Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi every body, new to the site and new to TIG welding. I have done prety much all other types but really want to get into aluminium. So here is the question.

I just bought a new weldmaster 200p vrd. (pretty sure thats the code lol) i have figured out half the settings but would like help on the rest. here is the list, would be great if someone could give me a quick explanation on each. cheers guys.

1. Peak current.
2. Basic current.
3. Arc force.
4. Clean area width.
5. Pulse duty.
6. Pulse frequency.

And if it helps. I will be welding like 3-6mm aluminium. And stainless down the track.

I'm not familiar with the particular machine, but I can help with the terminology.

Let's start with #3, "Arc Force". This implies the machine can do DC stick (SMAW). The settings range from "smooth" to "crisp" (may be called something else on the dial), and controls how much "filtering" the DC gets. In an ideal world, a "zero" setting would be smooth perfect DC, giving a soft, low spatter arc with less chance of sticking a rod, but low relative penetration. In that same ideal world, a setting of "10" would give you chopped DC, unfiltered rectified, meaning 120 pulses per second (on a 60Hz supply), meaning that while the RMS power is the same, the current peaks above the "set current" 120 times per second for deeper penetration, but also gives you 120 chance per second to stick the rod.

#4... This will be important to you as you learn your new machine with Aluminum as your goal. This is an AC TIG setting, and the most important. It's often called "arc balance". It has to do with what proportion of the AC you're welding with is positive vs. negative. Without getting too technical, the broader the "cleaning" action, the hotter your tungsten and cup will get. Without a mentor, you'll have to learn on your own the smallest clean zone you can tolerate. The smaller, the better, as too much heat in the tungsten can create way too big a ball on the end (even with alloyed tungsten) and make the arc hard to focus, or even drip molten tungsten in the weld (which must be ground out... It will not alloy with Al and is a weak point in the weld like porosity).

#s 1,2,5,6... First, don't worry about them until you can run a respectable bead with pulse turned off. As for what they mean:

Pulse turns the power up and down, as you might with a foot pedal, but in a very precise way.
Basic current is the "background" current, or "down", in the "up/down" description. Peak current is the "up".
Pulse duty is what percentage of time the "pulsing" is at peak current vs. basic current.
Pulse frequency should probably explain itself by now, and is usually marked in "Hz" or "Pps" (pulses per second).

I hope this is some help.

Steve S

hey steve.

that helps a lot thanks! i figured the arc thing would be for stick, just wanted to make sure there.

the pulse i have now seen videos and that seems like it wont apply to me for a while untill i wana have a play around with it. and for peak and basic current, what sort of settings should i look at? because on the dials one has amps and the other is percentage....might be a play and adjust thing.

here is a pic of the welder control panel. the green ticks is what i understand. but i just dont understand how to select the red cross ones...although the peak current im pretty sure i got down pat.

hey

weldmaster, does that mean you're from Australia?
Mick

hey mate, sure am. why do you ask?

sam

weldin mike 27 wrote:hey

weldmaster, does that mean you're from Australia?
Mick

Hey,

Just saw the brand, and it sticks out cos most of the members are from the US. Im from Bendigo in Vic. (I just saw your location, silly me). Welcome aboard.

Mick

hey mick, yer i just updated it after you asked if im from aus haha so dont feel slow! haha

i was originally from ballarat. so not too far away! haha

sam

weldin mike 27 wrote:Hey,

Just saw the brand, and it sticks out cos most of the members are from the US. Im from Bendigo in Vic. (I just saw your location, silly me). Welcome aboard.

Mick

Hey,

cool as, I met another guy on here who was originally from Shep, and now lives in WA.
Hope the tigging is going well.

Mick

well i just bought my first tig welder. and literally just had a go....what have i got myself into haha it wont make a puddle!

weldin mike 27 wrote:Hey,

cool as, I met another guy on here who was originally from Shep, and now lives in WA.
Hope the tigging is going well.

Mick

Hey,

If you have time, you can enrole in a night school tig course at tafe. You should be able to take your machine (i dont really think they'll give a shit) minus your argon. Then youll lean the basics on your machine. IT'll prob have to tested and tagged. I cant see why they would worry. Do not give up!!! Tig is one of the best/coolest processes but it does take a lot of practice to produce good welds.
Ps If you are on Aluminium, make sure to clean the hell out of it with a dedicated stainless steel wire brush. It wont weld well at all if it is even slightly dirty or contaminated. Even clean looking Al has an oxide layer that wont melt. Must be removed( the brushing) before welding.

Mick

yer have been scrubbing it. but maybe not enough. i've been picking jup tiny little things here and there that i can see slightly improve parts. and yes was thinking of a short course at tafe. was on their site last night and couldn't find one ho. im sure there is plenty of them around though.

weldin mike 27 wrote:Hey,

If you have time, you can enrole in a night school tig course at tafe. You should be able to take your machine (i dont really think they'll give a shit) minus your argon. Then youll lean the basics on your machine. IT'll prob have to tested and tagged. I cant see why they would worry. Do not give up!!! Tig is one of the best/coolest processes but it does take a lot of practice to produce good welds.
Ps If you are on Aluminium, make sure to clean the hell out of it with a dedicated stainless steel wire brush. It wont weld well at all if it is even slightly dirty or contaminated. Even clean looking Al has an oxide layer that wont melt. Must be removed( the brushing) before welding.

Mick

Hey,

I wonder if you can enrole in a beginners welding course but ask them to tailor it for mostly tig.

Mick

either that or just enrol for the tig modules. might make it a bit cheaper too!

weldin mike 27 wrote:Hey,

I wonder if you can enrole in a beginners welding course but ask them to tailor it for mostly tig.

Mick