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[dastinker8]

I had a couple questions i was hoping i could get some answers to. Im new to using my tig machine and was trying to figure out some things.

Tungstens:
Whats the rule of thumb on the thickness of the tungstens vs the current or vs the thickness of the steel. I looked in the Electrode, Filler & Gas Selections thread and saw that the Green(pure) tungsten is for AC welding. What is the side effect of using it when DC welding. From the tig welding basics video it says the other style electrodes it helps carry more current, is it really that noticeable?

Cups/Nozzles:
How do you gauge the size of the cups. I have tried multiple cups welding the same thing and didnt really notice a difference. I was just welding 2 1/8 pieces of steel together. Should you use a larger cup based on current or based on distance the torch is from the material.

Welding dissimilar thickness materials current setting.
I was welding some piping to plating(exhaust flange to pipe) and was wondering what you do with the current settings. Do you want to keep the current up to be able to penetrate the flange or do you just want to keep the current where you would typically weld the piping. I noticed when i turned up the current it would melt the piping very quickly, so is it just a game of keeping the arc on the flange and dipping into the piping?

i watched all the videos from Tig welding basics, and working with tubing and it helped out tons. Thanks for the input.

[t_cel_t]

i have always used 3/32 green for ac, the highest ive ever gone was about 220 amps ad it was fine
green when doing dc works pretty much the same only it seems to erode a little faster, the red or thoriated seems to never erode-its also supposed to hold a tighter arc.

cups/nozzles-i never had any problem with any size, the smaller the better to me for getting in tight spots.

welding different thicknesses just come with practice, are you using a foot pedal controlled amperage or machine set?

[dastinker8]

i have always used 3/32 green for ac, the highest ive ever gone was about 220 amps ad it was fine
green when doing dc works pretty much the same only it seems to erode a little faster, the red or thoriated seems to never erode-its also supposed to hold a tighter arc.

cups/nozzles-i never had any problem with any size, the smaller the better to me for getting in tight spots.

welding different thicknesses just come with practice, are you using a foot pedal controlled amperage or machine set?

Nice, when i was at the welding store they only had 1/8 in green(Pure) rods. They didnt seem to be working the greatest on thinner material. Ill go find some smaller thoriated electrodes.

Unfortunately mine is fixed current machine set.

Me not knowing,  i just bought a 40cf tank not realing how quick im going through it. I wonder if they would take it back and let me upgrade to a bigger tank.

[t_cel_t]

well most torches only take 1 size without different collets, so if you were running 1/8 i dont think you can just stick 3/32 in there.

[dastinker8]

here is some 1/4 to 1/4 plate, 1/8 to 1/8 plate and then 1/4 plate to piping. This is only my second day welding.  So bash away 

[NoPistons!]

Not bad at all. 


You'll get better.  It took me a good 2 years to be able to tig well.

Apparently i was tought wrong.


I always used green for aluminum and red for steel.   

It's been several years since i've touched a tig but what i used to do was turn on the ac (or maybe it was dc...i dunno which i used on the machine to do aluminum) until the tungsten would ball up than switch back over to the proper current to weld whatever it was i was working on.

Red, i just took to the bench grinder until it was pin-prick sharp.

Very rusty.  None of my friends have a tig except my buddy josh and he's usually busy busting his ass at work or hanging out with his girlfriend.   Mig, well i can do that in my sleep.  Pretty beads too.  Yes, even with flux core.  Looking foward to getting my machine and putting in work.

Enough bullshitting.  I have a few questions.

Are you getting a stable puddle?  You dont want it to splatter and ripple as if it's boiling.   When i did that i'd either add more filler or change the settings on the machine.  Pedal control on the dinosaur i learned how to use  didn't do much to correct the problem.

Are you having your arc wander all over the place?  I only ask because some of the stuff i see welded, your beads are super inconsistent and as far from a straight line as you can get.   Dont take that to heart.  It's just a question and i'm not trying to talk shit.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e54/dastinker8/welding/IMGP0023.jpg

More filler.  That's undercut.  Penetration looks decent, dont be afraid to put the wire in the fire.

