How To TIG Weld Aluminum – What is the key?
The key to TIG welding aluminum is to use a stainless steel brush to remove the coating on the pieces of aluminum that you are welding.
One of the number one things people struggle with when welding aluminum is that it’s not clean. Whatever aluminum you are TIG welding, whether it’s 3003, 5052, 6061, it’s got to be clean.
Properly Cleaning Before TIG welding Aluminum
So what I use is just a little stainless steel brush that I use to clean the aluminum really well. There’s a proper way of cleaning the aluminum and there’s a wrong way of cleaning it. Sometimes people think that they just kind of barely brush it and it’s clean. But there’s actually a coating on aluminum that we have to get off. It’s going to be a bright white when we’re finished brushing it with our stainless steel brush.
Make sure you brush the aluminum and fully remove the coating. Don’t cut corners on this step; it is the most important part of TIG welding aluminum.
You will see how much brighter white the aluminum gets versus if you were to just scuff iit a couple of times. You’re looking for a really shiny, bright section that you are going to TIG weld.
Now you are going to see that bright white line where you brushed really good. Don’t worry about that line even if it’s going to be a show piece, because by the time we are down TIG welding the aluminum it won’t show at all.
Cleaning your welding rod
Some people, suggest taking a Scotch-Brite and do cleaning your welding rod. Me I just kind of just make sure that it’s really clean with my glove. Nothing too special but I just want to make sure there are no foreign objects on the rod and we will be ready yo go.
Along with a clean rod and workpiece we want to focus on each puddle that you’re adding because you don’t want to be thinking of something else as you’re trying to TIG weld aluminums because then it’s not going to come out the way you’re looking for.
TIG Welding Aluminum
As you TIG weld the aluminum you will see a little white line that’s burning the coating off, which is totally normal. If you don’t clean the weld area good enough you’ll get dirt in there, and the aluminum will not let your rod adhere to the part because it’s dirty.
of this here. But you can kind of see clean. It’s very clean or very consistent and it makes a nice part when you’re done. So I cleaned it, I cleaned my rod. And then once I got started and going, I focused on every little puddle that I had in there. With aluminum you will have to go faster than when welding steel, and you will have to throw more rod in the weld.
Conclusion
Hopefully this will help you get much better results when TIG welding aluminum. Just remember to fully clean your parts and welding rod before you start welding.