They work great. Just be careful about using them, if you find it is "jumping around". The aluminum cut teeth seem to be more fragile. Any breakage I got on a carbide burr has been when it was chattering, or vibrating excessively.

And now I have tried solar Flux "B" for myself on TIG'ing stainless. I put it on the inside of a stainless steel header, when repairing crack, and building up a weak (thin) weld between flange and collector. It worked well for at least the first welding heat cycle (pass/layer/stringer). On...

A customer brought in a damaged connecting rod from a Hitachi "wheelbarrow" style air compressor. It had a badly gauled up big end ID, and there was a crack all the way though the wall of the big end. Looked like it was run with the dipper starved of oil (I'm betting from either being run ...

Leaning aluminum will be tricky on .040" because you need to manipulate small distances and motions, like a doctor performing a surgery. Leaning on .125" thick aluminum is I think a lot easier for most people, who are not surgeons. ;) I would go with the .040" tungsten, as long as the...

I have used brake parts cleaner (non-chlorinated) for welding prep, and I remember in one case not waiting long enough for it to *completely* evaporate before striking an arc, and I recall the solvent residue (which was likely something such as an alcohol) caused an instant, black sooty mess. So if ...

I welded on a thick aluminum roadwheel a week or two ago. sorry no pics. But it was probably the largest, aluminum "heat sink" I've welded yet... 1/4"+ thick where I welded, and quite large thick surfaces to draw away the heat. I managed to do the thick aluminum welding this time with...

My 2c - It is likely that the metallurgy of the flux core wire is OK for the application (mild steel parent metals), however lack of penetration, good fusion, and any flux or other contaminants included inside the weld beads are what could make the joints weak as they currently exist. I could see yo...

Update - the motorcycle crankcase cover seemed to not be pot metal after all. I had no issues with it melting excessively while welding it.

For stainless it might be a little narrow (depending on amount of stickout you need, and how hot you are getting the metal.) For mild steel, it should be OK. http://www.ckworldwide.com/tech-3.pdf If you think you might be having shielding gas issues, make sure you don't have excessive tungsten stick...

I just welded in a patch panel on an old chevy van, around the fuel filler neck opening. I removed the fuel filler neck for access to the back side of the panel, and taped off the opening of the tank to prevent fumes from wafting out, but did not remove the tank (or drain it, etc.) No risk of even s...

Generally speaking, running hotter, and at a faster travel speed gives you less overall heat input into the work. This will mean you won't need to taper off the heat as much toward the end of your weld bead. You might consider using more amps and traveling faster, so as to have a better shot at &quo...

I ran across a material yesterday that was curious - the crankcase cover of a honda motorcycle. Does anyone know what kind of alloy this might be? It appeared fairly brittle, as it had fractured into several small pieces from an impact (which I was asked to repair) with very little bending of the ma...

I noticed that sometimes when I use the HF start in my TIG, (especially if there is something wrong with my work ground and the main current doesn't hit right away,) it does something funny with my garage door opener. It has made the door opener's light blink on and off, and the unit no longer will ...

Adjustable geometry sounds nice. I find the head sometimes interferes with where I want to hold the TIG torch during the welding operation. At first I was thinking I also wanted to maximize the weight over the head as much as possible, but after using this for a little bit, I now appreciate having s...

Thanks! You know what the say about a picture being worth a thousand words? It's true!

That'd be great. Thanks!

Thanks GWD! Got any pictures of your modified tines?

Hey folks - I came up with a trick that reduces wasted shielding gas that I wanted to tell you all about. The hose connecting my argon regulator (HTP brass floating ball type) to my TIG machine (Everlast Super200P) is about a 6' long, and is 1/4"ID, oxygen-approved, green rubber hose. This larg...

I am experimenting with doing welding type of work on the side as well Billy. Although for me welding is not my main career path, its just a hobby. I kind of like the smaller, "fix-it while I wait" type projects. Here is one a customer brought me - an automotive thermostat housing that nee...

Just mixing up soft (non compacted, large rock free) soil, the current tines do indeed work fine, but the machine becomes a bear chewing through compacted soil with rocks, which I've been known to do with it. The radius on the outer tines seems to cause the machine to "dart" sideways unexp...

Can someone recommend to me a TIG rod or stick electrode, and recommended process (TIG or stick) to use for building-up, and/or hardfacing to restore and improve these old "Merry Tiller" rotor-tiller blades? I think they started out with sharp, 90 degree edges, like the new ones pictured b...

I'd rather not directly answer the first question, but can help you with the second. I charged in this case for actual materials cost + labor. Materials cost was easy - how much did the stuff I bought cost to complete the project? I can estimate this accurately by making a schedule of all the parts ...

By the way, a portion of the proceeds from this job went towards buying a two-pack of Jody's Tig Fingers, which I look forward to trying out!

(...also my small way of saying "thanks" to Jody, for hosting just a great and informational forum and web site / blog.)

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_7bfEXyl1f6U/TIrE4ZvM6nI/AAAAAAAAAOo/wiU3nWP_9bk/s640/IMG_0033_tackwelded_lid.JPG http://lh4.ggpht.com/_7bfEXyl1f6U/TIrE4cXww8I/AAAAAAAAAOs/eV5nN_58EV8/s800/IMG_0034_welded_lid.JPG http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7bfEXyl1f6U/TIrE4pBh7EI/AAAAAAAAAOw/Ijs-Df6x62A/s640/IMG_0035_welded_lid_cl...

Hi all - I built from customer's plans a storage container, which is thankfully now completed and delivered. Specs: 10" diameter x 27" tall cylindrical container, with an easily removable, gasketed lid welded handle constructed from miter-cut tubing (6061, .065" thick, 5/8" OD) 5...