[weirtech]

take the time to prep your base metal a bit better.  grind the scale off the mild steel and atleast wire brush your stainless with a stainless wire wheel or wire brush.  it will help keep contamination out of your weld pool.

it looks like you are welding a little on the hot side.  experiment with amperage and also with how much filler you add.  remember, adding filler cools your weld pool.  also experiment with travel speed.

cup size:  i use the biggest i can fit.  usually a #12.  if it gets tight like the middle of a collector where the 4 pipes meet, i'll use a #8.

if you don't have a gas lense already, get one.  it helps a lot with consistency and shielding your arc.

practice, practice, practice.  be patient, take your time.  like anything, the more you do it the better you will get.  i feel like i get better every time i pick up the torch sometimes.

[dastinker8]

Thanks for the info guys. My puddle is stable and i keep my electrode pretty sharp so im not getting any wondering. Im just not used to using 2 hands. Some one said to try resting my elbows on the table or something for stability but i kinda find it hard to weld longer then a 3in section beforei mess up and feel like i need to slide down further?  I see what you mean about it being undercut. I was kinda unsure how much rod you put into it to keep it from undercutting, i did add rod apparently not enough tho lol.

Ill try cleaning the metals alot better before i weld, i just get anxious and wanna go go go at it haha. I dunno why but i like seeing the metal melt and flow.

I only bought a 40cf tank and i used it up already. I think im gonna take it back and see if i can get a bigger one. The Flow on my meter is about 19-20 LPM. Does that sound about right?

[t_cel_t]

turn it down to 15 cubic feet per hour

[weirtech]

yeah, i have mine set at around 17 with a big #12 gas lense cup.

as for keeping steady, i always keep my elbows tucked in and if i don't have something to rest my wrist on as i weld, i'll stretch out my pinky finger to the bases metal so my hand is more steady.  sometimes i'll place a block or something in front of the work piece so that i can rest my wrist on it to weld.  i'll always do the same with my filler hand, but don't always find it as important.

[turbob16hatch]

yeah, i have mine set at around 17 with a big #12 gas lense cup.

as for keeping steady, i always keep my elbows tucked in and if i don't have something to rest my wrist on as i weld, i'll stretch out my pinky finger to the bases metal so my hand is more steady.  sometimes i'll place a block or something in front of the work piece so that i can rest my wrist on it to weld.  i'll always do the same with my filler hand, but don't always find it as important.

This is what i do also, i prefer using the base of my palm/wrist when welding with a part in the vise.

[dastinker8]

ok, so i went out and got a gas lens as everyone suggests. I have been practicing and i have noticed my colors in my welds aren't all beautiful like the big shots on here. So i cranked up my gas a bit more and i think i have found where i need but i want to be sure. That discoloring of the weld is oxidation from the argon right? Which would mean i have significant gas coverage. My question is are the other welds not going to be as strong with a lack of gas coverage?   I was welding on 1/4' stainless steel. The first three passes were just changing the gas flow rates. At 20 that gas really is flowing out of there quick. Ive never had any training so i dont know what its supposed to feel like. Then i turned it the gas down. I didn't really notice a difference in the coloration with the different flow rates with no filler. So i started to add filler and it seemed like i didn't have enough current or my filler rod was too big. So as i was turning the gas down on the passes i ended up turning the current up some and the last weld started to look a little better. MY question is which gas flow should i be using and are the other welds not going to hold up? Here are some pictures. Im using 2 percent thorated tungsten, and i think most of the welds are running about 80 amps. Closer to the end i started upping it to 90 then 100.

[t_cel_t]

i think your just going too fast, watch the puddle and dont add filler untill you see it drop down.

also: color=/=good weld

[turbob16hatch]

Looks liek your traveling to far. And your losing gas coverage. Also it look like your not moving side to side as you travel forward. Thats why your bead is so inconsistent.

[dastinker8]

Ok. I made this diagram to show sorta what im doing. I am doing diagram 2 as i dont have a variable current control yet. This is just how i would expect to weld, which i may be completely off. Diagram 1 i would think that is how you would weld with variable current. Diagram 2 i am just basically moving slowing down a line and dabbing into the puddle when i see it is the correct width.  Are you saying i should be moving the torch in the pattern of diagram 3?.

