How to weld Aluminum with TIG

The first thing you need is a TIG welder that has both AC and DC settings.

Fortunately, these AC/DC tig welders are more affordable than ever.

I have used many brands of tig welders and I also own several different brands.

I currently own Miller, Lincoln, CK worldwide, Esab and PrimeWeld tig welders and I in my opinion, the best bang for the buck for beginners as well as folks on a budget is the primeweld TIG225.

The main problem with so many budget welders is the torch and foot pedal.

PrimeWeld fixed this by including a CK worldwide tig torch and an SSC style foot pedal with their 225 amp machine.

Understanding all the settings on a tig welder is the only way to get the best results with any brand tig welding machine.

I have made videos showing all the settings to help you get the most out of your primeweld or any other brand welder with similar settings.

AC balance and AC frequency are the 2 main settings to learn for tig welding aluminum.

Here is a video on AC balance to help you on your way to learning how to weld aluminum with TIg.

Learning how AC frequency works will help you learn how to weld aluminum with tig

Aluminum requires more amperage to tig weld than steel due to its thermal conductivity. 

Depending on the joint type, aluminum might require 1-1/2 times the amperage that steel requires for the same thickness metal.

Aluminum  is most often welded on AC but can be welded on DC using pure helium. This requires an experienced tig welder and is limited to around .125" and thicker aluminum.

Arc length is always important in TIG welding and a good rule of thumb is to keep the arc length around same as the electrode diameter used.

Angle is usually around 10-25 degrees but can be very forgiving is arc length is correct

There are always exceptions but aluminum is usually welded using stringer beads instead of weaving and walking the cup is rarely used for tig welding aluminum.

Speed of travel depends on several factors but shoot for 1/8" per second in between dabs of filler metal for a travel speed of around 7 inches per minute.

Once you are comfortable with the process, you can increase travel speed to suit the joint and application. 

more videos and pages on how to weld aluminum with TIG