welding

[Rolfo]

I'm from Norway, and being "self educated" at welding myself. Done a lot of construction on implements using an Esab DC 130 A stick welder . As I was reading thru this interesting posting I was wondering about this generator use in connection with welding. Is it because of 110 V ? (We have 220V outlet here) Just curious. I want to learn Mig and Tig someday.

Rolfo

 

[gemini5362]

Gemini,,I took no offence,,if you dish it out like me,you gotta be able to take it a little too,,,,yeah,welding terms,,they work better with a picture,[besides all that,,I'm a hillbilly,we really don't speak english,or french,or....],thingy

Thingy I am glad you did not take offense. I have read several of your posts and I have learned a lot from them. I sometimes dont understand what you are talking about but that is because I am not up on the technical terms. One thing about it when you use those terms I either ask someone at work what you are talking about or I look them up so I am getting an education.
As far as being a hillbilly I am a hillbilly also. I love it when people talk about being from small towns and then say they have several hundred or several thousand people in it. The nearest town to me has 72 people in it.

 

[thingy]

Gemini,well,you got me beat,,nearest town to me has several hundred,,,how far is the closest wallmart? thats a good way for us hillbillys to judge these things,,about a 45 min drive for me...
You oughta get you a welding technology book,go to the american welding society's web page,,they sell all kinds of books and such,,,they got thin ones and thick ones and even classroom type learning things and videos,,cd's,,you can join and get a free book I think,[costs money either way],,but you seem interested and want to learn more,,check it out,,,thingy

 

[gemini5362]

Gemini,well,you got me beat,,nearest town to me has several hundred,,,how far is the closest wallmart? thats a good way for us hillbillys to judge these things,,about a 45 min drive for me...
You oughta get you a welding technology book,go to the american welding society's web page,,they sell all kinds of books and such,,,they got thin ones and thick ones and even classroom type learning things and videos,,cd's,,you can join and get a free book I think,[costs money either way],,but you seem interested and want to learn more,,check it out,,,thingy

Walmart, Thingy I am from arkansas we have had walmarts way before the rest of the country was blessed. The nearest one to me is about 15 minuntes. They finally built a super center and closed the old walmart down last year. I can find a half dozen wal marts in a 45 minute drive. Actually the walmart headquarters is about a 90 min drive. and the Walmart Museum is about an 90 minute drive.

 

[thingy]

Yeah,forgot where you was from there,,ok,,how far are you from at least two grocery supermarkets,,thats a good sign to,,we got a krogers about 10 miles away in that little town,,but they have no competion,,the next one is 45 min away.

Rolfo,,they was just trying to figure if you can take a plug in type welder,220/230 I guess,and instead of plugging it into house current,plug it into a generator to make it portable. thingy

 

[Rolfo]

Thanks Thingy, didn't read it well.. just browsing thru. I wonder about TIG and possibilities, I know in quality frames (planes, bikes, cars) they use TIG. Can any material be welded by TIG, i.e. steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, bronze?

Rolfo

 

[thingy]

Yeah,about anything can be tig welded,[if you know how and got the equipment like anything else],I never was a tig welder,messed with it a little here and there.
Its used a lot on putting roots in pipeing,and on stainless in power plants and the like,you can weld some real thin stuff with it too,,makes a very good weld,cause generally what you see is what you got,[with some processes it ain't always so].
See you got a dc welder 130 amp,you can tig weld with it,use electrode negative [-] on steel,or stainless,you'll need argon regulator flow meter,gas hose,a connector block,where your electrode holder can clamp on and gas go to than your tig torch,,tig torch rig,small one,,probably 1/16 dia tungsten would be as big as you would want with your machine,have to scratch start it like a stick rod.
But if you got a dc stick machine you got a tig machine,,welding supply place should be able to set you up with all the little gizmos you'd need,,just tell them you only got a 130 amp machine,so,they'll [hopefully know what size stuff you need],yeah some tig filler wire too,don't know what your duty cycle is on that 130 amps,might wanta check that out some before buying all this stuff,,probably need at least 90 amps with that 1/16 tungsten? thingy

 

[Nevadan]

I have used tig down to around 30 amps with a 1/16 electrode.

 

[thingy]

Nevadan,you sound like the man to fill ole rolfo in,was thinking max amps maybe for 1/16th probably,90 or so?,he might even be able to go with 3/32,,duty cycle on his 130 amp machine is the thing he needs to find out,,thingy

 

[AlanB]

The advantage to tig in my shop is that it is extremely easy to change between materials. It is also extremely precise.

You can also do some things like Silicone bronze that is pretty cool.

There are some things (magnesium comes to mind) that you need to be carefull of. When it gets out of the gas shield, life gets exciting quick

I run my 3/32 down around 100 amps or so, I am usually not looking while welding.

Tig is one of those things that you can learn an awful lot by sitting with someone experienced for a bit and talking and watching. If you ever get the chance, a good TIG course can really open your eyes to some possibilities.

Good luck, have fun, learn lots.