Need a crash course on TIG welding.

Lucas said:

oh, I also need to know what angles to aim everything. As in, do the tip and filler rod point at the puddle like this V , //, or ||, or \\ , or what. Complete TIG newb here.

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Tip #1:
Practice without filler rod until you can lay a picture perfect bead.
#2:
Hold the stinger in your dominant hand until you get good enough to use either.
#3
Lead the puddle (push the stinger).
#4
The puddle is lead by the tip.
#5
Start slowly and let the filler rod drip into the puddle. Let the filler melt into the puddle from above.
#6
If you get too hot, ease off the pedal.

The main advantage to TIG is there is less deposition rate.
In other words, you only add filler if you need it.
Let the arc fuse the pieces you are working with and only use the filler to fill.

Remember, TAKE YOUR TIME and move slowly.
You can't rush TIG.

Lucas said:

After a little while I could actually stick metal together, but it was always undercut and the bead looked liked stacked clams sinking in sand instead of stacked coins.

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While I'm more used to gas torch welding than anything else, I've got to admit I just LOVE that description! Having spent a lot of time "clamming" on beaches, I can just picture that...

5-90

I'll try and explain what I've taught myself. First, I'd recommend going to the hobart forum and poking around. My torch is usually at about 10-20* angle from the joint if it's a butt weld, corner welds (fillets) is typically 45* (pointing the tungsten directly at the center of the joint) This is what you're mainly going to be doing on all the tubing.

The torch controls the puddle, actually your foot does. I'm betting that tig machine has a pulse feature. Find it and turn it off for a while. Pulse with your foot to learn your rythm. NEVER start the puddle with your filler. Get the metal melting and then add filler. Don't lay the filler down, feed it into the leading edge of the puddle. So the rythm would be- start the puddle, fill, add a little more arc then let off appx 1/2 pedal, fill, mash the pedal, let off 1/2 way, fill, mash the pedal, let off........... The end of the filler should never leave the gas shield. And don't leave the filler in when you give it full juice.

I typically find that I'm not using enough filler when I'm getting the concave looking bead. Sometimes it's too much heat though. It's just a learning/ practicing thing.

I like to use 1/8" 2% thoriated tungsten and 3/32 filler ER-70S6 is my prefered for mild steel when it's in the 1/8"-1/4" thickness. Make sure it's S6, it seems to flow better to me. When you sharpen your tungsten, hold it straight up and down and rotate it against your grinding wheel. The grain of the grind needs to be inline with the tungsten. In other words, don't sharpen it like a pencil sharpener. Also, the grinding wheel you use to sharpen your tungsten should ONLY be used for sharpening tungsten. The finer the point, the more precise your arc control is. This is one of the crucial things it took me a while to figure out. Typically my "cone" on the end of the tungsten is appx. 3/16" long when I'm doing 3/16" thickness. The second you dip the tungsten into the work- STOP, regrind it and get back to screwing up more :laugh3:

Use a #6 cup for most everything you can. I use a #4 in tight corners. Your tungsten sticking out of the cup will vary depending on what kind of joint you're doing and how much space you have. When I'm doing something flat, usually it is less than 1/8" out of the cup. It all depends though, once again this is a practice thing.

There's tons more, but that should get you going. Ask away when you run into problems and I'll see if I can help.

Thanks for all the replies. I think my main problem right now is mucking up the tugnsten stinger (see,I learned something already) and moving too fast. I thought I was used to going slow with a MIG, but it definitely seems like TIG puts a whole new spin on things.
I'm glad someone could visualize the clam description, it was the most accurate way to describe it :laugh3: .

Keep the advice coming. Next time I practice I'll snap some pics.

Can't help it - a lot of my formative years were spend digging up clams on Lake Shafer, steaming the little beggars, and going firewalking as the booze ran low...

I'd have to say that your "stacked clams" would look better than pretty much any electric weld I could do right now - I guess I still have a little trouble with electricity - but I really dig fire. No wonder I do so well with torch work...

5-90

oh, and does the pedal contol the heat only, or does it spray more gas when I push down too?

The gas is regulated by a regulating valve.
The pedal only controls the "heat".

