Welding Tips and Tricks

To start off with, I'm new to TIG welding, I've only ever stick welded and some MIG. In fact I have not yet ever welded with a TIG, but I decided to upgrade my stick welder to a DC only stick/tig combo. I had some pre-requisites like, not made in china, HF start, 150A minimum capacity but preferably 180-200A, and less than 700 euros. Basically I was looking for used ESABs or Kemppis.

Looks like I found more for my money than I expected because this week I should be getting home a used Kemppi Minarc 300 TIG for 200 less than my budgets limit. It's an older (1990s era) industrial model with 300A capacity, way more than I am likely to need, but it has HF start and lift-arc as well. I suppose it's good to have a machine that is overkill, it means I will likely never stress this machine or run it very hard.



Anyway it has the usual functions, such as HF/lift, slope functions and ability to take a separate pulse-module. Also comes with a separate hand held remote which I think is meant more for stick welding. But it also had this strange mode called a MiniLog. Basically what it does is that you set a welding current, then a "standby" current, and by pressing the torch trigger you switch betwee the two, hold the trigger down longer and it slopes out. So basically you can swap between two pre-set currents when welding.

Never heard of anything like that before and I don't suppose it is very common in US machines because it seems a pedal will do what you need anyway. Pedals are more rare in europe though, I guess perhaps this could have some application when you are welding in positions where a pedal would not be suitable. It's all totally academic to me, I need to be padding beads for a while instead. But I thought I should share.

Nice find, looking forward to seeing it in operation.

Thanks, I don't have any argon and I'm mostly used to welding stick so I'll probably do that for a while until i get an argon tube. I'm looking at an 11 liter tank, I dunno how you measure capacity in US units though so this probably doesn't mean much.

This thing just seems to have more and more functions, there's apparently a tack weld function too.

Arrived today, but I had it shipped to my parents place, sadly too big to get in my little Yaris so I'll have to go back with the trailer tomorrow. Torch looks new, flexible head, Kemppi TTC 130, so a 130A torch, smallest model they have. Kinda feels clumsy but I didn't try it very much,

Good deal, just got to get it wired for power and some argon.

Never heard of minilog before but I have to give you an A+ for color and composition on that first photo. Very nice.

DennisCA wrote:Thanks, I don't have any argon and I'm mostly used to welding stick so I'll probably do that for a while until i get an argon tube. I'm looking at an 11 liter tank, I dunno how you measure capacity in US units though so this probably doesn't mean much.

This thing just seems to have more and more functions, there's apparently a tack weld function too.

Hey there Dennis.

If you are going to be practising and padding beads, I'd be going for more than 11 litres of argon. When I first got started with Tig I had a 1.7 cubic metre tank of argon and I used it all in about two weeks of practising. I now run a 10.2 cubic metre tank.


Kym

11l is the biggest tank any single person can buy in Finland and I don't want to rent. No actual law against getting a bigger one but none of the companies will fill it up for you, they want you on a renting scheme.

It's more than 11l of argon of course, it refers to the physical volume of the tank, I think in american terms it's roughly equivalent to 80 cubic feet of argon.

Also heard back from CK worldwide and stuff for their no. 9 torches should fit this model, which is good, then I can get gas lenses and stuff, I think saving argon will be something of a priority for me, I hate wasting, bit OCD about it.

DennisCA wrote:11l is the biggest tank any single person can buy in Finland and I don't want to rent. No actual law against getting a bigger one but none of the companies will fill it up for you, they want you on a renting scheme.

It's more than 11l of argon of course, it refers to the physical volume of the tank, I think in american terms it's roughly equivalent to 80 cubic feet of argon.

Also heard back from CK worldwide and stuff for their no. 9 torches should fit this model, which is good, then I can get gas lenses and stuff, I think saving argon will be something of a priority for me, I hate wasting, bit OCD about it.

Dennis -

I'm OCD on wastage too. 80 cf is about 2.2 cubic metres, still very small but hey, if that's what you've got, that's what you've got. (I also hate renting.)

I did many experiments with post flow to see how little I could use and retain a shiny silver electrode and there's not much room for skimping I'm afraid. However, for lower amp welding I have found that I am able to run quite a low LPM flow and still get a good weld. I think that's where the potential to save argon lies.

Of course your results may differ.

Have fun!


Kym

I was hoping to test the stick function last night at least, but of course, the plug didn't fit any of my sockets. Turns out it was fitted with a 32A 3ph plug and I got only 16A sockets. So a trip to town for a new plug is required before I can even try out my new machine...

I tried holding the TIG torch and it does feel clumsy, I don't know what a good way to hold this would be. Most people I've seen seem to hold it with their index finger on the trigger but that didn't work well I thought. If I positioned it so I used my thumb to actuate the torch, it felt better.