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.