Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello!
On a random Friday within the last few weeks I just got the urge to learn to TIG weld. I was driving around 270 and I stopped in a shop that sold argon and welders just to check things out. I left with a rather large tank of argon and a Lincoln TIG 200, some 1/8" electrodes, steel filler, and got some scrap steel. I'm going to learn to TIG weld if it kills me. Got a hood from Amazon, gloves, etc... So, I can't weld. Hahaha! I have reground my purple electrode about 30 times and I can never seem to get the puddle going, ever. I also do stained glass and for some reason am expecting the puddle to just flow down the fluxed copper foil like solder. The ark starts fine and the gas is about 12 CFH, I think. The gauge that comes with the TIG200 kind of sucks. I'm looking for a flow meter if anyone has any tips. I try to heat up both sides of 1/8 mild steel on top of 1/8 mild steel at 95 amps and the puddle never comes. Torch on negative and set to DC and no pulse. I add more foot pressure and I blow a hole right though. Sigh. I'm thinking about taking a class someplace or at least hanging out with some good TIG guys. Regular job is IT/Networking/PBX but I'm pretty good with my hands. However, my TIG welds look like some guy is stick welding while doing one handed jumping jacks. My brother used to MIG weld for Honda and I have done that with success. I seriously suck at TIG. Hoping to learn new things here.
Came across this site from watching (Jody?) youtube videos. Seems like I could learn a ton here.
Thanks,
Chris

Welcome, Chris!

Just for future reference check out the Miller TIG calculator, here:
https://www.millerwelds.com/resources/w ... calculator

First, check out this video, very helpful.
http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/wel ... -2013.html

According to that calculator your amps and argon are in the range. If i can suggest, leave the filler out at first, and just work on starting and advancing the puddle. Start with bright shiny steel, i.e., grind off any rust or mill scale, and wipe down with acetone.

I wouldn't worry about replacing the flowmeter just yet, it's more than sufficient to the task. I am wondering why you can't start a puddle... how much distance between tungsten and your workpiece?

Chris, welcome to the forum.

Mike wrote:Chris, welcome to the forum.

Thanks!

Artie F. Emm wrote:
According to that calculator your amps and argon are in the range. If i can suggest, leave the filler out at first, and just work on starting and advancing the puddle. Start with bright shiny steel, i.e., grind off any rust or mill scale, and wipe down with acetone.

I wouldn't worry about replacing the flowmeter just yet, it's more than sufficient to the task. I am wondering why you can't start a puddle... how much distance between tungsten and your workpiece?

I'll try to grind it so it's shinny. I'm having a hard time seeing where the tip is in the glow. I'm sure I'm too far away, but every time I try to get close, I dip it because I can't see it. I'll try again tonight.

chrisknight wrote: I'm having a hard time seeing where the tip is in the glow.

Auto dark hood? Can you adjust the darkness upward?

Artie F. Emm wrote:

chrisknight wrote: I'm having a hard time seeing where the tip is in the glow.

Auto dark hood? Can you adjust the darkness upward?

Yeah, it's auto darkening. If I go any lighter, it's too bright.
I did get two pieces of scrap steel 1/8" and ground them shiny. I tried to weld with no filler and it did seem easier to manage. The weld wasn't great but was acceptable by comparison. I noticed the top edge of the top piece melted very quickly and then melted about 1/16" back and it was this top plate melting that caused the bottom to start to melt. I was trying to hold the torch on the bottom seam the whole time.
What I expected to happen was for the bottom piece start to melt, then they both start to melt right at the seam, which is where I'm trying to hold the heat. The end result was a weld, so I guess I can't complain but it is far back from where I started because of the top melting back and away and while it looks a bit better, still is not what I'd hoped.

Where are you guys trying to aim the torch?

chrisknight wrote:If I go any lighter, it's too bright.

I was thinking you might increase the darkness, so the arc would not dazzle you, and you would have better visibility of the tip of the tungsten.

