[Chips O'Toole]

I am ashamed to say that I still have not conquered basic TIG. I got a welder in 2017. Then I moved 300 miles. I had to care for my dad, who has dementia, and I never got my shop set up. He is now in assisted living, so I am thinking it would be nice to get back to welding.

I had a nutty idea. I have no wife to tell me what to do, and my welder will run on 120. I was thinking I might roll it into my living room and TIG in comfort. I would have to leave the messier tools in the garage or shop, but I don't see any reason why I can't TIG indoors, since TIG doesn't throw hot metal. Insane idea?

I'm wondering what's the best metal to use when I get back to learning. I was using 1/8" steel and aluminum in 2017. I wonder if I should go thinner. I figure a person who learns on thinner metal will be ready when thick stuff comes along, but it doesn't work the other way around. Also, thinner stuff should be cheaper and easier to cut up and prepare.

[tweake]

all good until you drop a bit of hot metal. also you will need tungsten grinder handy. real pain if you have to go out the shed to regrind. that will get old real fast.
metal tends to be dirty and you handle it which will spread dirt around the house.
i would keep it in the shed.

thin metal is a harder to practice on but thicker is harder to prep.
use some thick plate to run beads on but then use thinner metal to make mock projects. eg weld tube sections together.

[ex framie]

I agree with Tweake, keep it in the shed.
Do you have 240v in the garage?
I'm constantly dipping the tungsten so being near the electrode grinder is a huge benefit.
Acetone fumes dont go well with living rooms, along with mill scale and other assorted dusts and fumes welding produces.
Cheers

[Mike Westbrook]

Tig in the tub while sitting on the can this way you can run the exhaust fan for fumes use the shower to extinguish the fires and have plenty of towels to wipe down metal problem solved !!

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[Chips O'Toole]

Tig in the tub while sitting on the can this way you can run the exhaust fan for fumes use the shower to extinguish the fires and have plenty of towels to wipe down metal problem solved !!

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Should I drain the water first?

I have always dreamed of having a house which is really more like a big garage. Concrete floor, tools at one end, living area at the other. Unrealistic, perhaps. Fun to think about.

[Mike Westbrook]

I know a few people that live in the loft of a big ass shop and couldn't be happier I have the shop at the bottom of the property to keep weirdos away from the house and the house at the top to keep the wife out of the shop !

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[cornmuse]

I still have not conquered basic TIG

You are still practicing, yes?
Practice on CLEAN metal.
Get a pack of 6-10 whatever tungstens & sharpen both ends!
I saw a friend tigging at his desk, carpet on the floor, a piece of drywall and a piece of clean 1/4" sheet on the drywall. 'Course he knew what he was doing!
I myself might try in my kitchen, but not in the office!
I'm still practicing 12 years later.

[cornmuse]

I still have not conquered basic TIG

You are still practicing, yes?
Practice on CLEAN metal.
Get a pack of 6-10 whatever tungstens & sharpen both ends!
I saw a friend tigging at his desk, carpet on the floor, a piece of drywall and a piece of clean 1/4" sheet on the drywall. 'Course he knew what he was doing!
I myself might try in my kitchen, but not in the office!
I'm still practicing 12 years & counting.

[Louie1961]

I would not TIG indoors. the Argon has to go somewhere, and TIG produces ozone and other less healthy fumes. Better if you weld where there is some ventilation. Plus you don't want that smell in your living quarters I don't think.

[MinnesotaDave]

I would not TIG indoors. the Argon has to go somewhere, and TIG produces ozone and other less healthy fumes. Better if you weld where there is some ventilation. Plus you don't want that smell in your living quarters I don't think.

ALL good points, but my friend tig welds in his basement often and the house doesn't seem to smell bad really.

The last mobile job I did was a basement fireplace crack. Carpet all the way to the hearth.
My biggest problem was just not messing up the carpet

If I didn't have a basement, and wanted to tig inside, kitchen table would be my choice.
Easy access to 240v range plug or dedicated 120v plug that isn't daisy chained to a bunch of random stuff.
My fridge and microwave are both on their own circuit.

[Chips O'Toole]

I have not been practicing. The move north was a tremendous ordeal, and I was my dad's only caregiver, which sucked up a lot of my time.

I'm thinking of starting up again with thin cold-rolled steel, like 16-gauge sheet. Buying hot-rolled 1/8" steel and removing the scale got really old. It seems to me that if I can learn to weld on 16 gauge, I'll have very few problems with thicker steel, but if I learn on 1/8", I'll be hopeless if I have to weld thinner steel.

Or maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about.

[Poland308]

As long as your prpaired for the inevitable fact that you will drop a bit of hot rod and melt some flooring, then proceed. However at 20 cfm a min you can calculate how long till your out of air. I’ve done welding work in office spaces and inside wall cavities. It’s a calculated risk.

[Mike Westbrook]

In all seriousness Google what inhaling ozone does for you it's almost as good as galv. Fumes I work on orchard sprayers and was welding inside a tank once before we had a respiratory suit just a fan going on the lid I was deathly I'll for a week not sure from the burning pesticide residue or the weld fumes or both but ever since I use all the gear I can not a cool experience

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[tweake]

i've had a taste of ozone off the tig before, it rips your throat out. it basically kills any living cells it contacts. which is why its used to kill bacteria etc.
the helmet usually keeps most of it away with a bit of ventilation, but sometimes it gets around the corner.
but keep in mind its rare to produce much of it.

[bap_]

I'm thinking of starting up again with thin cold-rolled steel, like 16-gauge sheet.

That is perfect. 16 gauge is thin enough to learn how to control your heat, but thick enough to still be fun to weld.

One thing I got lucky with was befriending a worker at a local sheet metal shop. I just give him a call and ask if it's not to busy for me to swing by, then I buy up a couple sheet cut offs. Normally it's sheered 3x4 or 2x4 sheets of 14/16ga. I always pay cash, and they always hook me up.

[Chips O'Toole]

I got myself several square feet of thin sheet metal at Lowe's for $20. Now to see if I can make it work.

I watched one of Jody's videos on thin metal, and I saw he was using clear lenses. He said they helped him see. I ordered some from his site. Anything that will help me see what I'm doing is welcome.

Wondering if I should use filler rod or MIG wire on this stuff.

[LtBadd]

and I saw he was using clear lenses. He said they helped him see. I ordered some from his site. Anything that will help me see what I'm doing is welcome.

Wondering if I should use filler rod or MIG wire on this stuff.

clear lenses, do you mean a cheater lens?

As for filler you could use either, what do you have available?

[bap_]

I think he means a pyrex cup.

If its mild steel 16ga I'd use ER70S-2 or ER70S-6 tig filler wire in the 1/16 diameter. If it is thinner than 16ga you might want to use the mig wire if you don't have .045 tig wire.

[pgk]

and I saw he was using clear lenses. He said they helped him see. I ordered some from his site. Anything that will help me see what I'm doing is welcome.

Wondering if I should use filler rod or MIG wire on this stuff.

clear lenses, do you mean a cheater lens?

As for filler you could use either, what do you have available?

I think he's talking about those clear cups, like Furick..