HH135 Too small???

[banzaitoyota]

Due to budetary constraints I purchased a Hobart Handler 135. Now that I have had it just over a month, I decided to try Aluminum. I am using 100% Ar as shielding gas, .030" Al wire and I AM MAKING A BIG MESS!. Should I throw in the towel now and pay the resocking fee at northern and buy the HH 175?? Or do I keep on practicing. I am welding 1/8" thick stock, power 1 and feed 90%

Any and all help, criticism and sarcasm appreciated! John

[ampdog]

John, don't throw in the towel. I don't know your machine specifically, but I am a beginner who was in much the same situation as you. Except I have a Lincoln SP-135. I was told by several that it was not possible to do good welds on aluminum with a machine that small, I almost traded up for a TIG. But, I stuck with it. You just have to find the setting that work for you! They do exist, you just might have to put up with allot splatter to find them . It took me allot of tries attempting to do it correctly by the setting recommended with the welder. Eventually the way I worked it out was that I took a piece of metal that I don't care about and I tried to burn a hole in it (make it hot --> fast and over penetrate). Then I worked my way backward from there until I found good setting for that metal.

A few technical tips; the metal has to be very very clean, you have to get into spray mode, and you have to push the puddle. It probably is easier with a bigger machine, but my 135 has been welding 1/16 - 1/8 aluminum to my satisfaction. I'm going to try 1/4 soon.

[Bob]

HH-135 manual recommends voltage setting 4 (not 1) and wire speed of 90% for 1/8 Aluminum. Scared me a little to try that, (more than twice the highest steel settings I had used). Figured I would have wire all over the place. It actually worked fairly well. Had to move pretty fast to avoid burn thru, but I was working on fairly small 1/8" plates.

Can't claim I got really good at it, but it worked for my need at the time.

Bob

[Hobart Expert Dave]

The setting should be 4 voltage and 90 on the wire speed for 1/8 material. Now I use 4043 aluminum wire, It is a little softer but the Handler 135 runs alot better using this wire. You will have to keep your gun streight and about a 3/8 stick out and run about twice the travel speed as you do steel or it will burn through. OH and Push dont pull.
Dave Evans

[banzaitoyota]

Thanks I'll give it a try

[moT]

It may seem hard to believe when you're just starting to weld alum, but it takes a lot of heat! Keep your gun line as straight as possible and just keep practicing, you'll get it!
Listen to the guys here, they know their stuff! (not me, I'm new to squirt gun welding myself!)
I've got a HH135 too, and 2 Toyotas!
'82 FJ 60 LandCruiser
'88 4X4 Pickup

[banzaitoyota]

I modify TII RX-7's

[Hobart Expert Rock]

BANZITOYOTA....................BEST THING TO DO IS PRACTICE ON A LOT OF SCRAP ALUMINUM FIRST, DIFFERENT THICKNESSES, DIFFERENT SPEEDS (YES YOU NEED TO TRAVEL VERY FAST), ABOUT 1/4 TO 1/3 FASTER THAN YOU NORMALLY TRAVEL;. KEEP THAT GUN AS STRAIGHT AS POSSABLE, CRANK UP THE ARGON AT LEAST 30PSI...........WATCH THE PUDDLE WHEN YOU GET GOOD YOU CAN SEE BEFORE IT BURNS THRU............. IT IS A KNACK YOU WILL AQUIRE WITH TIME,............ YOU WILL NOT LEARN IT IN AN HOUR.................KEEP TRYING....IT IS NOT THE MACHINE..... PRACTICE IS THE ONLY SUBSTITURE...........HANG IN THERE....ROCK
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[banzaitoyota]

Ok , just got out of the shop. Did a few test passes on some .081 tubing. Did ok on that, went back and tried to do a "cover" pass on a previosly welded joint and blew it out. Things went downhill from there. I seem to be gouging the base metal instead of laying a bead.
Settings:
Voltage:4
Feed: 90%
Argon: 25 CFH
Wire: .030
Tip: .040

I am pushing the wire and moving what I feel is extremely fast.

Would pics be helpful to diagnose? Thanks John

[Hobart Expert Dave]

One thing to remember is after you have welded the aluminum it is hot and does not disipate the heat very fast, so if you are making this cover pass right away then I could see this blow out. Make sure you let the metal cool down to the touch before you make this cover pass.
Dave Evans

[banzaitoyota]

It was cool , I covered it a day later. I'm confused???

[Hobart Expert Rock]

BAQNZAITOYOTA.........QUESTION ARE WE STILL USEING 1/8 INCH MATERIAL AND IF SO WHY WAS A COVER PASS REQUIRED........?

ROCK.............................................. ......[email protected]

[banzaitoyota]

Same material, I sanded down the hideous looking weld from the day before and was attempting to lay a "pretty" bead down over the top.

Last nites experiment:

12 GA. 2 1/2" OD tube butt-welded together.

Settings 4/90%, .030 Wire, .040 Tip Ar 30 CFM

Prep: Wash with break cleaner, scuff with AL use only SS Brush

Results: Still getting a severe undercut vs. a bead

[10secBu]

Don't use brake-Clean spray to clean your metal. It leaves a residue which could be part of your problem.

Use acetone instead as it doens't leave any chemical residue behind.

[Hobart Expert Rock]

BANZAITOYOTA...........IF YOU HAVE SOME THICKER MATERIAL SAY 3/16 MAYBE..........SAME SETTINGS JUST LAY ME DOWN A BEAD ON THE FLAT NO BUT JOING JUST A STRAIGHT BEAD..............LAY DOWN 3 OF THEM TRYING DIFFERENT ANGLES WITH YOUR GUN.....10/15/20 DEGREES................CONFIRM THE 30 PSI SETTING AND MAKE SURE IT IS NOT DROPPING DOWN TO 22-25 PSI...........AT THE EDGE ARE YOU SEEING BLACK SOOTY LOOKING LINES AT THE UNDER CUTTING...................
TRY THE ABOVE AND LET ME KNOW WHAT GRADE ALUMINUM WIRE IS IT...............?.............DO WE HAVE A DIFFERENT ROLL OR WIRE?
DON'T GIVE UP...............KEEP IN MIND IT TAKES LONGER THAN NORMAL TO LEARN TO WELD ALUMINUM..........ON THOSE BEADS NOTICE..............HOW THEY CHANGE DUE TO HEAT IN THE ALUMINUM...............NOW LET THEM COOL AND LAY DOWN 3 BUT LET THE ALUMINUM HEAT SINK COOL BEFORE YOU LAY DOWN EACH 2" WELD......................ROCK
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