AC TIG Theory

The deepest deep dive on the internet about why we use AC to TIG Weld aluminum. In this episode, Justin from The Fabrication Series covers the unique features of aluminum, what each side of the wave does when welding, the history of waveshapes, and balance and frequency settings. It's a ton of detail and it's only on Weld Coach!
Want to book a one-on-one class with your personal instructor? Check out weldcoach.com

Пікірлер: 326

  • @jackmatthews4437
    @jackmatthews44379 ай бұрын

    I have been a Paid welder since 1983, (Retiring in 2024). This is the most accurate and best informational video I have ever seen on the internet. FWIW. Excellent.

  • @bubblesnz4816
    @bubblesnz481611 ай бұрын

    I've never come across such a in depth, yet easy to understand explanation of AC welding. Thanks Justin.

  • @mikesalm5053
    @mikesalm5053 Жыл бұрын

    As someone just getting back into tig welding after 15 years of not welding, this is the best explanation I've ever heard

  • @E_Hun_Dun
    @E_Hun_Dun26 күн бұрын

    The fact that he flawlessly wrote this entire presentation upside down showcases a lot of talent

  • @victorserra2209
    @victorserra2209 Жыл бұрын

    I have to agree with others in the comments, this is the best explanation for Aluminum TIG welding. As a person who learned to TIG weld at one of the oldest Aluminum Boat manufacturers in the US, using very old machines Miller Dialarc 350, at 60 hertz was a challenge. I got fairly good, and then my machine broke. The loaner machine was an inverter Miller Syncwave 200, it was amazing the difference in frequency and wave control. The size and current requirements made the machine so much better. I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to make all your videos. I've been following you quite a while on TFS. Keep up the great work! 👍

  • @laferriere6

    @laferriere6

    10 ай бұрын

    For sure, but I just watched the wraith from back in the day and i swore this guy was a dead ringer for a family member of skank. Any relation? I had to ask

  • @sleyeborgrobot6843

    @sleyeborgrobot6843

    2 ай бұрын

    My uncle told me this guy don't know jack squat

  • @joell439
    @joell439 Жыл бұрын

    Absolutely GENIUS….. thank you Justin. Best 30 minutes of Welding Aluminum 101 on the internet. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

  • @mistermac4118
    @mistermac4118Ай бұрын

    I’ve been a self taught welder for over 30 years and recently picked up an inverter machine. Wow! Your video explained more information in a few minutes than I gained looking at other sources for weeks, thank you!

  • @user-eg7lk7sj2b
    @user-eg7lk7sj2bАй бұрын

    I have been following you with interest for a long time. each time the content was about 50% about information and 50% about how good you are at welding. today I saw the most complete and best material of all the welding content on the net. thank you so much. it is the best material not only of you but of the whole spectrum about welding on the net. I hug you with love. thank you.

  • @user-ss6bg4rb2r
    @user-ss6bg4rb2r Жыл бұрын

    Some people just have that natural ability to teach, as Justin does. I am sitting here learning what I thought was impossible to learn. Great job Justin, keep feeding us the info.

  • @MikeOchtman
    @MikeOchtman11 ай бұрын

    Electrical engineer here - That soft square wave makes a LOT of sense to me. The sharper the edges (technically the shorter rise and fall times) are, the more extreme high frequency energy will be produced. I mean high frequencies into the kilo- or even megahertz. Your cables and workpieces are antennas so you will radiate those high frequencies out. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) puts limits on the amount of radiant power your devices can produce. You've seen the FCCID stickers on your electronic devices - It's that FCC. Rounding the edges of the square wave will be gentler on your electronic switching elements as they won't have to deal with high frequency noise, and your neighbours will be happy as you won't be interfering with their radios and cellphones.

  • @OwenMyhill

    @OwenMyhill

    2 ай бұрын

    Came to say this (Electrical/Electronic Engineer). The HF spikes will also run into very high voltages and can degrade insulation, though on a welder it won't be as bad as a large industrial motor. But definitely agree with you that the soft square doesn't seem to me as being just a sales pitch.

  • @normdickson2438
    @normdickson2438Ай бұрын

    I was taught once that to master a craft you would have to be able to teach it where people would understand it easily. You have mastered your craft.

