Want to learn to TIG weld Aluminum?

Want to learn to TIG weld Aluminum? Check out this article and video with 4 steps to get started. http://bit.ly/bSXcxj


From Miller Welders

Common 4130 TIG welding questions and answers

Q. Can I weld 4130 using the TIG process?
A. Yes, 4130 Chrome-Moly has been TIG welded in the aerospace and aircraft industries for years. As with all welding, proper procedures and techniques must be followed.

Q. Do I need to preheat ?
A. Thin wall tubing (< 0.120" wall) applications do not typically require the normal 300ºF to 400ºF pre-heat to obtain acceptable results. However, tubing should be at room temperature (70ºF) or above before welding.

Q. What filler material do I use?

A. Although there are several good filler materials, ER80S-D2, is one you should consider. This filler material is capable of producing welds that approximate the strength of 4130. ER-70S-2 is an acceptable alternative to ER80S-D2, as is ER70S-6, although the weld strength will be slightly lower.

Q. When I use ER70S-2 filler material, do I give up strength for elongation?
A. Yes. The filler material, when diluted with the parent material, will typically undermatch the 4130. However, with the proper joint design (such as cluster or gusset, for example), the cross-sectional area and linear inches of weld can compensate for the reduced weld deposit strength.

Q. Why is 4130 filler metal not recommended?
A. 4130 filler typically is used for applications where the weld will be heat treated. Due to its higher hardness and reduced elongation, it is not recommended for sporting applications such as experimental airplanes, race car frames, roll cages, etc.

Q. Can I weld 4130 using any other filler metals?
A. Some fabricators prefer to use austenitic stainless steel fillers to weld 4130 tubing. This is acceptable provided 310 or 312 stainless steel fillers are used. Other stainless steel fillers can cause cracking. Stainless filler material is typically more expensive.

Q. Do I need to heat treat (stress relieve) 4130 after welding?
A. Thin wall tubing normally does not require stress relief. For parts thicker than .120", stress-relieving is recommended and 1,100ºF is the optimum temperature for tubing applications. An Oxy/Acetylene torch with neutral flame can be used. It should be oscillated to avoid hot spots.

Q. Do I have to pre-clean 4130 material?
A. Remove surface scale and oils with mild abrasives and acetone. Wipe to remove all oils and lubricants. All burrs should be removed with a hand scraper or de-burring tool. Better welding results with clean materials.

Q. Do I need to back-purge 4130 material?
A. Backpurging is not normally necessary, although some fabricators do. It will not hurt the weld and may improve the root pass of some welds.
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Q. Should I quench the metal after I finish welding?
A. ABSOLUTELY NOT! Rapid quenching of the metal will create problems such as cracking and lamellar tearing. Always allow the weld to slow cool.

Watts Up

I recently did a little aluminum TIG welding for a good friend and artist Mark Doepker.




When completed it will be a rotating Neon Sign.

Mark will also be having a showing. If you will be in the Charlotte NC area check it out.

"In the Meantime" Portraits and Figures by Mark Doepker. August 2009. receptions, 8-7 and 8-21 with live music. The Art House. 3103 Cullman. Charlotte.

Qtr. Midget

Quarter Midget

Tied together

Quarter Midget Chassis build

Quarter midget sides complete.


Tied together.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP Stainless Exhaust

These are some photos of a Stainless Exhaust System we built at Metalwoks!

The TIG Torch

Clamped in the welding torch is a tungsten electrode in which the welding current is introduced.

Between the tungsten electrode and the workpiece an arc is formed which fuses the base material and melts the added filler metal.

Inert shielding gas streams out of the welding torch and screens off the glowing tungsten electrode and welding pool from the surrounding air.

AISI 4130 N CHROMIUM MOLYBDENUM (chromolly) STEEL TUBING

4130 steel tubing (chromolly) is one of the most widely used materials in aviation and racing industries because of its weldability and ease of fabrication. 4130 steel is ideal when strong light weight steel tubing is needed. The weldability of 4130 chromolly steel tubing is excellent. 4130 tube is resistant to scaling and oxidation and has a clean, smooth finish both on the outside and inside of the tubing. Fabricators and engineers use 4130 tubing because of its outstanding strength, forgoing mild steel, where a thicker wall must be used to have equivalent strength as the 4130 chromolly steel tubing.

Who uses 4130 Chrome-Moly tubing. Chassis and components of NHRA and IHRA drag racing. NASCAR suspension components. IndyCars, Sprints and other open wheel cars. High end Bicycles, Experimental Aircraft as well as racing snowmobiles use 4130 tubing.


OK, so what is 4130. First let’s quickly understand steel. Merriam-Webster defines steel as commercial iron that contains carbon in any amount up to about 1.7 percent as an essential alloying constituent, is malleable when under suitable conditions, and is distinguished from cast iron by its malleability and lower carbon content. AISI4130 Chrome-Moly is a steel alloy or more simply a mixture of base metals.Chrome is short for Chromium. Moly is short for Molybdenum. “Chrome” and “Moly” are two of the added base metals that add to the alloys strength.


The number ‘4130’ is a code of the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI 4-digit code system) The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) naming system is one of the most widely accepted systems that defines the approximate chemical composition of the steel.

Designations usually consist of a four digit number, but sometimes this extends to five. The first two digits indicate what the major alloying element is, while the last 2 or three indicate the carbon content in hundredths of a percent.

The ‘41’ indicates a low alloy steel containing chromium and molybdenum and the ‘30’ indicates a carbon content of 0.30 percent.Below is a table showing the chemical composition of 4130 Chrome-Moly shown in percentages.

Carbon	0.28 - 0.33
Chromium	0.8 - 1.1
Manganese	0.7 - 0.9
Molybdenum	0.15 - 0.25
Phosphorus	0.035 max
Silicon	0.15 - 0.35
Sulphur	0.04 max

Now you know what 4130 Chro-Mo is next time we'll talk about why it is used and how to weld it.

Skunk Works

Some of the things we work on here at Metalworks I can't tell you about. We have confidentiality agreements with several of out clients. I can show you some pictures but I cannot tell you what they are or the materials used. Enjoy!

TIG Welding

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) is more commonly known as Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding. Although technically incorrect. Old timers still call in Heliarc due to Helium being used as the shielding gas. Helium is an inert gas and was originally used when TIG was developed during the 1940's. Helium is still used in specialty applications. Today Argon is the gas of choice, mainly due to cost.

TIG is the most versatile kind of welding there is. You can weld 4130 chromoly, mild steel, stainless steel, tool steel, copper, nickel alloys like inconel and hastelloy, aluminum, magnesium, and titanium. TIG welding, is an arc welding process that uses a nonconsumable tungsten electrode to produce the weld. The weld area is protected from atmospheric contamination by a shielding gas, and a filler metal is normally used. A constant-current welding power supply produces energy which is conducted across the arc through a column of highly ionized gas and metal vapors known as a plasma. AC current is used for welding Aluminum and Magnesium. DC current is is for most other metals.


The above is an example of a TIG weld on Aluminum. A TIG weld has a very neat appearance and if done correctly should end up shiny. The weld nearly looks as if it were a row of coins.

An example of a copper TIG weld.


This is a complex joint in steel and the result is why I use TIG welding extensively on projects that we do. TIG welding is like playing the guitar, anyone can pick it up and make it work but to be proficient at it you must practice, practice, practice! Got questions? Feel free. I'll be happy to help.