Don't do that !!

To get the ball tip on the tungsten, sharpen the tungsten then hit the power with it over a copper penny. Bring it straight down towards the penny and the tip will ball up. Now you're ready to tig aluminum.

Except that newer, inverter machines tend to like sharpened tungstens. My Lincoln Tig 200, is my first hand example. My Miller Syncrowave 180, transformer liked balled tungsten. Experiment with both, and check the tech tips from the manufacturer. For me, it's always a struggle with seeing. I'm extremely myopic, but can see great up close without glasses to about book holding distance. Cheaters don't work with me. I'm going to get a second prescription for 2 foot myopic glasses. I'm a home hack, so take it with a grain of salt. 😉

aluminum takes way more heat, and it raises as it turns molten, so you need more arc space. use the grey electrodes.

I've never had any issue using the red electrodes
and been doing alum for years now.. but I also
try to keep the cost down

Starting the weld has been the easiest part for me, especially after using my other welder with a scratch start. Using cheater lenses has allowed me to get really precise on some welds. The downside is that there is a short window of field of vision, so if I can't be the right distance from the joint, I'm better off without the cheaters. I welded my chassis with purple E3 tungsten. I don't know what the welder came with, but it doesn't seem to be working out too bad. In fact, I think the tungsten lasts longer welding aluminum than steel. I seem to always eat up tungsten on the C/M tubing. Worst that happens on the aluminum is that I accidently dip it in the puddle or touch the filler rod. The tungsten gets coated and quits working until I regrind the tip.

Before I forget, I just want to say thanks for all of the responses. You guys were extremely beneficial when I was learning how to TIG weld steel, so I really appreciate everyone and anyone that can share their experiences with an old dog learning another new trick.

I bought several different grades of cheater lens at my welding supply store and tape them on my hood with Gorilla tape.

Cheaters don't do jack, if you can see perfect at 10", but not at 12-24" welding distance.

You need these:

People who are near sighted

When I went to the Lincoln Motorsports Welding class (week long) they taught us sharp electrodes for inverter machines. I have a Lincoln Precision Tig 225 and use pointed electrodes for aluminum.

Yes, same with big blues.. The grey electrodes work well with any metal on inverters, I haven't touched red or greens since I sold my synchrowave.
Acetone is your best friend when welding aluminum, the more cleaning action you use, the less depth there is to the weld and the the less concentrated the bead is. I wipe everything down with acetone, and as others of said, stainless steel brushes, that only get used with aluminum and nothing else. I even have a set of gloves that I use for specifically for aluminum. I got my Tig training in Japan, with a guy yelling clean clean clean in my ear for 2 weeks..
Forget about that caustic stuff they sell in welding stores, doesn't work..

I use blue, 2% lanthanated for steel and aluminum.

I Tig welded aluminum at my job since 1986 and I agree with Mr P Body. And I never sharpen the tungsten.

As others have said, with aluminum it better be clean...also, keep your gaps tight.

Tungsten type and tip will depend on the type of machine. Jody's youtube channel offers a ton of good reference material.

I have used Acetone, but with a wider range of contaminates that I seem to encounter, I've found Lacquer thinner a better/wider solution. I also dedicate gloves for alum, I think some may forget just holding the tig rod as one is welding with a gloved hand, is contaminating the weld puddle thru a dirty weld rod..

Getting a little better. A little! I posted these pics on my Cuda build, but thought that there might be some people interested here instead. As I get more used to it, the Vulcan welder is starting to work much better for me. Still have a long way to go, though.

I cut the bolsters off of the Kirkie roundy round seat and reattached toe 3/4 round beads to the sides. Works much nicer now.

Same here. Don't need to ball the end on my inverter machine, Miller Dynasty 280.

I try if all possible to start my welds at the outside corners and work in. That way you're not leaving a stress riser. can be uncomfortable at times, but that's just me. As said clean the aluminum really good if at all possible. And find the most comfortable position to do the weld.

On that seat rim weld, do not discount that welding alum in most cases removes the original beneficial tempering decreasing some (50%?) of the physical properties in the welded material, ie its weaker. Which, more to the point, sometimes doing smaller separated welds makes a better stronger final assembly, which is the opposite of what I saw in your pic. Of course there are also situations where a continuous weld is the best solution. Pick your poison.

I matched the original weld lengths. Strength wasn't important. It's just a bead on the edge of the seat that the fabric goes over. I did notice that my puddling was smaller than what was done by Kirkie. Maybe they used a larger diameter filler rod?