Help me find my tig problem

[Cat_Driver]

Are you welding outside or in the wind from a fan? Wind will blow away your gas believe it or not. Also angle of the torch may be too low allowing your gas to blow away. Just my 2 cents.

 

[dfkrug]

I have finally got started with tig welding, but I am having a really
hard time....

I hope you are making progress, DEEREMAN. I also recently started scratch-start TIG welding. I
got a small torch setup to use with my AC/DC stick welder, a WP9 unit from WeldingCity.com.

I also tried welding mild steel first, using 1/16" tungsten, and I made my first mistake: I forgot
to set the electrode negative. Melted the tungsten several times. Then, after fixing that, I was
still struggling, probably due to lack of cleanliness.

So today, I had some good success: went to a 3/32" tungsten and did some stainless. It came
out well, and I did it without any filler rod.

Next: aluminum. I want to make a gas tank for an ATV project.

 

[Shield Arc]

Next: aluminum. I want to make a gas tank for an ATV project.

Do you have high frequency, and a foot pedal?

 

[dfkrug]

Do you have high frequency, and a foot pedal?

No and no, I am using my AC/DC Miller Thunderbolt stick welder. Scratch start, just like with steel.

 

[Shield Arc]

No and no, I am using my AC/DC Miller Thunderbolt stick welder. Scratch start, just like with steel.

If you plan on doing aluminum work with that set up, you got a hard road to hoe ahead of your self.
But it can be done.

 

[dfkrug]

But it can be done.

Have you tried Al scratch-start TIG welding, SHIELD?

With the proper professional equipment, you don't really have a reason to try it, but it would be
a good comparison. These days, there are more and more how-to videos and free advice available.

Economically speaking, it cost me only $65 to buy a new torch setup, and $20 for 10 tungsten
electrodes. A used single-phase TIG welder with foot pedal and hi-F is rarely available for under
$500-600. A spool gun for my Hobart 210 MIG is several hundred $.

I have successfully MIG-welded Al and stainless, (sans spoolgun) but I just hate changing the wire
in my MIG. And I certainly do NOT want to change the liner.

If I am not successful with TIG Al welding, I will just do stainless.

 

[dfkrug]

Perhaps this thread that DEEREMAN started will encourage others to try scratch-start
TIG welding. It encouraged me to try it.

My first stainless effort:

 

[Shield Arc]

Have you tried Al scratch-start TIG welding, SHIELD?

Yes I have, that's how I know it can be done. But only tried it on DCEN, not AC.

 

[k0ua]

Yes I have, that's how I know it can be done. But only tried it on DCEN, not AC.

What gas is that Aluminum weld made with? How many amps? What filler? How thick is that materiel ? Curious minds want to know

 

[Shield Arc]

What gas is that Aluminum weld made with? How many amps? What filler? How thick is that materiel ? Curious minds want to know

I think those welds are on 10-GA aluminum. If I remember correctly around 50 to 60-amps. On DCEN with 100 % Helium you can pretty much cut your amps in half compared to welding on AC. The problem with using a Tig rig, and no foot pedal you can not control the heat. Other than going faster, well you can only go so fast. Now this can all be done if you make short welds. Then move to another location, or let it cool down. Last time Furu, (member here) brought his Longevity Stickweld 250 over I hooked my Tig rig up to his machine. I really like the arc on that machine.
Here is the weld I made with it, notice how the weld gets wider at the end? That's because the heat was building up, and I had no way to control it.
The second picture is a weld I made with my Dynasty on DCEN with 100 % Helium, but I had a foot pedal.

 

[dfkrug]

The second picture is a weld I made with my Dynasty on DCEN with 100 % Helium,
but I had a foot pedal.

Helium and DCEN? Hasn't He gotten pretty expensive? I am going to have my 30cf Ar tank refilled this week
and I will ask them what the same amt of He would cost. (Not that I am going to buy any He.)

I will try some 1/8" Al plate at about 105A AC. I hear you about the heat control.

 

[Shield Arc]

My understanding from the welding forums is Helium has really gotten expensive. When I bought my bottle it was about .05-cents a cubic foot more than Argon.

It will be very interesting to see what luck you have welding aluminum on AC without high frequency! You need the high frequency spark to maintain the start of each positive and negative cycle.

You shouldn't have too much trouble controlling the heat with a Tig rig when welding mild, and stainless steel. X-ray welds are made everyday with Tig rigs. With stainless, most of the time you need to purge the backside. Most definitively on stainless steel pipe!

 

[deereman75]

Glad to see this has got someone else to give it a shot!

School has been unimaginably busy, and I havent had much of any shop time.
Between work, school, and the museum, I have almost no forum time.
I will try and stop in when I can though!


Anyways, once I get my shop back in service, I will keep going at this tig, and see what I can do.

I just got a job with a local tree service, so now I have even less time than before....... LOL
Atleast I should be able to afford some stuff now...

 

[weldermike]

My understanding from the welding forums is Helium has really gotten expensive. When I bought my bottle it was about .05-cents a cubic foot more than Argon.

It will be very interesting to see what luck you have welding aluminum on AC without high frequency! You need the high frequency spark to maintain the start of each positive and negative cycle.

You shouldn't have too much trouble controlling the heat with a Tig rig when welding mild, and stainless steel. X-ray welds are made everyday with Tig rigs. With stainless, most of the time you need to purge the backside. Most definitively on stainless steel pipe!

My welding supply can't even get helium anymore. And when I asked them about a mix he told me he'll look around for me, but trust me you ain't gonna like the price. I really wanted to start playing with some blends too, stinko! Then I've started paying attention, and I don't even see helium balloons anymore. Anybody know what happened to cause this shortage?

 

[deereman75]

My welding supply can't even get helium anymore. And when I asked them about a mix he told me he'll look around for me, but trust me you ain't gonna like the price. I really wanted to start playing with some blends too, stinko! Then I've started paying attention, and I don't even see helium balloons anymore. Anybody know what happened to cause this shortage?

I cant remember exactly, but I believe it had something to do with a US govt decision/announcement.
It was something about their large helium reserves. If I recall correctly, they were selling off their helium reserves to pay off a debt for something. It was recently payed off, and they decided to stop selling.
Seeing as most of the supply came from there, that really raised prices. They have started selling again, but it will take a long time for the supply to recover.

 

[CNC Dan]

My welding supply can't even get helium anymore. And when I asked them about a mix he told me he'll look around for me, but trust me you ain't gonna like the price. Anybody know what happened to cause this shortage?

Google for it. It's complicated. Not a shortage realy, just BS with supply+demand.

 

[Shield Arc]

just BS with supply+demand.

That's the jest I get as well from the guys on welding forums. Some guys say they have no problem getting any gas they want from their supplier.

 

[adirondackmtnman]

Kind of out of the line of shielding gases, but I picked up an acetylene refill yesterday. 75 Cu. Ft. bottle= $77.82+tax...I'm still picking up teeth from when my jaw hit the floor...

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[Shield Arc]

I picked up an acetylene refill yesterday. 75 Cu. Ft. bottle= $77.82+tax...I'm still picking up teeth from when my jaw hit the floor...

That's why a lot of guys are switching to propane.

 

[adirondackmtnman]

I would too, but I still like to fart around with torch welding on occasion...definitely cheaper for cutting/heating though

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