New guy tig welding 3/16'' plate

[IH POWER]

Hi I just bought a syncrowave 200 to use on frame up rebuild of a 53 Ford truck. This is my first tig machine. I have stick and mig and gas welded alot, but this is first tig. My problem is I can lay a nice looking bead but I do not seem to get good penatration. I am using 185 amps with 3/32 filler rod. Any help would be great! Thanks

[PJinNJ]

Linger longer (slow down) and watch the puddle not the filler. Heat, puddle, dip, move. That ougth to do it.

[Laiky]

Frunkis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Craig in Denver]

Joint type? A 3/16" butt needs a light bevel and/or a root gap. I'd think 1/8" filler would be more suited or lotsa dabs. Don't add filler til the keyhole shows up or the weld will just pile up on top.

Laiky: what's 'frunkis' stand for?

[Laiky]

Laiky: what's 'frunkis' stand for?

I want to see if PJinNJ knows!

[Craig in Denver]

I want to see if PJinNJ knows!

I kin live with that. Add thread to subscriptions.

[FusionKing]

Hi I just bought a syncrowave 200 to use on frame up rebuild of a 53 Ford truck. This is my first tig machine. I have stick and mig and gas welded alot, but this is first tig. My problem is I can lay a nice looking bead but I do not seem to get good penatration. I am using 185 amps with 3/32 filler rod. Any help would be great! Thanks

Well....You don't say what the material is?

But...as with about anything either slow down untill it penetrates or go turn up the heat!!!
Pretty ain't worth a crap if it's weak (as you already know)

[shorerider16]

Pretty ain't worth a crap if it's weak (as you already know)

Exactly, focus on making sound welds, then make them beautiful, and if in doubt take it to someone who you KNOW can do the job.

Our school rail car required a clutch and chain gaurd to pass tech, so our teacher asked me to look at it. I told him I couldn't do it because I didn't have access to the proper forming tools, and he originally wanted it made out of aluminum. He ended up taking it to a local shop, not the one he regularly goes to due to time constraints. Upon initial glance it looked like they had done a beautiful job, it was made of lighter gauge stainless, with some very nice LOOKING welds. Well after two passes down the 1320 one of the mounting brackets broke, of a full 1.5 inches of weld, there was about an 1/8 of an inch of actual penetration in to the one piece. Luckily it had two mounting points and did not cause any damage to people around it or the car.

Sorry if this is a little long winded, just wanted to share an example of what can go wrong. I fully support people trying to do there own work, but as Dirty Harry once said, "you got to know you limitations." So good luck, with some help and practice I you will get it.
Oh, and make sure to post pictures too.

[IH POWER]

Thanks for the replies, slowing down helped alot. I also think I was holding torch down at too much of angle from work. Thanks again

[PJinNJ]

BUT I have no idea what the term "Frunkis" means. Please enlighten me as it sounds like a term I'll need to know and/or be able to have some fun with.