Hi Guys, Beginner tigging aluminum, I hear I want a ball on the tungsten. Heres a picture of four electrodes I balled.
The advice I've heard many places is to just sharpen the tungsten to a point normally and it will ball a suitable amount almost immediately when you start welding the AL with AC.
You don't need to "ball" an electrode used for welding aluminum. Just make sure the electrode is clean and start welding. The ball isn't something that you need to weld aluminum it is something that happens when you weld using AC.
A tungsten will ball naturally when welding with AC on Aluminum, but... It is rarely a nice spherical ball. More like a lumpy russet potato or bartlet pear.
Balling your tungsten over a copper bar will give you a more even ball and therefore a more consistent arc.
I would go for Number 1 or 2 in your picture. (Left to Right)
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