  • @phillipchambers8487
    @phillipchambers848711 ай бұрын

    I’ve been Welding for 20+ years, went to an AWS Accredited Welding School back in the day that was very in depth. They even taught Metallurgy in a very deep sense, and this is still the absolute Best Explanation I’ve ever heard anyone give on A/C Theory as it relates to Welding. You explain this stuff in a way that everyone (at least anyone with a moderate amount of common sense) can understand. You would make a World Class Welding Instructor! Well, actually you are already, because you’re here Teaching everyone for Free, which is very commendable. I have followed your TFS Channel for years, and I must say this new Channel is Perfect for people that want to learn to Weld, and people that need to re-learn, because they just got lil snippets of info from various KZread channels. I have people asking me to teach them to Weld all the time, I will send them here, and to your Website, which I’m getting ready to head over and checkout right now. Just want to say Thank You for what you are doing for our Industry. It’s badly needed. Keep up the Great Work!

  • @bdugh
    @bdugh Жыл бұрын

    I learned as a scratch and burn tig welder and once I got my inverter all the settings had me baffled. This is the best breakdown I've seen and it will help a lot.

  • @calvinbrady-jj2dt
    @calvinbrady-jj2dt Жыл бұрын

    This is the best explanation of this process I’ve ever heard. Great job Justin! Thanks again!

  • @Bigdaddyweldz
    @Bigdaddyweldz3 күн бұрын

    Great explanation. Been tig welding 15 plus years still learned a lot.

  • @OFFICIALUND
    @OFFICIALUND24 күн бұрын

    I've never even touched a welder, and I watched all of this. Fascinating and well presented.

  • @topgunm
    @topgunm Жыл бұрын

    Too bad I didn't find this when I first started welding. This was amazing! Can we get more of these type of videos on different subjects in welding?

  • @Le10White
    @Le10White9 күн бұрын

    This is one of the best owner manuals on youtube

  • @TMCmakes
    @TMCmakes10 ай бұрын

    This is the single most comprehensive, easy to follow, useful video on TIG I have ever seen. Thank you and the team for putting this program together. 🤘

  • @Projectchasingthewild
    @Projectchasingthewild2 ай бұрын

    I worked at a government job, tig welding aluminum with a25/a50 with advance setting..and let me tell ya, those were fun time figuring out my setting! This is such a nice refresher

  • @3400Modified
    @3400Modified11 ай бұрын

    This is the best AC TIG explanation I have seen on KZread. Thank you for the deep dive on this. You're not afraid to tell people how this stuff works and that's the sign of a great teacher.

  • @melbice9906
    @melbice9906 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much, this is the best explanation of AC I’ve ever witnessed. WOW, just so impressed how clearly you broke all this information down and even explaining why we’ve always considered Aluminium (🇦🇺) welders the veritable “gods” of the craft. 👏👏👏

  • @Intotheunknown44
    @Intotheunknown442 ай бұрын

    Wow thanks my welding has gone from zero to hero my confidence and workmanship has gone through the roof really great vid has filled in the grey areas no one else had the answers I was looking for . Thanks so much👍😎

  • @user-kh2yl6nn3l
    @user-kh2yl6nn3l Жыл бұрын

    This video is essentially EVERY thing aluminum Welding parameters Justin . I thought you others were great, but this was about everything combined .

  • @TradeWorks_Construction
    @TradeWorks_Construction11 ай бұрын

    If I had the ability to force change in the Field of Welding I would make this video: THE INDUSTRY STANDARD Have manufacturer manuals and packaging include a QR codes that link to this. Make this a 2 part video: “Introduction to Welding Aluminum: AC TIG (Part 1 of 2 - Theory)” & “Introduction to Welding Aluminum: AC TIG (Part 2 of 2 - Application)” A fantastic job, you break down normally tough to explain subject theory and cut to the heart of things. Outside the actual content what really impressed me was the professional editing that made the transitions seamless. A raised glass in recognition cheers 🍻.

