverage is harder to achieve. i could care less about a etching line cause in a few months it all looks the same.
Interesting - I've been running a #6 at 15CFS Argon on 16gauge coupons, but I'll try a #5 today and see how it works out. Thanks :-) solid explanation.
1:15 Observation - Everything wasn't the same between both welds - your distance from your work to the tungsten tip was different between both welds and caused your arc to wander. #5 cup is fine but 18CFH Argon would give better shielding w/ 189 amps Electrode negative / 120 amps Electrode positive w/ a 74% balance @ 130hz using 3/32 filler. Using a Furick clear cup gives us the added vision in tight spaces instead of using a ceramic cup as we can see through the Furick cup. Not mentioning your machine settings leaves the guy who is looking for guidance in the dark. We'll mention dwell time on arc starts and travel speed also as most novices tend to get a puddle and get moving which causes a lack of full penetration. Take it for what it's worth as we're all learning something each day. Cheers and Happy New Year!
I used to use GAS lenses on Aluminium, but with the AC frequency + cycle spitting oxides into my tungsten and reducing the life of he Gas lens, I decided to go back to standard collets. My weld quality has actually improved. And I'm saving a fortune on Gas Lenses. Now I only use Gas Lenses for Ferrous metals, mainly SS.
Makes total sense now! I was using a Fupa cup on stainless but then switched to alum and noticed it was very hard to put down good welds. Now I know why, I'm going to try this later today!
Excellent video! These are things I already knew, but the reverse dartboard explanation was just great; and I’ll definitely be stealing that when I have to explain this in the future👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks Justin, this really helped a lot. In areas where I absolutely can’t get rid of gaps, I’ll run a #7 gas cup and stuff filler, but took your advice and the standard 5 is such a tighter and better look. Always appreciate your videos. Thanks! 👨🍳 💋
A 5GL works similarly to a 5 standard until you get into a tight space. A gas lens size won't get any smaller around the body, so the discipline of switching your consumables still applies in tight spaces. If its in the way - its in the way.
Great stuff Justin... thnks buddy I really appreciate the sharing of your knowledge... Some day I'm hoping to make the short trip up to take a class from you and finally meet you....
Great tip! I have been using a #8 cup with gas lens and my welds look just like yours with the same gear - well close anyway. Filet welds especially are difficult to get into the root without excess width. I'm off to the shop to try the #5 cup and standard body with high hopes.
Literally been welding mild steel for 20 years "stick and mig mostly" well after an accident, i went back to my old job and... POW!!! A TIG MACHINE was in the courner and nobody was using it.... so i rolled it out and started learning aluminum "very seldomly throughout the week" after a year i convinced the boss to buy a lincon 375 watercooled something something😇 and this is the first time ive heard that the edching zone is affected bye cup size... course i been using a stubby #6 setup, so thanks,,, pss... aluminum isnt so bad once you catch on how to work it
Would having too high of an Argon flowrate have the same effect? I ask as I was practicing the other day and thought that the Argon was being consumed at too high of a rate. It turns out that the regulator had the liter per minute and cubic feet per hour scales switched from the previous regulator that I was using. So as a result, I was flowing at 20 liters per minute thinking that I was flowing at 20 cubic feet per hour. But actually, I was flowing at about 42 cubic feet per hour. Tia.
Question: just got back having to weld aluminum after many years and I don't remember my magic settings for my tig. When I was testing yesterday I was welding in the horizontal position and a little bit after the start of my weld the ball on my tungsten dripped over to the side. I don't know why.
I usually run a nr 8 cup, but then again, I weld alot thicker stuff than intercooler piping. Found out that a nr 6 is too, small, not because of the lack of heat in the weldpool, but the cup explodes due to the heat when running 280+ amps for an extended period of time
Interesting. I've ended up with a number 8 gas lens as my preferred setup, mainly because I like the extra coverage as it helps stop impurities, especially when working with old bits of cast. I'll try the 5 again though, it's been years since I did.