Okie Terry said:

Tip #1:
Practice without filler rod until you can lay a picture perfect bead.
#2:
Hold the stinger in your dominant hand until you get good enough to use either.
#3
Lead the puddle (push the stinger).
#4
The puddle is lead by the tip.
#5
Start slowly and let the filler rod drip into the puddle. Let the filler melt into the puddle from above.
#6
If you get too hot, ease off the pedal.

The main advantage to TIG is there is less deposition rate.
In other words, you only add filler if you need it.
Let the arc fuse the pieces you are working with and only use the filler to fill.

Remember, TAKE YOUR TIME and move slowly.
You can't rush TIG.

Click to expand...

X2,plus remember not all gases/filler rods are "created equally".

RCP Phx said:

X2,plus remember not all gases/filler rods are "created equally".

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Ah yes.
Many crappy welds can be contributed to old or contaminated rod.
Make sure and keep the rod clean, dry, and preferrably in its own container.
This is especially important when dealing with aluminum.

And just as important as having clean filler, you need clean base metal. Get rid of the mill scale (if you're doing steel). When welding Al use a clean stainless steel brush to clean all your joints, then wipe it with alcohol. Welding Al is 100% different than welding steel. I haven't had the need to do much Al yet, so I'm not very good at it. It definately takes a lot more practice to get it right. Oh yeah, I've never heard it called a tungsten stinger- just torch. A stinger is for holding the electrode when stick welding.

OneTonXJ said:

And just as important as having clean filler, you need clean base metal. Get rid of the mill scale (if you're doing steel). When welding Al use a clean stainless steel brush to clean all your joints, then wipe it with alcohol. Welding Al is 100% different than welding steel. I haven't had the need to do much Al yet, so I'm not very good at it. It definately takes a lot more practice to get it right. Oh yeah, I've never heard it called a tungsten stinger- just torch. A stinger is for holding the electrode when stick welding.

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Probably a regional thing.
Most folks call any welding assy a stinger down here.
Although we do call them torches, as well.

OK, guys, I know every one who's had a lot of experience welding thinks the "row of quarters" weld bead is the indicator of an experienced welder. But is it an indicator of a good weld? (talking TIG). For instance, what's wrong with holding "the pedal to the metal", so to speak, keeping the "puddle" constantly moving as you periodically add filler? Or, for that matter, constantly feeding filler rod into the constantly moving puddle? I know that The resulting bead looks more like welt across someones arse, but does it matter?
I'm not saying "pedal to the metal" is acceptable, I'm looking for a learning experience from those of you who really understand the TIG process.
Thanks

xjbubba said:

OK, guys, I know every one who's had a lot of experience welding thinks the "row of quarters" weld bead is the indicator of an experienced welder. But is it an indicator of a good weld? (talking TIG). For instance, what's wrong with holding "the pedal to the metal", so to speak, keeping the "puddle" constantly moving as you periodically add filler? Or, for that matter, constantly feeding filler rod into the constantly moving puddle? I know that The resulting bead looks more like welt across someones arse, but does it matter?
I'm not saying "pedal to the metal" is acceptable, I'm looking for a learning experience from those of you who really understand the TIG process.
Thanks

Click to expand...

See my sig.

As long as there is full penetration, the speed is of little consequence.
Add filler only if it's needed.
It would turn out bad if you just shoved filler into the puddle as if you were using a gas torch for the first time.
"Dropping dimes" is a sign of patience and is more likely to have good penetration than not.

Thanks for the come back, Okie: I guess shoving filler into the puddle cools the "bead" prematurely, causing less penetration? The resulting bead looks like what the MIG process leaves, while , if I'm doing it right (lots of heat, good puddle then quickly moving the torch back while at same time introducing just a drop of filler to the front edge of the puddle and backing off the heat to about 1/2, moving the torch back to the leading edge of the puddle--then repeating process), the resulting TIG bead is kind of convex. I've cut through "professional" MIG beads and observed very little penetration between the peaces being welded--appears only the filler was holding the peaces together. I've cut my TIG welds in half and can't see the line between the two peaces--complete fusion?