First TIG welding class

[LD1]

I personally think SS or mild steel is easier to learn on. They weld about the same, but stainless gives a better finished look that would help to build confidence in a new welder.

 

[weldermike]

I personally think SS or mild steel is easier to learn on. They weld about the same, but stainless gives a better finished look that would help to build confidence in a new welder.

Not nescesarily true bud. Stainless will turn to a crusty looking dull grey if not done in a orderly fashion. Alot of new guys to tig tend to travel way to slow and just overheat it.

 

[LD1]

A quick pass with a wire brush knocks most of that off. Unless you are talking about something else.

And a once over with a wire brush leaves it better looking than mild steel. IMO

 

[weldermike]

A quick pass with a wire brush knocks most of that off. Unless you are talking about something else.

And a once over with a wire brush leaves it better looking than mild steel. IMO

Gotcha bud. Stainless will produce some beautiful colors sometimes, but that has nothing to do with quality of the weld but some new guys eat it up and love it. Heres a stainless weld, border line of hot but ripped out fast to stay ahead of boiling it out. Absolutely no color, and one of a pretty one leaving rainbows behind it. Nothing wrong with either.

 

[LD1]

I don't do much with a tig anymore. But did lots at my last job. I am not sure on the rainbow effect, and if it has to do with grade if material, but I never got that using filler.

But would get it every time when doing thinner metal in a joint that didn't require filler.

 

[AlanB]

I would start folks that just want to learn to tig on mild steel, easy to weld, cheap, laying around the shop and easy to see the color coming on and going to molten. The biggest problem I encounter when trying to teach Aluminum is it is harder / quicker / less visible to see as it goes to molten. But most folks that want to learn TIG usually are really wanting to do Aluminum so we just usually start there.

 

[Arc weld]

Stainless flows the nicest and is the easiest to see. In school we only worked with thinner stainless. The back side turned black from carbide precipitation but since it was just practice welds, we didn't worry about it. Experienced TIG welders can make the weld turn out a nice gold color with just the right heat.

 

[weldermike]

Stainless flows the nicest and is the easiest to see. In school we only worked with thinner stainless. The back side turned black from carbide precipitation but since it was just practice welds, we didn't worry about it. Experienced TIG welders can make the weld turn out a nice gold color with just the right heat.

10/4 bud, gold means you nailed it across the board. Speed, travel, feed and heat.

 

[dkf1998]

After 3 classes I am starting to get the hand of it. Certainly need a lot more practice, but I'm making progress. Time to start thinking about a TIG machine.