Learning to weld

[Stick895]

I've seen a lot of posts regarding this topic and I thought I would offer up my :twocents:. I have always wanted to learn so after I retired and got the time I started researching. I didn't want to spend 2 nights a week for weeks at a community college and most of them and technical programs are aimed at getting people certified for welding jobs. I figured if Tig was the hardest to learn, if I learned that, then the other methods would follow. Well, let me tell you, Lincoln welding school is the ticket. I had never welded a thing in my life but I took a Basic Tig course and learned the basics of Tig. Of course, I need lots of pratice to be good at Tig, but it was a week long course dedicated to just Tig so it was just what I was looking for. This is not an ad for them just my experience and my recommendation. We learned mild steel, aluminum and stainless.

 

[Fawken]

Sounds like me- except I've been stick welding (AC) for 40 years. Also did some playing with a cheap MIG a couple years back. Now I'm self-teaching TIG with a $720 AHP 200. The guys at the shop are helpful and I learn a lot from them. With TIG it's the little things like tungsten prep that drive me nuts. Found out yesterday that I was grinding my tips completely wrong and using them that way would make even the most accomplished pro look like a newbie.

 

[Shield Arc]

With TIG it's the little things like tungsten prep that drive me nuts. Found out yesterday that I was grinding my tips completely wrong and using them that way would make even the most accomplished pro look like a newbie.

One of the moderators over on Welding Web posted a picture a few years ago of how he sharpens his tungsten. Use a drill motor to hold / rotate your tungsten on a bench grinder. It's best to stand behind the bench grinder if you can. Less chance of the tungsten getting jammed in the grinding wheel that way. You can raise or lower the drill motor to get the angle you want on the tungsten.

 

[Fawken]

One of the moderators over on Welding Web posted a picture a few years ago of how he sharpens his tungsten. Use a drill motor to hold / rotate your tungsten on a bench grinder. It's best to stand behind the bench grinder if you can. Less chance of the tungsten getting jammed in the grinding wheel that way. You can raise or lower the drill motor to get the angle you want on the tungsten.

That's the way I was doing it, but I had the drill on high speed so it was making spiral striations on the tip. Kenny uses a belt sander and the drill revolves slowly to keep the striations parallel to the shaft. I'm going to try it that way this evening.

 

[Fawken]

Forgot to mention the guys on this forum have a bunch of helpful input as well. Ran a few beads after re-doing my tungsten:

1/8" Al plate, 80A, -25% balance, 20CFM, Freq 90hz

 

[Arc weld]

I wouldn't say that learning TIG necessarily makes the other processes easier to learn. TIG will teach you about the puddle though.

 

[Fawken]

I wouldn't say that learning TIG necessarily makes the other processes easier to learn. TIG will teach you about the puddle though.

Definitely not. It is different and I think the closest thing I've done that comes close is PCB soldering. Was in electronics most of my career. If you go from TIG to high amp stick welding you'll need to learn to keep further away from the arc.

 

[Mysfyt]

Tig welding is just plain fun! What you see is what you get-literally! If your welding something that needs to be water or air tight, this is the process I prefer.

 

[k0ua]

I always thought in my experience that TIG was very close in concept to gas welding. Now, I ain't no expert in either one , but that is what I think

 

[Mysfyt]

I always thought in my experience that TIG was very close in concept to gas welding. Now, I ain't no expert in either one , but that is what I think

I agree! Gas welding was one of the first processes I learned. Tig gives you a very similar visual, except you don't have the hissing,occasional popping and sparking. I consider Tig welding as therapy!