Welding Tips and Tricks

TIG electrode sharpening, stick out and gas flow rate

I read a lot of comments on how sharp and how smooth and "dipping" but actually seeing the end results in close-up video would be a great help.

How sharp is sharp?
How smooth is smooth?

How much stick-out is the correct amount for different dia electrode and torch tip and flow rate. and how do you know it is the correct amount?

I think such a video would be a keeper and definite reference many would want to return to.

One of life's little pleasures is experimenting with all these things, and then realising that a mountain of help has been prepared for you to dip into to help understand what you are learning.

Perhaps the most detailed modern text on all welding (? -- well, many) processes is Larry Jeffus, Welding Principles and Applications. You will easily find it on Amazon (but it is pricey).

Lincoln Foundation publishes a range of good books (eg The Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding).

To some extent, you can help yourself by seeking out a good text, and experimenting. Make notes/diagrams as you go.

Years ago I bought my second welder from a professional welding supply shop, and I took some of my early efforts back to them: they were delighted to show off their knowledge, and actually were very helpful (and still are, on other issues). Of course, this may not be useful advice for you, but, if you did buy your welder from an good source, why not go back, with samples, and get their feedback?

(My first attempts at welding were with a stick machine, and I'd rather not talk about it. I got a good price for the machine when I "lost interest".)

Good videos are excellent, but some personal, expert help is also "very useful".

Sharpness, sharpening angle, smoothness, stickout. It's all over-emphasized.

I've passed x-ray with the most boogered-up tungsten you can imagine.

It only gets important in very thin sections... The precision required by the material dictates the precision of the tungsten grind, and I find stick-out almost irrelevent until it exceeds your gas coverage.

Don't get me wrong; Knowing how to properly sharpen a tungsten has value... with the right sharpen, I can weld 24 ga with a 1/8". Not my preferred situation, but one must adapt to the circumstances one is thrust into, to make that paycheck.

Steve S

After years of trying to produce artistic welds using half-assed technique, I've finally come around to trying to do things right. I attempt to get good fit-up, clamp my pieces in place, clean my base metal, use sharp electrodes, see what I'm welding (that's a big one), make sure I'm tying the two edges together, etc. The results are generally better. And since my option to making beautiful welds is to grind them when I'm done, I have a lot invested in producing beautiful welds.

When I was researching how to sharpen tungsten electrodes, I happened upon a BBS response from someone who sharpens his tungsten on the side of his grinding wheel. I'd like to thank that fellow, if I could only remember where I found his comment. Now, sharpening tungsten eats up grinding wheels, so I've sandwiched a HFT diamond saw sharpening blade to the side of my grinding wheel. And I hold my 3/32" electrodes (which I usually use) with an old drafter's clutch pencil.

I'm glad Jodie just did a video on sharpening "Tungsten" it's always been a issue for me as to what's right and what wrong?? So I guess what works for your situation is the way to sharpen!! How ever I was wearing out grinding wheels on my "home-made-grinder" (made the grinder when I was young-been a lot of years ago!!) SO... I saw a video on "Youtube" about using the diamond saw blade grinder wheel from HFT... It's only $9.99 and I thought the price is right! So... I made an adapter for it out of aluminum to adapt it to the 5/8's shaft and it works good! I just turn it by hand and pivot it away when I run out of wrist/twist! A picture is worth a thousand words..... O'Yes... the vacuum cleaner is suck up "Thoriaded" dust just incase it's bad

Sweet

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