Great video! Thanks for sharing. I would live to see this setup on a CNC. That way there is absolutely NO difference other than the cup. I'm sure yours is close but you can tell the dip was different at a minimum. Regardless. Thanks!
20 cfh is a bit high for a # 8 cup, creating a Venturi effect. I run my argon between 12 7 14 cfh with that cup. Keep in mind I am not using a micron flowmeter so gas flow may be 10% either way.
@@ButBigger42 Dude, what if I use a sharp, large tungsten on a small cup? I don't know why it is better to use tungsten for low amperages. A large tungsten can still transmit low amperages, but will it consume less? Quite right?
Lol... I had no idea that a #5 or #8 was the preferred cups by seasoned aluminum welders... I've been welding for 20+ stick, mig, fluxcore... 4 years ago I returned to a old job and noticed a lincon 370 precision tig machine just collecting dust. So I hooked it up and became the aluminum welder lol, long story short I run a 1/8" gas lenz with a #8 cup just because it felt right😂
Good to see you posting again - I knew you were still above ground from your feature on Rob Dahm's channel a week or two back 😎 How is the truck build going?
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Your video was super awesome and had great information for welders looking to better their craft. I was a NDT inspector in Naval Ship repair for many years. One extremely big thing you failed mention but clearly you had done is, emphasize cleaning! Oil left on the surface will contaminat the weld bead. Burnt oxides present after a pass is clearly obvious when improper or lack of cleaning prior welding aluminum. Any metal to be honest.
I find number 6 cup works very well. You can always change the frequency to help the arc smaller. You get a much cleaner weld if you use 5 % helium with argon. and will generate more heat.
This is by far the best explanation of this topic I've ever seen. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the in-depth explanation like always Justin! Glad to see you back we all know you had a very busy summer but definitely looking forward to the next video! Definitely missed you! Keep it up brotha 🤘
Amen! Great to see u again Justin! Great video! UA-cam has missed u indeed
These videos never disappoint me, who agrees?
I agree
Great Video. This actually solves a problem that I've been fighting. I never considered that my cup being to large was causing my issue. Excellent information. I noticed the issue but wasn't sure how to correct.
Great video! It’s funny, I pretty much always use a standard collet body and 5 cup on aluminum. Earlier today, I had some aluminum to run and there was a gas lens on the torch so my lazy self threw on a 7 cup and let’er rip. Half way through, I thought this works pretty good.
Holy crap!!! That was super informative. I started experimenting with #12 cups with a gas lens on stainless steel and thought it would be good on aluminum. Sir, I am super grateful for the tip!!!!
Great video! I was talked into a large gas lens a couple years ago. After watching this, I threw my original set up on my torch with a #5, and laid down one of my better aluminum welds.
Natural teacher. Wish I had him in high school.
Great explanation of what I have experienced running an 8 gas lens.
I've been Tig welding for many years and never really put thought into the cup size for aluminum. Your explanation makes perfect sense. Thanks for taking the time to explain to us mortals!!
I’ve been combo welding for 17 years now. Struck my first arc when I was 10 years old. But This is the most detailed explanation video I’ve seen. Makes me wonder if I should be a UA-camr lol. Well done man. Keep burning and earning
Awesome table set up there. Thanks to Nick for getting that aluminum up off the table so I wasn’t so hunched over last week in my class.
I wondered about that setup since I was out of town. I actually kinda liked the elevated platform myself. Nick is really awesome at coming up with solutions and I'm glad to have him on our staff.
@@TheFabricatorSeries Yeah he was great... only problem was he got me to buy a new Optrel 2.0 with 2.5x magnification lol. Being able to see the arc and everything up close with the magnification was a game changer for my stainless work.
Still wish we could have chatted about our Vipers while i was there. Maybe next year when I'm back in Vegas.
I find myself watching this video, without any preexisting plans to start welding. I don't know how I got here, still I have watched several of your videos. I don't have any reason why I need to weld, still I'm trying to persuade myself not to buy a TIG/MIG-welder... But it is tempting!
I think the way you present the subjects and the format you choose contribute to that success. So keep up the great work!
Being a self taught tig welding rookie, I learn so much from your videos. Thank you for the awesome content.
This was an exceptional explanation man, thank you. You have that rare ability to explain stuff so regular humans can understand, thank you.
Hey welcome back Justin been missing your videos! Love the how you explain everything exceptionally well keep up the great work!
one of the best aluminum welding explanations I've seen. bar none.
what was great is that your explanation matched my observations in the last month where i tried a number ten furick cup.... needed twenty five cfh... random arcs... etc. thought i was doing something wrong.
also noted, like you said, i increased the stick out... helped. but needed an additional 2-5 cfh... so by the time i get it running right... it sounds like a hissing snake spitting money during post flow lol...
awesome to see you making new vids... thanks!!!
I’ve watched 2 videos so far and have learned more then I have ever about welding in the 2 years of experience I have.
Just started to Tig aluminium it's been 3 days adjusting amps, AC Hz, AC balance I'm getting better but it wasn't till I put a No 5 cup on that I saw improvement. Thanks
You were/are the gateway to my welding life. Thanks so much man for giving me the joy of knowledge to create
You have just explained some of the problems I'm having. Thank you. 👍
Great video. I've been using a #7 gas lens since forever and I can't even remember why anymore. It has always just worked form me. This has motivated me to try a #5 and see what I can see. I completely understand the "boring" technical theory here which I would like to see in practice for myself.
Order some more metal from Weld Metals the other day. Just came in the mail yesterday.
Trying some of the thin metal this time.
Glad to see you back Justin.
I've tried all the cups, there is about 2mm etching difference between 5-12 with the stubby gass lense however if you turn the amps up the smaller cups don't cool the weld enough so my findings are if you use more gas you end up with a shinier weld which I'd prefer over 1mm of etch line
such a simple concept that can completely change the look of your welds. ive always wondered why i kept getting more and more cleaning action on my welds despite having bigger cups and higher CFH lol well now i know!
With the help of your videos I was able to get proficient enough with my TIG setup to custom make a twin turbo kit for my 350z. Cheers.
I make hardtop cabins for 30 foot aluminum fishing boats, and I generally use a #6 with a little bit of stickout for TIGing grab handles, corners, etc. Seems to work alright. Used to use a 5 but it just never turned out quite right.
thanks for clearing that up.
Heck yeah Justin!!! Keep em comin still Savin up for that prime weld
Makes perfect sense & like you said in other video's, stick to the basics that have been tried & true since the beginning.
Great video. I only have a stick start DC tig so I can't do aluminum, but these vidoes help me to know for the future. You are top notch for teaching videos.
For the love of all that is weldable, please keep doing these aluminum tips and explanation videos.
So good for a beginner like myself.
Top shelf production too!
Depends what your gonna do though , if im welding something really thick on crazy high ampa that small 5 cup is gonna glow like crazy
Thank you for sharing! I usually use the #8 cup. I'm going to try the #5 tomorrow! 🤘
Awesome thanks for explaining, i was using a #5 and got my weld ok, but was told I should be using a #12 cup and have been struggling with it ever since (I have about 15mins total tig welding with the new machine). ill switch back to the #5 now thanks!
That explains why my 6 looks better at my shop than my weld at a friends with his 8. I need a smaller yet obviously. My buddy's welds all look like your #8 examples. Thank you sir.
I was running a #6 on 15cfh argon. I'll switch it to a #5 and 12cfh and give it a whirl. Save a few cfh... literally, lol. My issue was dirty aluminum that I got out of a scrap pile. Cleaned it with a stainless steel brush and some acetone but was still getting black shit in my weld pool. I put my torch down and put in an order for 40 coupons from Weld Metals Online. It's on it's way. Thanks for the tip!!!
So if a smaller (#5) cup focuses the arc better, in which circumstances would you use an even small cup? Like a #3 or 4 cup?
i simply cant run a Ally5 as good as 8 pro glass. especially on outside corner joints where gas coverage is harder to achieve. i could care less about a etching line cause in a few months it all looks the same.