  • @joeland7967
    @joeland796710 ай бұрын

    Wow what a great video !!! I’ve been TIG welding aluminum for 20 years and I’m a huge aluminum fan boy . I thought I was an expert but I learned a lot in this short video .I thank you truly and I’d like to pass some information back to you . Some fun facts that most people don’t know about aluminum are as follows. Aluminum is made up of over 170 common elements and only exists in rare and small quantities . Typically it’s found around lightning strikes and volcanos and is prized by royalty for its blueish hue. Aluminum is also found at UFO crash sites . Small components as heavy as iron where found and examined. They found that all the microscopic crystals were perfectly aligned creating the hardness and density.

  • @wheelspinner20
    @wheelspinner20 Жыл бұрын

    great explanation! I've seen and know the AC frequency and had a grasp of what was happening. I've seen the square wave illustrated on machines and in literature. But you are the first one to successfully pound into my head what the difference is and why it's important in the oxide cleaning function! When you said the part about the time at the peak current, it finally hit home and now I get it! Thanks.

  • @jesseparkhurst3037
    @jesseparkhurst30377 ай бұрын

    Good explanation. I have very little tig experience and almost no experience with aluminum, this is a great video to watch before making globs on coupons. Thanks for this type of content

  • @kellycoe1787
    @kellycoe17877 ай бұрын

    Great explanation. I get these questions all the time. This eliminates the “brain fart” when you explaining it to someone.. thank you

  • @FMunixxx
    @FMunixxx3 ай бұрын

    Thanks! It's awesome to see the AC TIG parameters so clearly summarized.

  • @BreakerBreaker1320
    @BreakerBreaker1320 Жыл бұрын

    Subscribed and saved. This is the best introduction to tig. You gotta start here and understand it before you even buy a machine and think you are Zeus with a trident on aluminum.

  • @cleanmachine08
    @cleanmachine083 ай бұрын

    Thank you for this. I taught myself to TIG weld based on books and video resources. Then I put in the hood time to be 'ok' at anything DCEN. Aluminium became a huge frustration, so I put in on pause until I had time to get professional training. This video has filled in some key gaps & motivated me to try again. P.S. I have personally seen very early heliarc welds uses in aerospace application. We are so lucky to have the technology now available.

  • @desertriderukverun1002
    @desertriderukverun10022 ай бұрын

    I learned to TIG aluminum with an old Hobart transformer welder in the late 80’s in college. It wasn’t impossible, but definitely a challenge. Can’t wait to get a modern inverter when I out together my retirement fab shop.

  • @diegorodriguez4549
    @diegorodriguez454911 ай бұрын

    Bro you are a PHD in aluminum welding coaching. Thank you very much I have a much clear idea of what is going on now. Greetings from Bolivia. Once again Thank you!!!

  • @mtking2196
    @mtking219611 ай бұрын

    Very well said, Google has been trying to force this video on me for two weeks & I finally gave in. I'm glad I did. You earned a subscribe.

  • @michaelbarnett2077
    @michaelbarnett2077 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for this video! I've recently started tig welding Aluminium & have fumbled my way through some projects, slowly getting better. This has been the best explanation of the settings I've come across. I will be watching this again once I've let it settle in for a while.

  • @mrvector257
    @mrvector257 Жыл бұрын

    This was such a good explanation behind the theory. Can't wait to see more videos like this.

  • @switchgearw66
    @switchgearw66 Жыл бұрын

    Been welding for years and haven't had it explained like that. Keep up the awesome videos mate

  • @lloydprunier4415
    @lloydprunier44154 ай бұрын

    This is the best information ever. I am almost 80 years old and started trying to weld aluminum with oxy acetylene. I had an old friend at the time who could do it easily! Not me so I bought a high frequency box for my sears cracker box and had a little success and a lot of failures. I now have an Everlast machine and it has all the functions I will ever need, but I have been wandering around trying to find good instructions. This will help me more than anything I have found. The explanation about the pedal use is the thing I believe will help me and my shaky limbs the most. Thank you for sharing and wish you steady hands and good health!

  • @mikemakuh5319
    @mikemakuh5319 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks! I did not pay enough attention to my teachers when I had the opportunity. Till now I just winged it, but now I will weld with better knowledge why I choose my settings.

