A look back at this weekend tig welds

[Bart]

I bought a synchrowave 180 a couple of years ago and when I find some time to step away from my growing family I have made attempts to learn how to TIG on steal. I haven't had much luck until this weekend, I think I finally broke through some problems I have been having with my welds. Before I get to far into what I learned this last weekend, I first want to say thankyou to everyone on this forum, it was all threads that I have been reading that helped to reinforce the procedures I should follow when tig welding.

While in the past, I have been slowly making improvements in my metal prep of the joints before I weld, this weekend I stop looking for the happy medium that would give me good results. I read a couple of threads where people stated that your work space and metal had to as clean as if you were painting. I also found out that some of you don't recommend brake clean as a surface prep. So I stepped into my garage and sanded down my work surface and metal so it was spot less. Then hit both with PPG Wax and Grease remover. I started to lay down some welds and could see a big difference in the way my arc looked. I finally felt like I had control over where I wanted the heat to go. One problem I still was having though was the heat saturation of the metal I was working with. After the weld was done, you could see metal blued in a large area around the weld. Not close and consintrated around the weld. What I eventually found is I was coming on to slowly with the pedal. So I soaking the metal for too long. I started coming on with the pedal a little fast and thats when the fun really started. I was getting a nice little pool going. I also started to find the filler rod would start to liquify and be drawn towards the pool, instead of me having to force the filler into the pool. While my welds aren't was pretty as many of you can do, I think I finally got the basic down. Now I can start consintrating on getting a rythem with the torch to get consitant welds that are straight.

I'm so excited I'm finally starting to get a grasp of TIG welding. I was really worried I was going to invest in a synchrowave and end up never making any progress in learning tig. Now that I feel comfortable with steal, next step is learing aluminum.

THANKS

[Samurai Dave]

That is great! Finding the right combination of factors to FINALLY get the metal to behave is exciting. I too have learned how to fine-tune my TIG technique by following some of the sage advice on this forum.

Next to observing others weld, reading advice is the next best thing. Though first-hand observation is best, it doesn't always follow that the welder being observed is open to being questioned about their technique. (Some hold their cards close to the vest, since they don't need the competition from another welder in town.)

The folks on this forum are very willing to share advice. Sift through the advice and try the ones that seem reasonable. Even try a few that seem uunusual, just to see if they work. (I've been pleasantly surprised a few times.) Some of equipment or accessories mentioned is new to me and I have purchased, or put on my short-list for future purchases.

[fun4now]

congrats on getting off to a good start. dont be in too big of a hurry to atempt aluminum, you dont want to get re-discuraged.
i find it best to set the welder so full peddle will just blow threw, that way i am usualy about 1/2-3/4 peddle in that range. best to kep it hot and as fast as you can progress wile maintaining controle. i'm still fairly new to TIG but with a good O/A background i am off to a good start. and have moved on to useable aluminum welds, still need a lil work on apearence though. but that will come with time, i just keep at it when i get a chance.

[AC MOTORSPORTS]

What Do You Have The Welder Set On And Are You Doing Filets
Or Butt Welds

I Have Done A Lot Of Tig Welding On Stainless All Thikness
And When I Got Good At Aluminum I Felt Like You And That Is
The Best Felling Ever "right On"

Set A Gole And Do That Then Get Good At That Then Move On

Aluminum Was My Gole And A Old Welder Told Me To Wel Two Pop Cans Together And I Laughed At Him But I Did Do It That Was Hard

My Best Friend Is High-freak On All The Time And Stainless Is Good To Weld On No Rust To Clean Up And Put The Ground On The Work Not The Table

Good Luck And Tig On - "practice Will Help"

[Bert]

I was getting a nice little pool going. I also started to find the filler rod would start to liquify and be drawn towards the pool, instead of me having to force the filler into the pool.

