Help perfecting tig bead.

[Peter]

hi all,

Drewworm, as long as each filler application overlaps the previous by at least 50% you shouldn't have any problems.

while Engloids pics show the differences well, they're both extremely good and don't illustrate the REALLY exagerated bead that seems to be in vogue with some people.

personally i add small(ish) amounts of filler frequently- the finished weld is pretty smooth but each dab is visible

[pro70z28]

I was a MIG welder for years,(But a long time ago). When I got the TIG I had a MIG mentality and tended to blast away and undercut the workpiece. I'm learning to run the bead slightly cooler and add slightly more filler. The more I weld the less undercutting is a problem, but I've got a long way to go. I still have to pay attention or I drift back to my old ways. I'd like to give aluminum a try one of these days. I've had people tell me it's easy, some say it's dificult. My brother is a pro at aluminum, but he lives 1/2 way ascoss the country. Are there any tricks to a good bead on aluminum?
At the risk of embarrasing myself, this is what my TIG welds look like. I think they look more like a MIG weld. I get the dime look a little sometimes, most of the time not. I can't seem to be consistant. If I try the ''walking the cup'' approach, I really mess up. I guess I'll keep at it. By the time I have everything welded & done I'll catch on.

[drewworm]

You guys are all very helpful. Hail to all those accross the pond, Pete. I am leaving for the shop now and the plan is not to build anything, but just practice joining some pieces and using the info you guys gave me.
Thanks

[Engloid]

Pro70Z28.... the biggest reason your bead is dark is because you didn't clean the mill scale of the metal prior to welding. Other than that, it doesn't look all that bad. By cleaning if first, you will get a much smoother bead and a lot less arc wander.

[pro70z28]

Pro70Z28.... the biggest reason your bead is dark is because you didn't clean the mill scale of the metal prior to welding. Other than that, it doesn't look all that bad. By cleaning if first, you will get a much smoother bead and a lot less arc wander.

Thanks for the tip Engloid. I'll give that a try. I've always made sure the surface was clean, but never gave a thought to the scale.

[drewworm]

Z28...Nothing to be embarrased about there. Weld looks good considering what I put up sometimes. I've heard the term "walk-the-cup" but don't know what it refers to.

[dandimand]

Have you guys ever seen the aluminum welds on the intake manifolds from wilson . I honestly think these are the nicest aluminum welds I have ever seen . ive been tig welding for over 20 years and still not able to do them as nice as these guys . Davis radiators is pretty good as well .

[LightningStruck]

I've gotten my hands on a couple Hogan's intakes, and I must say I've always been amazed at them as well!

I played around alittle more today, and am making pretty good progress. I've been playing around with a bunch of the settings on my 200dx to see what they do and how they affect the look of the bead. I seem to get the most shine with the balance set ~60, freq at ~220Hz and amperage right around 100 on 1/8th 6061. I used some 1/16 4043 filler and got that down, and then jumped up to 3/32 and noticed a much more defined "dime" effect due to the higher deposition rate. Also put on my 3/32 gas lense and started using 1.5% lanthanated tungstens.. Oh and my new 24D TIG gloves

But a quick question. I notice if I tilt the torch down from perpendicular to the piece, the shine in the bead goes away. If I maintain a 70-90* angle to the work piece the shines there. Is there any particular reason? In the last couple days my beads have improved dramatically thanks to the tips and knowledge on this board!

[FM117]

I should have been clearer, it seems that I've been seeing tig weld
beads in places that only have about 30-40 % overlap and some people
seem to think that's just wonderful.
The examples Engloid posted are both great, he had the idea
of what I meant. It looks like about 75-85% overlap in
his beads, not the huge wide spacing I was ranting about.
I set the mig up a while back and sprayed some 3/8 in stuff
for somebody's construction trailer .....they complained
"it ain't got no ripples in it"......arg!
Just seems like people are getting hung up on wide bead spacing
lately, like it's the only sign of a good weld.
Dave P.