supermanotorious
Winchmaster 5000
Another mouth to feed. At least this one will help bring home the bacon.
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Oh My Gwhat have I done?!
- Thread starter supermanotorious
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bob58o
SuckSqueezeBangBlow
lol! I went from 0-4 torque wrenches in 3 months. I may have a new addiction.
BTW I thought you adopted the guy in the picture. I didn't see the TIG label at first.
BTW I thought you adopted the guy in the picture. I didn't see the TIG label at first.
Jrgunn5150
Rudderless
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supermanotorious
Winchmaster 5000
ugh, first time TIG welding- not very forgiving. I guess its a good thing I didn't expect to be a pro on day 1....
chancer
ɔ ɥ ɐ u ɔ ǝ ɹ
supermanotorious
Winchmaster 5000
it's so pretty
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supermanotorious
Winchmaster 5000
chancer
ɔ ɥ ɐ u ɔ ǝ ɹ
Well Go on.
Weld something!
Weld something!
supermanotorious
Winchmaster 5000
Alright, I've been throwing down stringer beads on any piece of scrap, the dogs, the woman, anything I can get my greasy hands on like a giddy school boy. Most of it has looked like dog crap until these 2 (red and yellow) stringers. They actually have traces of TIG about them. I was standing at the time so they are what they are. I came up with a janky hillbilly seat which helps considerably but pretty much called it a day at that point. The purple lines are where I ran the torch and the puddle across the pieces without filler rod, the green is a super crappy "T" joint I attempted.
I like the initial stacking of the weld at the beginning of the red line. I'll admit, this is tough, really tough.
I like the initial stacking of the weld at the beginning of the red line. I'll admit, this is tough, really tough.
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chancer
ɔ ɥ ɐ u ɔ ǝ ɹ
I tried tig welding once. Your right it is much more difficult.
But with practice... It looks sooo Nice.
But with practice... It looks sooo Nice.
supermanotorious
Winchmaster 5000
I wish I could've practiced some more tonight but had to clean up the "workshop" as I sold my hot tub and the guy is picking it up this week and we have to stand it up vertical to roll it through the shop area, that took a couple hours. Also, I'm about out of scrap, well scrap for practicing anyway.
I just re-enrolled at Glendale CC (AZ) for WLD201 which starts late August. The sweet part?- I've kept in touch with the instructor all these years since I took WLD101 and he's stoked I'm coming back (easy "A"?). Naw, I'm not looking for anything easy, I want to master this TIG thing. Like old school.
I've been watching lots of YouTube videos too. I'll likely pick up some cold rolled flat stock this weekend if it's not too expensive to save the cleaning headache. If it's expensive, I'll just go hot rolled and go to grind mode. I'm hoping to be proficient by the time class rolls around so we can focus on the finer points through the duration of the class. I'm so anxious to learn.
I just re-enrolled at Glendale CC (AZ) for WLD201 which starts late August. The sweet part?- I've kept in touch with the instructor all these years since I took WLD101 and he's stoked I'm coming back (easy "A"?). Naw, I'm not looking for anything easy, I want to master this TIG thing. Like old school.
I've been watching lots of YouTube videos too. I'll likely pick up some cold rolled flat stock this weekend if it's not too expensive to save the cleaning headache. If it's expensive, I'll just go hot rolled and go to grind mode. I'm hoping to be proficient by the time class rolls around so we can focus on the finer points through the duration of the class. I'm so anxious to learn.
KartFab
Active member
Awesome! Can you walk chew gum and juggle at the same time? IF so, you will like TIG welding. All this is pretty much my own opinion below and I never have been taught any welding classes.
Do you have a foot pedal? I learned to TIG weld first (don't ask why, I don't even know why). As soon as I started MIG welding, I almost immediately stopped TIG welding everything, and just TIG weld stainless every now and again.
One thing that really helped me was Jody at weldingtipsandtricks.com, because he loves to tig weld, and does a great job at teaching you how to do it. I wouldn't worry about looks just yet, but would be very very conscientious about how to hold your tig torch properly, and how to properly feed the filler wire. My old swimming coach always said practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent.
Filler wire: Most of the time I'm using either 3/32 or 1/16" wire, and occasionally will bust out the 1/8" for thick stuff. amperage aside, the wire acts as a heat sink and how much you push vs dab will affect weld puddle size, and weld build up. Learning to feed the wire consistently stopping to readjust is very important.
Amperage Usually, I set the max amperage to 20% above the 'recommended' amperage that the thickness counts for. You can push pedal down a little extra to get full penetration, and back off once you get your rhythm down.
TIG Finger If you are going to be welding any long beads, id get one of these, keeps your fingers from melting off to get the perfect bead.
Since you have the square wave, you are basically going to get excellent penetration and excellent looking welds once you get the basics down if you can set it up to pulse. I wouldn't worry about looks though, once you get the weld penetration and rhythm down, the look will come naturally.
