Any welders that are familiar with a Lincoln Ideal Arc?

Trying to setup an older welder that I've never used before and I can't seem to make it work on aluminium.

It's set to AC, the tungsten is textbook perfect, metal is clean, straight Argon IIRC.

Ground is clean, pedal is connected.

 

You say tungsten is textbook perfect. Are you making a ball end on the tungsten? To make a ball you need to set to DC electrode positive, strike an arc against workbench and a ball will form on the end of the tungsten. Then you set to AC and weld your aluminum. (I think its DC electrode positive, current flows from - to + so it heats the tip of tungsten to form the ball.) If this old man's memory is wrong set it to electrode negative to get the ball

 

Yep, all that and no go. However, I do have some aluminum rod for arc and it does indeed lay down a bead on DC+ as an arc welder. No such luck as a TIG on AC. Interestingly enough it will TIG steel on DC settings. I've been told that no one in recent history has used it on aluminium, I'm thinking it may be in need of service. Oh well, arc it is for now.
AV

 

Im a Tig wimp and use a new fangled inverter based machine that makes me look like a real Tig welder, thus no experience on an old but stout workhorse like that unit you have,.
But there are a metric **** ton of welding forums that have super knowledgeable and helpful folks. Join one of those, try and run a bead Take a pic of the tungsten tip, the holder in your hand as your about to strike an arc, and a pic of machine settings those are all things they will ask about...so I start with them.

 

I don't see the high frequency setting or unit aluminium TIG welding requires. You can tig ferrous metals including stainless on AC but DC is usual. I change DC polarity depending on the job

 

I arc'ed on DC+, no issues. Not too pretty but considering the application it's not a big deal.

Thx