Kevin is still learning to use all the functions of Everlast’s POWERTIG 255EXT, including its advanced pulse function, which is for AC welding. For this how-to video, he’s using some T6511 aluminum scraps, which are 3/16″ thick. He’s made a stack of pieces to create a combined thickness of about 5/8″.
The advanced pulse has a postive AC spike for cleaning and a negative DC spike for penetration. It sounds wierd, but it really works.
Kevin has the machine set at the highest amperage (255 amps) with the foot pedal, water cooled torch, an 1/8″ quad tungsten – with four different elements instead of three, like the E3 has – from the folks over at HTP Welding (http://www.usaweld.com), and he’s ready to make some sparks!
Kevin welds from the single level, to the second and third layers, using the advanced pulse for AC welding with a TIG welder.
Afterward, he notes, “This is what happens when you let guys play with too much power.” The weld started out slow, with the pedal slightly depressed. As he got to the second level, he gave it a little more juice, and it started burning through. He got up to the top piece of aluminum, and you can see where it turned the left side molten and the melted aluminum almost flowed off onto the table. As he got to the end of the weld, the heat had nowhere else to go, so it melted off the end and flowed down into a puddle.
Next Kevin picks up the pieces of aluminum to see if the weld penetrated all three pieces. Well, it tried. He got through the top two pieces, but didn’t quite penetrate the bottom. “Practice, practice, practice,” he admits. Kevin says the moral of the story is that Everlast’s newest TIG welder has more power than he knows what to do with. He says that this was his fault, because the machine is plenty capable of reaching though 5/8″ of aluminum. It was just starting to penetrate the bottom piece when, seeing his puddle get away from him, Kevin backed off.