Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi!
This is my first post here so bear with me! I'm a boat builder and amateur welder. I do a lot of welding for my own projects and some stuff for friends. I'm working towards being good enough to charge for it one of these days, but not yet! I mostly weld stick and am resonably proficient with mig.

I've never tig'ed but have been around it a bit while others welded.

Here's my question, I have a Lincoln Ranger 250 GXT and I'm wondering if it's possible to use it to tig without buying the high freq box. Some where here on the site Jody mentions the possibility of scratch start tigging with any dc machine. He says more info to come, but I need it NOW! Just kidding, but I've searched the internet looking for info and all I can find are some English web sites that say the same sort of thing but no info on what you need to do this.

I assume at the very least one would need a tig torch with a integral gas valve, argon hose, and gas bottle. The torch will have to have the correct connectors to hook up to my machine. Or am I missing some really important principle of tig? Don't you just need the HF to start the arc without touching? Shouldn't my machine produce the correct current/voltage to the torch? What are these necessary currents/voltages? What else? My machine has both CC/CV settings. I can't find any info on the Lincoln site other than to buy their high frequency "module" which is like $1000. I'd like to get into tig but can't spend the money right now. If I could just get started cheap (maybe even get a used torch and stuff on ebay?) that would be great.

Thanks for any help, I'm learning fast but there's so much to learn!

By the way awesome site, thanks for doing all the work!

Jonathan

So I called my welding supply house to ask this question. Should have done this first but some times they treat me like an idiot because I don't know "everything"
The guy told me I can scratch start only on steel but that all I would need is a torch with a gas valve, a hose, a bottle, and a regulator. Since I will need those things eventually even if I buy the high frequency box I think this is a good way to get started praticing.
Any thoughts on this process?

Thanks
Jonathan

I dont know how to hook it all up, but I have seen it done before. It's not the most convenent way to tig weld, but its probably the cheapest.

But it makes me question, if you are going to buy a tig machine that is only usable on steel, then why not use a cheaper, more convinient, and more productive welding process????

Like mig, stick, or fluxcore. All of these processes are cheaper and eisier to learn, and have a wide variety of metal thicknesses you can weld too.

Oh, I see you have a lincloln ranger. Are you just trying to learn tig?

If so, the method you are describing would be good enough, just make sure to clean your tungsten regularly.

I think the reason the guy told you to only use this method on steel, is becuase other metals like stainless or aluminium are much more sensitive to metal/ tungsten contamination. Like, 2 or 3 touches and the workpeice is toast.( it seems to make the metal very brittle and unworkable by welding, grinding ect.)
So, thats all I really know about it,

good luck,
-Rick

Thanks for the reply. I'm surprised I didn't get more answers. I was finally able to talk to a knowledgeable welder friend and he walked me through what I need.
He says that yes I can do it on mild and stainless steel. Not aluminum because you can't start the arc without high fequency.

All I need is a tig torch with a gas valve. A tig torch power/gas cable. An argon bottle, hose, and flow meter//regulator. And a torch gas adapter. He says it's a fine way to tig on steel. Not perfect, but considering I just want to learn and be able to do some really clean welds on mild steel right now it should be good enough. I'm going to start looking around for all those parts as cheap as I can. My friend may have some spares he can throw my way to.
Oh the only problem is that I won't have any remote control over my amperage settings, so that could make it a little tricky I guess.

Thanks again and I look forward to contributing to the forum when I know something useful!

Jonathan

howdy-
I was able to tig it off of my miller 250 bobcat. bit of a pain in the arse, but I had decent luck-I don't think I would put it into xrY quality, but certainly god enough to hold ranch dressing with some salt and pepper! just a little ole' condiment holder at a local rest.
I used a WP17 air cooled torch just fine of of the welder, tied into argon (all I had & it did fine). most importantly, just know your welder, so you can dial it in without too many f/up's. my 2 cents.
take care-
misterbobo

I am a pipe welder and we never use high frequency. We always use the set up that you have available and it shoots X-ray without any problems. However you won't be able to weld aluminum but sounds like you already know that. Personally I prefer tig welding scratch start and the more you do it the less you will beat the tungsten up. Also I don't believe that scratch starting is such a handicap considering the only material you cant weld is aluminum. You will definitely learn the in and outs of your machine by using this process. I understand that my perspective is from a pipe welding stand point but I think get the hang of scratch start tig welding and it will make the transition to a high frequency machine pretty smooth.

Make your tungsten really sharp then smack the tip. It will help stop bits from melting off into your weld.

Hi. According to my book, the Ranger 250 GXT is an engine Drive commerical machine.

This machine can weld AC or DC. an AC tig optional module is needed. (what ever that is)

Scratch start I am having problems with myself. I suppose you have a few issues.

Do you want to tig DCEN or DCEP?? I would image hooking it up is like any other machine.

Torch on Positive and ground on Negative. (Depending upon DCEN or DCEP)

I was trying this today and I had my torch on the positive side. I can't seem to scratch start

without getting material on my torch.

As far as not getting what you need from that Lincoln person, I would call another dealer, If

that doesn't work, call corporate and ask for their technical support.

Have fun with the machine. I would like to hear your outcome.

the best aluminum welding from the little lincoln, without a freek box (high frequency) is going to come out of a Prince spool gun or similar unit...you may need a"torpedo" box if the Amphenol plug is different but you won't need a freek box...you will need:(your lincoln ranger),pure argon , regulator, spool gun, 1lb spool of wire,.044 mig tip,raw sheet metal to build the boat.