  • @warrenjones744
    @warrenjones74411 ай бұрын

    I weld on 60 Cycles, because my old Esab square wave 352 does not have frequency controls. It does have ac balance and pulse which is handy at times. A new fancy Miller would be cool but there is no need to change. The machine works great, I don't Tig weld aluminum much, and was inexpensive when I bought it nearly new in the late 90's. Nevertheless this presentation is (like nearly everything you dive into Justin) probably the best explanation of AC wave frequency have ever seen. Cheers

  • @mattncvideo2844
    @mattncvideo2844 Жыл бұрын

    The clearest explanation I’ve ever heard on TIG aluminum

  • @emungai
    @emungaiАй бұрын

    Writing up side down might be Justin's superpower.

  • @joseywales3789
    @joseywales378911 ай бұрын

    Brilliant Justin..... Expertly Describes the whole of A/C welding, what's happening, how it's happening and why it's happening... This is one of those videos that I will keep coming back to, keep revisiting, learning and understanding. I thought that I understood A/C welding but I'd only just scratched the surface. Brilliant teaching and it's certainly made a lot more sense to me. Thanks 👍😁

  • @lespertzel7055
    @lespertzel7055 Жыл бұрын

    This is one of the best explanations of how to set yourself up to begin Aluminium welding. Understanding the theory behind the controls enables you to work out the settings that suit you, your machine and the job. Nice work

  • @AerialLensVideo
    @AerialLensVideo6 ай бұрын

    Wow. THIS is UNreal - IN A GOOD WAY! THANK you so much! Well done! In just a very potent few VERY POTENT minutes, you have made muddy water crystal clear. This has helped both me and my son (and probably several thousand other new aluminum welders) tremendously.

  • @TheDustyShed
    @TheDustyShed11 ай бұрын

    I've been doing NDT for a living for 28 years and just recently decided to learn to weld for home / hobby uses. This video explains some things I've heard before but in a way much easier to digest. This is gold.

  • @boudebier
    @boudebier Жыл бұрын

    This is a fantastic resource, thank you for making this! 🙏

  • @keecatlin8706
    @keecatlin8706 Жыл бұрын

    Best explanation alot of detail but still simplified for beginners aswell must see even for experienced welders to recap

  • @issarashid239
    @issarashid239 Жыл бұрын

    You are really a good speaker and teacher. You have all the good ideas. You explained your ideas and supported them with illustrative examples in a smooth way. I really enjoyed that I did not miss any sentence you said. Your follower from UAE. Thank you and forward my friend Justin. With the utmost respect and appreciation ..

  • @thomasollinger7922
    @thomasollinger79225 ай бұрын

    As someone with no formal weld education or training, but is learning to weld thin aluminum, this video was very helpful.

  • @Bradleyscience
    @Bradleyscience11 ай бұрын

    Well done and nicely articulated! Cheers

  • @bficful
    @bficful7 ай бұрын

    You made it simple to explain and even easier to understand. Now I know what the settings on my machine mean. Tyou !

  • @rosslewis631
    @rosslewis631 Жыл бұрын

    This was very informative, I originally done my first aluminium TIG weld on a welding machine off the Ark it was a 3 phase machine the size of a small fridge with knife blade current switches and a built in high frequency unit. It was a stick weld machine with a water cooled tig hand piece. The workshop I was at used it for cylinder head repairs around corroded water galleries. This was in the early 90’s and it was a hand full, no foot pedal just what you set. I have not used tig since leaving that shop in mid 90’s but with what I’ve just seen on this video that the new machines though they look complex with all the adjustments are easer to use and will give a better finish. I just thought that these young blokes with these modern toys are magicians. You sir have sparked my interest to tig welding again.

  • @dolphincliffs8864

    @dolphincliffs8864

    Жыл бұрын

    Miller Goldstar?

  • @rosslewis631

    @rosslewis631

    Жыл бұрын

    @@dolphincliffs8864 To be honest I don’t even recall seeing a name tag on it. Was very old and used but still operated fine.

  • @carlanthonym
    @carlanthonym Жыл бұрын

    Fantastic and very helpful video. I appreciate you and your work 💪🏽

  • @daveys
    @daveys11 ай бұрын

    Excellent video, many thanks for posting!!

  • @jafinch78
    @jafinch78 Жыл бұрын

    Great man as usual! Awesome detail, presentation and explaining.

