woot!! tig welding now!!

[Hit_N_Run-player]

So i finally got a TIG setup. Im very happy, and have been trying to learn whenever i get time. im no professional yet, but im a natural. My first few welds looked like shit, and my dad was getting pissed and frustrated. I told him let me try once more till i get a technique i like, then BAM, i threw down a perfect weld about 5" long. This isnt anything great, but im really happy, and the look on my dads face made me feel even better (he just about shit himself because i dont even weld that often lol).

Im pretty good on steel now, but my aluminum isnt very impressive. Does anyone have any tips/tricks?

Im also using an electric helmet now which makes things 1000 times easier, if you weld alot and dont have one, get one.

[nissan_240sx]

congrats! I've been welding on and off for about 3 years. The best advice I could give you is to practice alot lol. I remember welding a bunch of scrap/misc. metal. It was pretty crazy but now I consider myself a pretty good welder. Consistency and a steady hand helps alot too lol.

Heres a few tips i looked up for you

http://www.millerwelds.com/education...ints_tips.html

try putting a solid weld with two soda cans, you'll know when your ready grass hopper LOL

[S13Driftfiend]

congrats man, thats always good. i tig weld everyday for a few hours, i love it, it never gets old. for tips and tricks..

carbon steel - practice makes perfect.

aluminum - AL obviously has alot lower melting point, so the key here is speed and manipulation. as soon as you see the puddle, get moving. as with carbon steel, keep your consistency. if you find that it seems like youre moving fast and it is still coming out shitty, try lowering your amps and moving the same speed. make sure the high freq is on continuous, and the polarity AC. practice man, youll get it over time. tig welding is my fav, real quiet and laid back. if you have any more questions, dont hesitate to ask here or pm me man.

[Hit_N_Run-player]

Originally Posted by S13Driftfiend

congrats man, thats always good. i tig weld everyday for a few hours, i love it, it never gets old. for tips and tricks..

carbon steel - practice makes perfect.

aluminum - AL obviously has alot lower melting point, so the key here is speed and manipulation. as soon as you see the puddle, get moving. as with carbon steel, keep your consistency. if you find that it seems like youre moving fast and it is still coming out shitty, try lowering your amps and moving the same speed. make sure the high freq is on continuous, and the polarity AC. practice man, youll get it over time. tig welding is my fav, real quiet and laid back. if you have any more questions, dont hesitate to ask here or pm me man.

thanks, that really helps. I usually take my time and go a little slower, which eventually melts a hole in the AL. Ill try speeding up and adjusting amperage.

Ive found the best way for me to do good welds, is to put the piece in the middle of my welding table (huge ass steel table we built for welding) and then i lean on the table with my elbows so i can keep really steady.

When im using the filler, its best to work towards the filler correct? meaning i want my weld moving into the filler and not the filler coming in from behind the torch? Or does it matter?

[Greenblurr93]

i like moving the tourch toward the hand with the fill rod. and practice... i would practice tig for about 2-3hrs a day... my arns were pretty sun burnt after a week...

[S13Driftfiend]

do the smart thing and wear sleeves^^


hit n run, yea, you move the puddle toward the filler. another tip i find that helps alot... i dont know how you personally do it, but theres two ways (maybe more) to add filler. 1) dab the filler into the puddle, using your wrist to touch it to the leading edge of the puddle or 2) lay the filler along the path of your weld, and run the puddle over it. i like this technique alot more because my filler hand tends to get shaky. try em both and see what works the best. also, theres a technique called "walking the cup" thats often used in piped welding, where you place the ceramic cup onto the base metal and roll your wrist, literally walking the cup forward with your weld. ask your dad, he may have heard of it. also, i dont know if youre wearing gauntlet gloves, but try a lighter glove, alot easier to hold the torch and also the filler. hope this helps, ask away if you have more questions..