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  #11  
Old 01-10-2018, 05:04 PM
Charlie Myres Charlie Myres is offline
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Peter and Matt, thank you for posting this information, it is absolutely invaluable to someone trying to teach himself to weld aluminium,

Cheers Charlie
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  #12  
Old 01-11-2018, 10:27 AM
dwmh dwmh is offline
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Regarding welding lenses for Ali, I used to use Honeywell clearways visor number CV85/5W/EU, these are about £20 (from memory) in the UK (lens only) They were recommended on one of the forums and do indeed cut out the flux glare when welding Ali. They give a good clear view, BUT one week when doing a lot of Ali welding I was getting zigzag patterns around my peripheral vision (similar to a migraine I believe) I therefore bit the bullet and bought Kent's headgear and lenses. They are fantastic and give great clarity to the weld pool. I have not had vision problems due to welding since (though caffeine can give me the same zigzag patterns).
Kent's stuff is very reasonably priced, but to get it to the UK is expensive with shipping and customs charges. However you get what you pay for in life.
Hope this helps.

Cheers
Dave
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  #13  
Old 01-11-2018, 02:38 PM
Jim Tomczyk Jim Tomczyk is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gareth Davies View Post
Matt, that is a proper nugget and one worth remembering. Out of interest, what sort of lens do you use when oxy acetylene welding ally? I keep on seeing people recommend the ones that Kent White sells but was wondering if there is anything comparable here in the UK. Cheers.
Hi Gareth
I found some UK eye wear for OA Ali welding a little while ago that work well by taking out the orange flare and protect - see the following link

http://allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=9151

Jim

Ps the vibroshear is getting some use 👍
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  #14  
Old 01-11-2018, 03:44 PM
elavir elavir is offline
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Originally Posted by Stretch View Post
Hi Richard.

For aluminium (16 gauge) I would highly recommend trying either a no5 or no7 BOC style (UK) welding nozzle and, most importantly, turn the gas pressure down to 2-3 psi max. You want a soft, fat flame. A lot of beginners make the mistake of running a too narrow flame cone, with higher than necessary flame pressure, which inputs too much heat into a thin weld zone causing burn through. Also, you have to weld aluminium at a very quick pace with oxy-acetylene. We are talking almost feet per minute as opposed to inches per minute a la steel. This is where the true art to gas welding ali comes in to form. Fast, fast, faster!

I seldom add rod to the puddle on ali body panels - for me the rod is there literally to start the weld then finish the last 1/4" of weld.

Also, I was taught to oscillate the torch in continuous circles to the width of approximately 1/4" - 3/8" around the weld zone as you move the torch along its path. This, apparently, was the norm during WW2 era to decrease the intensity of the heat affected zone according to my mentor. It is said to even out the h.a.z. a little, which reduces stress. This method, with good practice, should produce a lovely, flat bead with perfect penetration: A weld that needs no filing and only planishing or wheeling to make the weld virtually disappear.

Don't get me wrong, there are many ways of gas welding aluminium, but this is what I was taught and I find it works fantastically well.

On a side note... and this is one that's sure to raise eyebrows: I only flux the edges of the metal and not the full width of the weld bead. I find there is more than enough flux on just the edges to facilitate a perfect weld. The advantage is that flux glare is massively reduced and you have a more even temperature distribution. Again, a nugget that was passed down to me during my apprenticeship in the 1980's.

Regards, Matt

Hi Matt, thanks for your explanation and tips.
One thing that I don't understand is the oscilating of the weld. Is this done after welding?

Cheers Richard.
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  #15  
Old 01-11-2018, 04:39 PM
Gareth Davies Gareth Davies is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Tomczyk View Post
Hi Gareth
I found some UK eye wear for OA Ali welding a little while ago that work well by taking out the orange flare and protect - see the following link

http://allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=9151

Jim

Ps the vibroshear is getting some use 👍
Cheers Jim, I’ll take a look. Glad the VS is getting used, most of my projects are at about the same stage when you came and collected it
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  #16  
Old 01-12-2018, 01:16 PM
Stretch Stretch is offline
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Originally Posted by elavir View Post
Hi Matt, thanks for your explanation and tips.
One thing that I don't understand is the oscilating of the weld. Is this done after welding?

Cheers Richard.
I think the best way to describe it is to do a video! I'll do one next week and post a link on here.

Cheers, Matt
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  #17  
Old 01-12-2018, 01:21 PM
Stretch Stretch is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dwmh View Post
Regarding welding lenses for Ali, I used to use Honeywell clearways visor number CV85/5W/EU, these are about £20 (from memory) in the UK (lens only) They were recommended on one of the forums and do indeed cut out the flux glare when welding Ali. They give a good clear view, BUT one week when doing a lot of Ali welding I was getting zigzag patterns around my peripheral vision (similar to a migraine I believe) I therefore bit the bullet and bought Kent's headgear and lenses. They are fantastic and give great clarity to the weld pool. I have not had vision problems due to welding since (though caffeine can give me the same zigzag patterns).
Kent's stuff is very reasonably priced, but to get it to the UK is expensive with shipping and customs charges. However you get what you pay for in life.
Hope this helps.

Cheers
Dave

Sounds like you get myopic migraines. I'm get them from time to time and have to lie down with my eyes closed until it passes. Sometimes they bring a bad headache. Not pleasant
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  #18  
Old 01-12-2018, 01:25 PM
elavir elavir is offline
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Originally Posted by Stretch View Post
I think the best way to describe it is to do a video! I'll do one next week and post a link on here.

Cheers, Matt
Cool, thnx Matt. I'm looking forward to it.

Cheers Richard.
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  #19  
Old 01-28-2018, 11:14 AM
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Dell Dell is offline
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Default Gas welding aluminium

Hi all I am old school and I never use aluminium rods I only use thin strips of the aluminium that I am welding,I agree it is best to flux edges and I use small circular motion on torch,the filler rod is only there for tacks,and if I need to remove excess heat from weld area. I never grind welds only a body file after planishing.
As for goggles my old goggles where about thirty five years old and I was having trouble finding a suitable replacement,I did not want visor although I now wear glasses for close up work, so I purchased a visor and cut It down to fit my flip up goggles this means I now have enough visor left to change the lens two or three more times.
Dell UK
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  #20  
Old 01-29-2018, 03:23 AM
Andy Andy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stretch View Post
Hi Richard.

For aluminium (16 gauge) I would highly recommend trying either a no5 or no7 BOC style (UK) welding nozzle and, most importantly, turn the gas pressure down to 2-3 psi max. You want a soft, fat flame. A lot of beginners make the mistake of running a too narrow flame cone, with higher than necessary flame pressure, which inputs too much heat into a thin weld zone causing burn through. Also, you have to weld aluminium at a very quick pace with oxy-acetylene. We are talking almost feet per minute as opposed to inches per minute a la steel. This is where the true art to gas welding ali comes in to form. Fast, fast, faster!

I seldom add rod to the puddle on ali body panels - for me the rod is there literally to start the weld then finish the last 1/4" of weld.

Also, I was taught to oscillate the torch in continuous circles to the width of approximately 1/4" - 3/8" around the weld zone as you move the torch along its path. This, apparently, was the norm during WW2 era to decrease the intensity of the heat affected zone according to my mentor. It is said to even out the h.a.z. a little, which reduces stress. This method, with good practice, should produce a lovely, flat bead with perfect penetration: A weld that needs no filing and only planishing or wheeling to make the weld virtually disappear.

Don't get me wrong, there are many ways of gas welding aluminium, but this is what I was taught and I find it works fantastically well.

On a side note... and this is one that's sure to raise eyebrows: I only flux the edges of the metal and not the full width of the weld bead. I find there is more than enough flux on just the edges to facilitate a perfect weld. The advantage is that flux glare is massively reduced and you have a more even temperature distribution. Again, a nugget that was passed down to me during my apprenticeship in the 1980's.

Regards, Matt
Very interesting. I must say I never had any problems welding over tacks (I do the tacks without welding rod). My welding method is that I use a flux coated strip cut off the aluminum as a rod and flux the edge and a very small area around it. Tried only fluxing the rod and just the edges...works for me but I like to play it safe. The gas setting is low...way lower than for steel. Yes, weld speed is fast, but it slows down on bigger panels. I can't really say how I adjust the flame...I do it by the noise it makes. I make small adjustments by altering the torch angle or by raising the flame when I see mischief building up in the weld-puddle.

An old german aircraft guy told me to keep the flame stady, not rotate it. I will try the rotation method next time. And he told me to weld right after the tacks, no cleaning and refluxing. Again...works for me.

I use blue welding lenses and I use the welding rod all the time because I want a nice raised bead that I usually file down a little, then lightly hammer it before planishing it. The hammering is said to improve weld density...that is what an old german aircraft book from the 40s says.
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