  • @aidaneckart5054
    @aidaneckart505411 ай бұрын

    Awesomely helpful. Thanks for all this. Love the new channel.

  • @caidenf46
    @caidenf46 Жыл бұрын

    Fantastic video, really helps further the understanding of AC tig

  • @etwenty-eight
    @etwenty-eight Жыл бұрын

    Awesome video, have never had it explained so simply before. Very helpful information

  • @truckladders4104
    @truckladders4104 Жыл бұрын

    Great Video I know I will watch this a couple times!

  • @mikeZL3XD7029
    @mikeZL3XD702911 ай бұрын

    Thanks Justin, Especially for the metric references. Triangular waves are usually called saw-tooth waves in the electrical industry. Awesome video and a really good watch.

  • @jjmanic8783

    @jjmanic8783

    11 ай бұрын

    That is not exactly correct. Triangle waves rise and fall in the shape of a triangle, with the up angle being the opposite of the down angle, creating a triangle shape. Saw-tooth waves are asymmetrical.... it's kind of like a triangle going steadily up on the rising edge (on the left hand side of the graph), but then severely dropping down at the trailing edge (on the right hand side of the graph) in the same way a square wave immediately drops down (the difference is that the square wave ALSO immediately shoots up on each following rising edge). This might make more sense if I could include a sketch. Triangle = steadily build up, build up, build up... peak.... then steadily fall away, fall away, fall away. Repeat... Saw-tooth = steadily build up, build up, build up... peak... then DROP IMMEDIATELY... build up, build up, build up... etc... Both types of waves have straight-line rise-times that increase up to a peak (which is a sharp point), but they are different after the peak. I can't say whether the author of this video mix-matched the names of the wave-forms, or maybe the welder company literature does so... but there is DEFINITELY a difference between Triangle waves and Saw-tooth waves. Especially in audio electronics. And also those waves will definitely be different for the amount of energy in each type of wave (and also different from a sine wave and a square wave), AND ALSO will definitely be different in the TIMING of how that energy will transfer to melting the metal (in a similar way as to how it was described in the video about how the sine wave and the square wave have different timings on how they convert the electric energy into heat energy to melt the metal)

  • @McJiver
    @McJiver11 ай бұрын

    Great video. Indeed, I thought I knew enough already and still found this video very useful.

  • @robot7611
    @robot761110 ай бұрын

    The only video that I found so far to explain this and make it understandable. Thank you!

  • @stormbytes
    @stormbytes11 ай бұрын

    Awesome recap Justin. Love how you tie everything together. Very helpful.

  • @dollabillbrunson8107
    @dollabillbrunson8107 Жыл бұрын

    I found the welder history real informative!!! Thanks!

  • @camerontaylor9421
    @camerontaylor942111 ай бұрын

    Unbelievable! Thank you for all of that simple explanation that was easy to understand

  • @repairfreak
    @repairfreak Жыл бұрын

    A very helpful video, I learned a lot. Thanks for your very clear explanations. 😎👍

  • @charliehcrew1957
    @charliehcrew1957 Жыл бұрын

    Added this channel as soon as I found out about it. Very good info and presentation.

  • @arnomaas6452
    @arnomaas64528 ай бұрын

    That has been the best short introductory video on the complicated matter of aluminium welding I have ever watched , amazing !

  • @BlackwaterDSM
    @BlackwaterDSM11 ай бұрын

    I’ve been following you on TFS for yearssssss and just now found this channel. This is hands down the BEST and most informational video on Aluminum welding I’ve ever seen. Well done, man! You are the one I always seek out when I need to know something about a process. You break it down for us normies that don’t know the actual “theory” behind the stuff we’re doing. It’s like playing guitar like a champ, and then finally learning how to read music notation. Whole new ball game. Shit, whole new ARENA. Thanks for always helping us out! You’re the bestest! 😂

  • @SleeperAccord
    @SleeperAccord11 ай бұрын

    This video is top tier

  • @baggerf14
    @baggerf14 Жыл бұрын

    Great explanation of whats going on. Thank you!