Interesting - I've been running a #6 at 15CFS Argon on 16gauge coupons, but I'll try a #5 today and see how it works out. Thanks :-) solid explanation.
Holy crap! I never knew! This all makes complete sense. I never would've thought of that. I've always used a #8
Couldn't agree more. Cup size has always been very important to me as well.
Glad to see you again.
1:15 Observation - Everything wasn't the same between both welds - your distance from your work to the tungsten tip was different between both welds and caused your arc to wander. #5 cup is fine but 18CFH Argon would give better shielding w/ 189 amps Electrode negative / 120 amps Electrode positive w/ a 74% balance @ 130hz using 3/32 filler.
Using a Furick clear cup gives us the added vision in tight spaces instead of using a ceramic cup as we can see through the Furick cup.
Not mentioning your machine settings leaves the guy who is looking for guidance in the dark. We'll mention dwell time on arc starts and travel speed also as most novices tend to get a puddle and get moving which causes a lack of full penetration.
Take it for what it's worth as we're all learning something each day.
Cheers and Happy New Year!
I used to use GAS lenses on Aluminium, but with the AC frequency + cycle spitting oxides into my tungsten and reducing the life of he Gas lens, I decided to go back to standard collets. My weld quality has actually improved. And I'm saving a fortune on Gas Lenses. Now I only use Gas Lenses for Ferrous metals, mainly SS.
Makes total sense now! I was using a Fupa cup on stainless but then switched to alum and noticed it was very hard to put down good welds. Now I know why, I'm going to try this later today!
Excellent video! These are things I already knew, but the reverse dartboard explanation was just great; and I’ll definitely be stealing that when I have to explain this in the future👍🏻👍🏻
While I always enjoy your videos, this one was especially informative! Thank you very much! Please keep them up!
Top notch explanation.
Thanks Justin, this really helped a lot. In areas where I absolutely can’t get rid of gaps, I’ll run a #7 gas cup and stuff filler, but took your advice and the standard 5 is such a tighter and better look. Always appreciate your videos. Thanks! 👨🍳 💋
Thank you for this! I always used way to big a cup and now I see why I had problems..
I think it’s always useful to know the why’s and how’s and not just the rule of ‘if-this-do-that’
We've missed you! Welcome back. Great video.
Best cup explanation on youtube .
Ty sir.
Justin , always great stuff.....cheers from Florida, Paul
as always very informative and straight to the point! thanyou so much you are literally the best welding teacher on the net by a long shot!
Happy to see you back!
I’ve learned a lot from you Justin. Thank you.
I could and HAVE watch ur videos all day lol. So much good info and learning. Keep up the great work man!
Is this more about the cup size or whether or not to use a gas lens? How does a #5 gas lens compare to a number #5 standard? Please clarify. Thanks!
A 5GL works similarly to a 5 standard until you get into a tight space. A gas lens size won't get any smaller around the body, so the discipline of switching your consumables still applies in tight spaces. If its in the way - its in the way.
Great stuff Justin... thnks buddy I really appreciate the sharing of your knowledge... Some day I'm hoping to make the short trip up to take a class from you and finally meet you....
Great tip! I have been using a #8 cup with gas lens and my welds look just like yours with the same gear - well close anyway. Filet welds especially are difficult to get into the root without excess width. I'm off to the shop to try the #5 cup and standard body with high hopes.
great explanation, I had never heard before
Literally been welding mild steel for 20 years "stick and mig mostly" well after an accident, i went back to my old job and...
POW!!! A TIG MACHINE was in the courner and nobody was using it.... so i rolled it out and started learning aluminum "very seldomly throughout the week" after a year i convinced the boss to buy a lincon 375 watercooled something something😇 and this is the first time ive heard that the edching zone is affected bye cup size... course i been using a stubby #6 setup, so thanks,,, pss... aluminum isnt so bad once you catch on how to work it
Glad you back. Merry Christmas to you and your family
Would having too high of an Argon flowrate have the same effect? I ask as I was practicing the other day and thought that the Argon was being consumed at too high of a rate. It turns out that the regulator had the liter per minute and cubic feet per hour scales switched from the previous regulator that I was using. So as a result, I was flowing at 20 liters per minute thinking that I was flowing at 20 cubic feet per hour. But actually, I was flowing at about 42 cubic feet per hour. Tia.