Here's a couple clips from the Miller TIG Handbook that show torch angles. It also gives an idea of holding the distance between the torch and the work piece. In the first one I added the red arrow to show weld direction.

Miller's TIG Handbook is no longer available online- Miller removed it with a vague promise to replace it but to my knowledge that has not yet happened. While it does need some tight editing it's still a useful reference- happy to share it with anyone that wants a copy.

Artie F. Emm wrote:

chrisknight wrote:If I go any lighter, it's too bright.

I was thinking you might increase the darkness, so the arc would not dazzle you, and you would have better visibility of the tip of the tungsten.

Here's a couple clips from the Miller TIG Handbook that show torch angles. It also gives an idea of holding the distance between the torch and the work piece. In the first one I added the red arrow to show weld direction.

Miller's TIG Handbook is no longer available online- Miller removed it with a vague promise to replace it but to my knowledge that has not yet happened. While it does need some tight editing it's still a useful reference- happy to share it with anyone that wants a copy.

tig1.jpg

tig2.jpg

That IS extremely helpful! Thank you! Wouldn't mind having a look at that book. So, about how close do you all hold your tip away from the work piece?

The rule of thumb for arc length is "the diameter of your electrode".

The Miller Handbook is in PDF format, compressed into a zip file. Send me a PM with your email address and i'll send it.

Artie F. Emm wrote:The rule of thumb for arc length is "the diameter of your electrode".

The Miller Handbook is in PDF format, compressed into a zip file. Send me a PM with your email address and i'll send it.

I was afraid you were going to write that. Hahaha.. I had read that, it just doesn't seem possible without dipping it. I'll send the PM now. Thank you! I did realize that I was trying to look straight down and thus the torch was in the way. So, I tilted the torch way over, sending the ark way down the metal. I tried another bead last night with the torch more upright and my head to the side that that surprisingly went a ton better!

You would do well to grab some 3/32" filler, or even some 1/16" filler to practice with. Dipping 1/8" filler makes a large deposit and it may not be so much that you're dipping your tungsten as the puddle is growing to it.

Earlier you posted that you were running 95 amps on 1/8" scrap, thats too low. Run closer to 120 amps, or run your machine in "Lift Arc" mode (forget the pedal) and just focus on the puddle. The distance of the tungsten sticking out past the cup matters. The cup size effects your success, and the angle of the torch (as you're discovering) effects the puddle and your sight lines.

Try to position your eyes in front of the torch, welding towards yourself so you can see the tungsten and the leading edge of the puddle. A #7 or #8 cup with a gas lens would be my go-to cup for steel TIG. Hold the torch like a pencil, gently but with control, and simply slide your forearm (supported on the bench) along the line. This helps you move the big muscles and not manipulate the small muscles. The small muscles (dexterity) are used to make slight adjustments in the cup angle, distance, or position as you travel.

When you add filler, pause your cup/torch from moving. Put the filler directly into the puddle leading edge, watch it melt off, then withdraw the filler. Then move your torch. This "spreads" the bead forward. If you're using 3/32 filler, move 3/32 with the torch. There's a relationship there to control the filler and weld bead size.

After about 500# of filler wire, you should be a real pro! Okay, maybe not 500#, but it does take a while to get your rhythm down. Eliminating the pedal at the beginning of learning helps you to focus on technique, and not welding. Once you get comfy with adding and travel, put the pedal back in play, set your maximum amps, but use the pedal to control the weld puddle by tapering off, mashing the pedal, tapering, mashing, until you get the instincts to push your foot when you see the puddle doing something you like/dislike.

A pedal is a great asset for TIG, but honestly, many production TIG welders don't use one. It requires the pedal be dragged around the shop floor, balancing like a stork, and the cables are always tangling. I know many stainless TIG pipe welders who run Lift Arc because they light up and go, having preset their amps. Its faster, simple, and accurate. And it makes learning a lot easier!