[dastinker8]

i think your just going too fast, watch the puddle and dont add filler untill you see it drop down.

also: color=/=good weld

Color just means good gas coverage correct?

[runsfromdacops]

kinda, coluer= heat

[turbob16hatch]

Ok. I made this diagram to show sorta what im doing. I am doing diagram 2 as i dont have a variable current control yet. This is just how i would expect to weld, which i may be completely off. Diagram 1 i would think that is how you would weld with variable current. Diagram 2 i am just basically moving slowing down a line and dabbing into the puddle when i see it is the correct width.  Are you saying i should be moving the torch in the pattern of diagram 3?.

Yes you need to pick a side top or bottom to dab the filler. So lets say you dab the top then carry it down to the bottom while moving forward slightly. Like your stiching the two peices together. Good little rule of thumb would be to double the material thickness and that should be your bead width. Now this is generally ok on butt welds.

You  need to pick 2 imaginary points one on both sides of the gap to move the torch from. this should give you a  nice referance point to keep the bead not only straight but also consistent on bead profile. Color should be of little to no concern for you at this point. As long as it's not grey or black it's fine. You just learning anyways.

If we were getting technical any color but gold/straw would be wrong as the color is oxidation wich could lead to problems down the road. But color sells manifolds so w/e

[dastinker8]

hmmm, i think i get it. I am just laying practice beads on a piece of metal, and not a butt weld. BUT i should still be dragging it down. My weld bead is just barely larger then the thickness of the material. Im going to lay some more beads with the advice i got and see what i come up with 

Thnks

[Corey]

i think your just going too fast, watch the puddle and dont add filler untill you see it drop down.

also: color=/=good weld

Color just means good gas coverage correct?

technically no.

color = what honda tech likes


perfect gas coverage the weld should be the same color as the base material. typically a gold or silver welds is the best.

[hotrex]

nigga i got dems purps bluez and redz all up in deez teethz

fuck a gas coverage.   you should be coverin your homeboys

[PinkNinja]

i think your just going too fast, watch the puddle and dont add filler untill you see it drop down.

also: color=/=good weld

Color just means good gas coverage correct?

technically no.

color = what honda tech likes


perfect gas coverage the weld should be the same color as the base material. typically a gold or silver welds is the best.

Exactly... Colour indicates contamination. More colour there is. The more the oxygen has contaminated the weld as it cools.
Ideally, stainless should be treated and welded the same way you would TI...

As quoted. The colour of th eweld should be the same as the parent material. A stainless weld should be bright silver.
Only way to truly acheive this is through the use of trailing shields or purge chambers...
Lights pinks, straw/gold colours are acceptable...

kthnxbye

[dvst8r]

i think your just going too fast, watch the puddle and dont add filler untill you see it drop down.

also: color=/=good weld

Color just means good gas coverage correct?

technically no.

color = what honda tech likes


perfect gas coverage the weld should be the same color as the base material. typically a gold or silver welds is the best.

Exactly... Colour indicates contamination. More colour there is. The more the oxygen has contaminated the weld as it cools.
Ideally, stainless should be treated and welded the same way you would TI...

As quoted. The colour of th eweld should be the same as the parent material. A stainless weld should be bright silver.
Only way to truly acheive this is through the use of trailing shields or purge chambers...
Lights pinks, straw/gold colours are acceptable...

kthnxbye

Ok, but where is your intro post?

[PinkNinja]

And that's relevant to this thread how?

[dvst8r]

And that's relevant to this thread how?

Intro post relevance to this site > then anything posted in this thread, relevant or not. Therefore making it relevant both to this thread and to you.

[t_cel_t]

i think hes a frenchie, he said 'colour'.
it's color, nigger.

[dastinker8]

OK I'm dragging the filler around like its my bitch now, rather then making a clumpy mess. The width of the welds are right around double the thickness of the material. The colors are a redish blue, silver.  What else should i do to improve my welds. By the way thanks for the good information  :yes: