welding advice from pros...?

[A1971Blazer]

I'm making these anodizing racks for my buddy's plating shop.....10" diameter ¼" wall aluminum tube with teeth machined on one side for contact points......
¼" x 2½" flat bar machined with a radius and 45º chamfer on one side.....

I'm a machinist, not a welder......what do I need......(besides a steadier hand).....to do different on these welds?
I'm running AC high frequency at 165 amps using 5356 1/8" filler rod and 3/32 tungsten shaped to a ball end.

[ERASER5]

Pre-heat the whole thing in an oven or use a gas torch. Aluminum pulls the heat away from the weld extremely fast and that affects the weld.

You are wire brushing or wiping with acetone before weld right?

[A1971Blazer]

Originally Posted by ERASER5

Pre-heat the whole thing in an oven or use a gas torch. Aluminum pulls the heat away from the weld extremely fast and that affects the weld.

You are wire brushing or wiping with acetone before weld right?

Yes.....I forgot to add that I am pre-heating with a map gas/propane torch, also yes I'm cleaning with a wire brush and acetone prior to welding.......the welds are strong...I did a destructive test on one....the weld held just fine.....just wanted them to look a little better............looks doesn't matter much on these but I want to do some aluminum stuff for myself soon.

[BR3W CITY]

Honestly, I don't see a ton there thats "wrong". It looks like the lower-side of both welds looks like it didn't get super deep penetration (its the shorter "leg" of the weld and the hard edge). Clearly though, you kept a fairly steady heat and travel speed, because you welds aren't drastically different from each other.

The top side welds look a little colder than the inside joint. Preheat helps with that, but travel and feed speed can help you make up for that a little. Worst case scenario (preheat not helping and amps not helping), you can always have a helper keep a torch on it to keep the preheat up while welding.