I have been welding using a Simple Miller welder now for 3 or 4 years. I am a hobbyist NOT a pro. One of the things I like to do is to polish the aluminum when the part is complete.

One of my major complains is the cleaning line on both sides of the weld. On my machine, I have a little control by limiting the heat used but is there any other way to control the width of the leaning area. It is real hard to polish out.

Ken

cup size should make a difference in the cleaning line.
if the application will permit, try using a #5 standard collet body cup with as little stickout as you can and with as low a flow of argon that still shields puddle and keeps it clean...usually around 12-15 cfh argon
hope this helps,

Jody

Thanks for the input Jody. I'll try that and see what I can do.

In addition to what Jody said, the higher you are able to run your balance the less etching line youll get. Just make sure your running enough balance to get good clean puddles. when im doin parts like you described im generally at 75% EP and tune my gas flow until i get the desired etching width.

Thanks for the input. Unfortunately, the Miller machine I have does not allow me to make that adjustment.. Maybe time to upgrade.

Thanks for the input. Unfortunately, the Miller machine I have does not allow me the option to adjust that . It would be nice to have it as sometimes I am working with some nasty old or used aluminum or part and more ecthing would be nice to have.

Maybe it's time to upgrade my machine.

Thanks again. I'll go to a smaller cup and play tih the gas and see what I can do.

Ken, did you by chance purchase the Miller Diversion 180 like I did?

Yes. And ffor the most part, I really lioke it. I did replace thhe torch with a flex head #17 torch and I now use a foot peddle.

But it does lack the advanced functions.

I have Judy's gas lense set and a variety of different cups. I will try that.

I remember back in the dya when Tig welding was called Heli arc welding. My day charge for welding time by the hour due to the cost of helium.

A few swipes with the wire brush while its still hot seems to make oxides come off easier. Just don't get crazy because it will roll the surface into the metal and get clumpy.

Thanks

I'm also a hobbyist, but more on the novice side. I have a related question that I thought would fit in here. I'm using an AHP 201 and can control "cleaning" (EP part of the cycle) by adjusting the EP-EN percentage (the AHP knob is labeled with the % of EP, not % EN as commonly listed in tables and on some other welders). Kudos to Brad for a very well-explained, easy-to-understand series on AC machine adjustment. Brad mentions adjusting so that you have "enough cleaning." How do I know when I have enough; that is, what symptoms develop if I push the % time on EP too low?

Hey Richard, thanks for the compliment first of all. To answer your question what I watch for is basically simple peppering will start showing up in your puddle most times if your EN Balance is too, remember your dealing with percent based settings so what I generally do is increase my Ep maybe 2% and then retry your weld and watch for peppering. As you increase your EP % more times than not you will notice an improvement in the peppering. Now another thing to watch for is your gas flow it can sometimes cause this same issue when gas flow is too high. When it’s too high it can actually create a vortex and actually suck in atmosphere that causes porosity. AINT ALUMINUM FUN? Best wishes my friend and I hope that helps. Comments and questions are always welcome on the videos and I’ll try my best to help anyway I can. Best wishes my friend.

Ken, back to your issue with the etching zone: if you still end up with an unacceptable level of etching and wish to up clean your work, a 2" or 3", well used blue scotch-brite disc on a right angle die grinder works well, and with care you can avoid rounding or abrading your bead.

I recently discovered that there are ultra-fine scotch-brite disks for a 3" die grinder. These are gray and are available on Amazon. They're great for the etching you describe; also, if you've had to go back to fix a weld (insufficient dab, hole at the end or whatever), you'll likely end up with the white etching on your bead as well. These disks are great for cleaning those problem areas. Finally, if you want a little snap to your weld and don't want to waste time polishing, a light pass over the bead will really light it up.