Tack welding Sucks so bad when tig welding. You are most susceptible to metal warping and shrinkage when first learning to tig weld. You probably already know this, but tacks are even more important when TIG welding ( in my opinion). Since you are getting excellent penetration and if you go slow, it just really shrinks things up vs MIG.
Blow/Burn Through was my biggest problem till I got a foot pedal, and I thought wow i was an idiot for doing this for so long without a foot pedal, but it (not having a pedal) did teach me to weld fast when I had the right amps up. After i got a foot pedal, the welds immediately improved, and I was able to finish welds with the right amount of build up, quality was night and day.
Welding tubing one thing i found out (hard way) was that if you weld too slow or have tubing heated too much, when you go to seal the last bit of a fishmouth, the rapidly expanding gasses (esp if you are getting full penetration) will blow open the metal at the final puddle where it closes up the entire section to be air tight. You can avoid this by letting the weld cool completely with just a little bit of weld left to do, then hurry and weld it up before the rest of the tubing expands. Some people drill a tiny hole in the tubing, to let it all escape, then weld the tiny hole at the end.
Fitment Its much harder (actually not really but it can be) to fill a gap when TIG welding vs MIG welding. Its FASTER to fill a big gap mig welding than with tig, but if you are good enough at adding metal, you wont make a giant booger of a weld with TIG welding a large gap vs MIG, it just takes some finesse. So with shrinking, tack welding and all that in mind, TIG welding is best done on metal with excellent fitment.
Also, just one word of caution the electrodes (doesnt really matter which ones - I use lanthanated because you dont have to keep track it works on AC/DC etc) they are slightly radioactive ceriated has cesium, lanthanated has lanthanum, etc etc. When you grind them, be sure to wear a respirator and wash hands. If possible do it in a spot where you can keep the dust down. The thing with radiation is that its not that bad when it gets on yoru fingers and whatnot, but the dust and particles if inhaled (or accidentally injested - itchy nose rub etc) can do serious damage when inside your body. Also, if you pick up welding stainless steel, you will be exposing yourself to hexavalent chromium, which is a confirmed human carcinogen (lung cancer). Again, its not harmful if you get it on yoru skin, and most of the risk comes from inhalation, or accidental injestion. Would be great to have a decent half face respirator with p100 cartridges that fits under your mask. I work in chemical sampling and ocassionally hear/see health effects of hex chrome. One story that always stands out to me is that a stainless steel shop owner died of lung cancer because he never wore a respirator, always working around stainless. Mild steel is not a concern, stainless is the worst, and aluminum is worse than steel, but not as bad as aluminum.
Do you have a foot pedal? I learned to TIG weld first (don't ask why, I don't even know why). As soon as I started MIG welding, I almost immediately stopped TIG welding everything, and just TIG weld stainless every now and again.
One thing that really helped me was Jody at weldingtipsandtricks.com, because he loves to tig weld, and does a great job at teaching you how to do it. I wouldn't worry about looks just yet, but would be very very conscientious about how to hold your tig torch properly, and how to properly feed the filler wire. My old swimming coach always said practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent.
Filler wire: Most of the time I'm using either 3/32 or 1/16" wire, and occasionally will bust out the 1/8" for thick stuff. amperage aside, the wire acts as a heat sink and how much you push vs dab will affect weld puddle size, and weld build up. Learning to feed the wire consistently stopping to readjust is very important.
Amperage Usually, I set the max amperage to 20% above the 'recommended' amperage that the thickness counts for. You can push pedal down a little extra to get full penetration, and back off once you get your rhythm down.
TIG Finger If you are going to be welding any long beads, id get one of these, keeps your fingers from melting off to get the perfect bead.
Since you have the square wave, you are basically going to get excellent penetration and excellent looking welds once you get the basics down if you can set it up to pulse. I wouldn't worry about looks though, once you get the weld penetration and rhythm down, the look will come naturally.
Tack welding Sucks so bad when tig welding. You are most susceptible to metal warping and shrinkage when first learning to tig weld. You probably already know this, but tacks are even more important when TIG welding ( in my opinion). Since you are getting excellent penetration and if you go slow, it just really shrinks things up vs MIG.
Blow/Burn Through was my biggest problem till I got a foot pedal, and I thought wow i was an idiot for doing this for so long without a foot pedal, but it (not having a pedal) did teach me to weld fast when I had the right amps up. After i got a foot pedal, the welds immediately improved, and I was able to finish welds with the right amount of build up, quality was night and day.
Welding tubing one thing i found out (hard way) was that if you weld too slow or have tubing heated too much, when you go to seal the last bit of a fishmouth, the rapidly expanding gasses (esp if you are getting full penetration) will blow open the metal at the final puddle where it closes up the entire section to be air tight. You can avoid this by letting the weld cool completely with just a little bit of weld left to do, then hurry and weld it up before the rest of the tubing expands. Some people drill a tiny hole in the tubing, to let it all escape, then weld the tiny hole at the end.