  • @edwinwilson4333
    @edwinwilson4333 Жыл бұрын

    Thank You Justin! So well presented 😃👍🏁

  • @michaelpeace716
    @michaelpeace716 Жыл бұрын

    Best welding instruction video I’ve ever watched.

  • @rsanchez5676
    @rsanchez5676 Жыл бұрын

    This was an amazing video. The best I’ve ever seen on or offline. Very thorough. Thank you very much from all of us!!!

  • @bricola0
    @bricola06 ай бұрын

    Thanks Justin, I'm an electromechanic and I work with the current every day. Now I got a TIG welder to do repairs on aluminum pieces. This video really clarified what the parameters means.

  • @RicardoGarcia-104
    @RicardoGarcia-104 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for this explaining on welders and the theory of them as well as breaking down the aluminum Appreciate your time and knowledge. Can’t wait for more to come on both channels. As well a weld metal on line love the products I have received

  • @jeffeilenberger5856
    @jeffeilenberger585611 ай бұрын

    Justin, you have a winner here; awesome transition. Best of luck with this much needed endeavor. And as usual, great content.

  • @lupuszzz
    @lupuszzz13 күн бұрын

    Very clear and correct summary, thanks a lot!

  • @doublegg6863
    @doublegg6863 Жыл бұрын

    Great job Justin, Old school guy, I was taught on a Lindy transformer machine it was huge. Now have a Miller Dynasty. Great machine, but there are many great machines more affordable for most of us.

  • @jirijanda4137
    @jirijanda41375 ай бұрын

    The best training I've seen on the internet. The teacher explains complex things simply and perfectly, and I feel that I would be able to use them immediately after watching the video for the first time. Most importantly, I now understand what each variable is related to.👍

  • @hvymax
    @hvymax11 ай бұрын

    This is definitely one of the best most comprehensive explanations I have seen.

  • @brianpeadenjr2402
    @brianpeadenjr240210 ай бұрын

    Great course! Excellent point on not loading the pedal

  • @thomasseavert856
    @thomasseavert8567 ай бұрын

    Great explanation. Excellent Video.

  • @MrSky084
    @MrSky0848 ай бұрын

    Bloody brilliant explanation. Thanks!!

  • @brianhendricks5326
    @brianhendricks5326 Жыл бұрын

    Great explanation on aluminum as a material and welding process

  • @scottvantassel2212
    @scottvantassel22123 ай бұрын

    i have watched quite a few of your videos ,,, this is the one that made me subscribe. great explanation. thanks

  • @joshuaherrold2470
    @joshuaherrold24704 ай бұрын

    This video is gold, great job!

  • @musclecardadwa9239
    @musclecardadwa9239 Жыл бұрын

    loved this Vid, all stuff I've heard before on various channels but presented in such a way that just makes it sound basic instead of bamboozling!

  • @moonshadowdrifting
    @moonshadowdrifting Жыл бұрын

    Excellent lesson, thank you! Coming for training would be wonderful. I'm early in the TIG welding journey.

  • @fvg3401
    @fvg340111 ай бұрын

    Years ago I used to work for an aerospace company welding Aluminum sonar cabinets for the Navy using helium. It welded like butter. I wish I could still get it at the welding supply.

  • @jasonbrinegar6759
    @jasonbrinegar675911 ай бұрын

    Love this same but different format!

  • @philirwin2028
    @philirwin20284 ай бұрын

    Very good video. I did learn a couple of things.

  • @alf699
    @alf699 Жыл бұрын

    Great video..as usual. Never really seen a bad one from Justin. If you were over here in Australia, I would without a doubt take one of your classes.

  • @graycenmashburn3
    @graycenmashburn311 ай бұрын

    Love the new channel! Great idea and good luck.

  • @raymondw7875
    @raymondw7875 Жыл бұрын

    It is a lot of information, as you say, but presented in a way that is so easy to understand. Thank you!

  • @tryin2figureitout
    @tryin2figureitout Жыл бұрын

    The best discription I have ever heard, or seen. Thank you. You truly just made me understand AC tig welding.

  • @bobsmith1101
    @bobsmith1101 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks Justin, love both KZread channels.

  • @TheJForbes24
    @TheJForbes2411 ай бұрын

    Great video man, super easy to follow. Way better than any class I took while learning. Thank you!