I'm not sure if I understand you correctly, but it sounds like you're letting the torch melt your filler rod. The liquified pool is supposed to melt the filler rod. I'm getting to do more and more TIG aluminum and watching him do it also, and it what school taught. TIG is fun, 'cause I think it's like "painting" your beads." Go 3/4 on the foot peddle lide fun4now said (depending on how hot your heat is set), and ease off a lot, but keeping your pool liquid. When there is an indentation, dip your rod. You will have a little bump (or big one, depending how much filler you put in). After that second you dipped and pulled out, use the torch to push the puddle forward (I work from right to left), then you see the puddle getting flat, dip again. Whether you count 1-2-3...dip is all up to you, depending on your heat, speed, etc.
my 2 cents

[fun4now]

Whether you count 1-2-3...dip is all up to you, depending on your heat, speed, etc.
my 2 cents
i never tryed the count thing, i'll have to give it a shot. just figure a count that maches your speed and heat and use it to keep the ripples constant right??
now to find some more time to play with it i still got to get more stick time in too???
on the bright side, i got a cool welder so i can play any time i get the time.

[HMW]

Bart congrats on the practice.

I have the same welder as you. About 3 yrs old and I like it. I first practiced with TIG on an older SW250 and I really had a time learning it. After practicning with the 250 I borrowed from work i bought the 180. What a difference old and new is. My welds improved overnight. I just leave the 180 set on 150 and just use the pedal. have not changed it since I bought it. I really like alum, but it can be difficult and Im still practing on making those nice ripples others make. My welds are usually smooth, not "dimes" but I sawed some practice pieces apart and was good. I think its more important to watch everything get fused together than it is to make a pretty bead. But its nice to have both, im still working on the latter. I too have learned alot from here and reading books on TIG. I had already had many years in stick and mig but was completely new to TIG and had no one to ask about it so it was by trail and error. This site is great, lots of good info

[Bart]

i find it best to set the welder so full peddle will just blow threw, that way i am usualy about 1/2-3/4 peddle in that range. best to kep it hot and as fast as you can progress wile maintaining controle. i'm still fairly new to TIG but with a good O/A background i am off to a good start. and have moved on to useable aluminum welds, still need a lil work on apearence though. but that will come with time, i just keep at it when i get a chance.

I've using the quick reference chart to get me in the ball park on my settings. I general set the amps to the lower part of th range shown on the chart, but I'll have to using your full pedal technique. Sounds like a good safe guard.

I actually have no o/a experience and I new that was going to be a handicap when taking up tig.

[Bart]

What Do You Have The Welder Set On And Are You Doing Filets
Or Butt Welds

I was working with 1/8 angle, doing butts and corners, 1/16 tungstan, 3/32 rod, 11 cfm and I think I was at about 70 amps. The fillets were coming out nice but my corners need some more work.

[Bart]

I was getting a nice little pool going. I also started to find the filler rod would start to liquify and be drawn towards the pool, instead of me having to force the filler into the pool.

I'm not sure if I understand you correctly, but it sounds like you're letting the torch melt your filler rod. The liquified pool is supposed to melt the filler rod. I'm getting to do more and more TIG aluminum and watching him do it also, and it what school taught. TIG is fun, 'cause I think it's like "painting" your beads." Go 3/4 on the foot peddle lide fun4now said (depending on how hot your heat is set), and ease off a lot, but keeping your pool liquid. When there is an indentation, dip your rod. You will have a little bump (or big one, depending how much filler you put in). After that second you dipped and pulled out, use the torch to push the puddle forward (I work from right to left), then you see the puddle getting flat, dip again. Whether you count 1-2-3...dip is all up to you, depending on your heat, speed, etc.
my 2 cents

I was work right to left with the torch in my right hand. My filler rod was just out side of the pool,my torch was at 45 degrees over the pool. The torch was pointing towards the rod. As the tip of the filler rod would liquidfy, the liquid would be drawn to the pool. I was trying to dip the rod in the pool, but kept on running into issue with contacting the tungstan or the rod sticking. So I started to be a lightly more standoff the the rod.