Hi, can you give advice on torch size for schedule 40 anodized alluminum?
Question: just got back having to weld aluminum after many years and I don't remember my magic settings for my tig. When I was testing yesterday I was welding in the horizontal position and a little bit after the start of my weld the ball on my tungsten dripped over to the side. I don't know why.
Thanks Justin, awesome as always
I love the short and sweet videos packed with tons of info!
Well explained …. That was my problem from the beginning. Thanks man 👍🏻
I usually run a nr 8 cup, but then again, I weld alot thicker stuff than intercooler piping. Found out that a nr 6 is too, small, not because of the lack of heat in the weldpool, but the cup explodes due to the heat when running 280+ amps for an extended period of time
I'll try this instead of my no7 standard cup then. great video
Nice vid, i had a hard time figuring this out when i first started
Again, excellent explanation and makes total sense. Keep all your tips coming!
Very good and informative video. Giving the theoretical explanation and examples goes so much further to explain.
Thanks for all the great content. Could you make a recommendation on a tungsten sharpener? Thanks again!
Interesting. I've ended up with a number 8 gas lens as my preferred setup, mainly because I like the extra coverage as it helps stop impurities, especially when working with old bits of cast. I'll try the 5 again though, it's been years since I did.
Going to have to try the no. 5 with less gas. Do you have a flow recommendation for an argon/helium mix? That's what my work uses.
This was a most excellent and helpful discussion. Thank you for taking the time. PS just ordered the stubby 5 non-gas lens package.
Justin Thanks,, what is your view on using a Pyrex cup welding aluminum?
Wow, lots to apply now. I was wasting argon..jacked balance up to 80% electrode negative with 150 Hz when I could have dropped to a #5 gas lens.
Great video! Thanks for sharing. I would live to see this setup on a CNC. That way there is absolutely NO difference other than the cup. I'm sure yours is close but you can tell the dip was different at a minimum. Regardless. Thanks!
What about a #5 gas lens? Would that have a different result/effect vs. a standard #5?
Super vidéo
👏🏼
Quelle réglage conseiller vous pour de l’aluminium 2 mm?
Merci d’avance.
All I can say is thank you! Simply explained!
20 cfh is a bit high for a # 8 cup, creating a Venturi effect. I run my argon between 12 7 14 cfh with that cup. Keep in mind I am not using a micron flowmeter so gas flow may be 10% either way.
well done.... thanks. I love a #5 on aluminum
Out of curiosity, is there a reason you use the number 5 standard jnstead of the number 5 with a gas lens?
Thanks for all the information on all the Videos!!!
I use a #6 gas lense sometimes because thats the only 1/8" consumables I have and i happen to have a piece of 1/8" ceriated tungsten 😂
@@ButBigger42 Dude, what if I use a sharp, large tungsten on a small cup? I don't know why it is better to use tungsten for low amperages. A large tungsten can still transmit low amperages, but will it consume less? Quite right?
Thank you for the information, YOU have been missed....
Lol... I had no idea that a #5 or #8 was the preferred cups by seasoned aluminum welders... I've been welding for 20+ stick, mig, fluxcore... 4 years ago I returned to a old job and noticed a lincon 370 precision tig machine just collecting dust.
So I hooked it up and became the aluminum welder lol, long story short I run a 1/8" gas lenz with a #8 cup just because it felt right😂
Listing primeweld....how do u feel about that machine?
Thanks for the info! I was just wondering about this the other day, guess I need to get some new cups!
Good to see you posting again - I knew you were still above ground from your feature on Rob Dahm's channel a week or two back 😎
How is the truck build going?
Glad to see you back. I learn shit on every one of your vids. Thanks man
I waste so much tape with this game, but not anymore. Thanks Justin always great content.