Fitment Its much harder (actually not really but it can be) to fill a gap when TIG welding vs MIG welding. Its FASTER to fill a big gap mig welding than with tig, but if you are good enough at adding metal, you wont make a giant booger of a weld with TIG welding a large gap vs MIG, it just takes some finesse. So with shrinking, tack welding and all that in mind, TIG welding is best done on metal with excellent fitment.
Also, just one word of caution the electrodes (doesnt really matter which ones - I use lanthanated because you dont have to keep track it works on AC/DC etc) they are slightly radioactive ceriated has cesium, lanthanated has lanthanum, etc etc. When you grind them, be sure to wear a respirator and wash hands. If possible do it in a spot where you can keep the dust down. The thing with radiation is that its not that bad when it gets on yoru fingers and whatnot, but the dust and particles if inhaled (or accidentally injested - itchy nose rub etc) can do serious damage when inside your body. Also, if you pick up welding stainless steel, you will be exposing yourself to hexavalent chromium, which is a confirmed human carcinogen (lung cancer). Again, its not harmful if you get it on yoru skin, and most of the risk comes from inhalation, or accidental injestion. Would be great to have a decent half face respirator with p100 cartridges that fits under your mask. I work in chemical sampling and ocassionally hear/see health effects of hex chrome. One story that always stands out to me is that a stainless steel shop owner died of lung cancer because he never wore a respirator, always working around stainless. Mild steel is not a concern, stainless is the worst, and aluminum is worse than steel, but not as bad as aluminum.
chancer
ɔ ɥ ɐ u ɔ ǝ ɹ
Since we are Talking I thought I would share my experience with Tig.
I used to work in an HVAC metal shop. all 24 and 26 gauge galv. Nothing welded.
But one time we had to make a exhaust hood for a commercial kitchen. It was custom made and had 4 pieces to weld the corners together 16gauge bare steel. about 4 feet long.
My boss decided he would teach me to use the TIG. We had a foot pedal and I don't recall the machine.
Anyway he never gave me any filler rod, just had to line up the seams real tight and use the torch and weld it up. It was just a pain in the rear. I kept burning through and shocking myself. I think he finished it up. Oh and he used the filler rod! Bass turd!
I used to work in an HVAC metal shop. all 24 and 26 gauge galv. Nothing welded.
But one time we had to make a exhaust hood for a commercial kitchen. It was custom made and had 4 pieces to weld the corners together 16gauge bare steel. about 4 feet long.
My boss decided he would teach me to use the TIG. We had a foot pedal and I don't recall the machine.
Anyway he never gave me any filler rod, just had to line up the seams real tight and use the torch and weld it up. It was just a pain in the rear. I kept burning through and shocking myself. I think he finished it up. Oh and he used the filler rod! Bass turd!
KartFab
Active member
Bwahahaha. That sucks. Glad you are still alive, even though the chances of dying re pretty slim when you get shocked. I got shocked pretty bad once when welding up a roll cage. Was sweating so much and was in an awkward position with both forearms on some steel sheet. I accidentally touched the filler rod to the tungsten, and BAM right through one forearm and out the other. If i wasnt sweating so bad, it wouldnt have happened. Risk is highest when welding AC, and not so bad when welding DC.
chancer
ɔ ɥ ɐ u ɔ ǝ ɹ
I think we were AC welding I dont know. It minor little shocks. I dont remember exactly but, We had a ground clamp on the welding table and the work clamped to the table.
But if I recall if you touched the table after striking an ARC it would zap you a little. It was only a little more than a good static shock, like when you walk on carpet in Sneakers.
I don't know if any of that makes sense. I just knoe it was a tig welder and You could get zapped really easy.
But if I recall if you touched the table after striking an ARC it would zap you a little. It was only a little more than a good static shock, like when you walk on carpet in Sneakers.
I don't know if any of that makes sense. I just knoe it was a tig welder and You could get zapped really easy.
supermanotorious
Winchmaster 5000
Thanks for the hefty write up! I do have a pedal and that's probably the hardest part, recognizing when to make foot adjustments.
B.M.800
TheBeal.
Mind my asking how big a dent this put in your wallet?
As much as Id love to have a big 3 in 1 machine Ill probably have to settle for a similar unit like you got there.
Simple welds, on a flat stable surface and if I have something to steady myself on I can make a decent looking weld. My had is too shaky if I dont have something to steady myself on.
I think tig is my favorite.
As much as Id love to have a big 3 in 1 machine Ill probably have to settle for a similar unit like you got there.
Simple welds, on a flat stable surface and if I have something to steady myself on I can make a decent looking weld. My had is too shaky if I dont have something to steady myself on.
I think tig is my favorite.
chancer
ɔ ɥ ɐ u ɔ ǝ ɹ
Click THIS. shows the exact model and $. Over 3 grand IIRC
supermanotorious
Winchmaster 5000
I paid a few hundred less than retail on each machine, my total is well under $3k
B.M.800
TheBeal.
I guess I missed somewhere there was 2 machines. 
Still, under 3k might be in my price range one of these day.
Still, under 3k might be in my price range one of these day.
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