new to tig... help !!!!

[bsims]

I just bought a syncrowave 180 and am trying to teach myself how to weld with it.
I am a fairly good stick and mig welder, but tig welding is trying to get the best of me.
I have been practicing running beads on scrap square tubing, 3/16 wall . 3/32 tungsten

Several problems: I can't seem to get a feel for the amp setting.
I keep getting spatter and trash on the tungsten.

I hope to get good enough to try aluminum.
I would appreciate any advice or comments.

Thanks for reading...

[revpol]

bsims: 3/32 tungsten-3/32 wire the heat setting would be about the same heat as 3/32 7018. Make sure you are on dc straight polarity,15-20 lbs. of argon, tungsten stick-out about 3/8 inch(ground to a good point) and your piece to weld on is ground clean no contaminents. If you are right handed, tortch in right hand travels rt. to left. Wire in left hand, for now just keep it in the puddle. Slight zig zag motion across the wire. You can tell when you have a puddle going by watching for a little white dot wiggling around in the leading edge of the puddle this dot you have to keep going. Try to keep your tungsten pointed about 10-15 degrees in the direction that you are going. You will find your arc gap to be about 1/8 inch. to tight and you will have trouble keeping a puddle and probably stick the tungsten. To big a gap and you will get porosity and a very irradic arc. Again make sure your pieces are clean. If you are trying open root you have to clean the backside also, at least 1/4 inch on each side of the edges. Oh yes make sure there is no leaks of argon in your connections. Once you set your flow meter to the proper setting, when you turn off your tortch the ball should drop to the bottom of the meter. 100% argon is what you should be using right now. revpol

[fun4now]

picture

show us what you are getting post a pic so we can pick it apart for you (by we i mean the others here as i havent started tig yet )