Newbie to TIG

[TheRealSpinner]

I have recently purchased a Dynasty 200DX (still haven't recieved it yet though). When I go to pick it up (probably tues.), I plan on also getting 2 bottles of Argon- one approx. 90 cubic feet for normal use and a smaller 20 cub ft. bottle for transportational purposes. I was wondering if anybody could recomend what other accessories I should buy. (I was gong already planning to buy a contractor's kit also and was going to build a custom cart for the Dynasty and my Hobart 135.) What about the regulator that comes with the package, I was thinking about upgrading.

I have tig'd once, and the guy showing me said that I "got it". I have been migging for a couple years in my garage, and I have lso been practicing on the torch.

I plan to practice on mild steel until I get the hang of tig and the features before I move to other materials. I would like some advice on what consumables to buy as well.

Thanks,
-SPiNNeR-

[burninbriar]

I just got into tig also.You mentioned you have been toch welding.You and I have a lot in common.You're set up will probably come with 1 ceriated tungsten of various diameters.I would get some pure and zirconiated tungston for aluminum.Like you, I thought it would be a while but I think from the OA experiance the aluminum tigging was not that hard.You will probably want to experiment with other alloyed tungston as well.(thoiated,lanthiated)I would also pick up some 1/16 mild steel and 1/16 4043 aluminum rod.As for the argon bottle,an 80 cf is only 3' tall and will transport very easy.20 cf I think will disapoint you.
Have fun,I am...Pete

[Mike W]

Give some thought to the bottle size. Even the large 300 or whatever the exact size is will go empty fairly quickly. Tig is much slower than mig so the gas comsumption is much faster.

[fun4now]

pure tung

do not get or use pure tung with the dynasty. you will break the dynasty if you use pure tung. get 1.5% or 2% lanthanated tung. it is the best for the dynasty and will work just as well for aluminum as with steel or any thing you want to weld.
DO NOT BALL THE TUNG. WITH THE DYNASTY !!!!!!!!!

the dynasty is an inverter welder and dose not use pure tung. nore dose it require the tung to be balled. if you do thease things you will break youre new welder.

i hope this didnt sound mean. but it is verry important that you dont use pure tung, or ball it it is the only cause of breakage i have read about on the dyn.200 in about a year of being on the site. for youre own sake take the time to read youre owners manual befor you start TIGing with it.the dynasty is a great welder but it is verry diferent frome the transformer based welders and must be treated diferently.

good luck and happy sparking to ya you will love the dynasty.

[fun4now]

bottle

if you are going to get 2 bottles 1for shop and 1 for mobile welding i agree with Mike W the 80 would be a good choice for the on the go bottle and would get atleast a 150 for the shop.

[burninbriar]

I've heard pure tungsten and balling is not nessesary on a Dynesty but never knew it would destroy the machine.I certainly didn't mean to steer anyone wrong,just to get enough stuff to try diferent things.Mine is a Syncrowave.Reading instructions is always a good start.Sorry for the bad info.

[HAWK]

GOOD JOB fun4now! I am sure burninbriar meant no harm and learned some new info as well. There are recorded instances where a Dynasty has been ruined by pure tungsten and or balling of tungsten.

The Dynasty series inverter welding power sources work best on AC and DC with lanthanated or ceriated tungsten. My personal preference for the Dynasty 200DX is 1.5% lanthanated tungsten. It handles the heat better and retains it shape longer than the ceriated tungsten alloy.

Thoriated can be used as a last choice. However, grinding thoriated tungsten alloy produces radioactive dust. The zirconiated tungsten is great for AC welding on standard squarewave machines like the Miller Syncrowave series. Pure tungsten has its applications, but not with the Dynasty!

Tungsten prep is explained in the manual. It consists of a longitudinal grind to a sharp point for DC applications. A slight blunting of the point creates the ideal tungsten preparation for AC welding applications with the Dynasty.

I must agree with Mike W that the largest bottle that can be comfortably handled is the best choice. This will result in fewer trips to your gas supplier. I understand the portability issue and would opt one or maybe two 40 CF bottles for mobile work.

[burninbriar]

I've been trying to think how to wod this without comming off wrong.I'm sure the Dynasty is a good machine but the fact that tungsten composition and shape is sufficient to cause damage makes it seem quite tempermental.My question is that it would seem that weld metal preparation would be equally important to the machines integrity.Is this a safe assumption?

[fun4now]

it is the act of balling that causes the problem more than any thing els. not the balled tung but balling it. the dynasty was not desined to do this and you will over work it as you melt the tung into a ball.

[TheRealSpinner]

reguarding advice

thanks for all the helpful advise. i want it to be known that i don't get offended very easily. i realize that i know very little right now, that's why i am asking. what i do know has been from the "tig handbook" that i downloaded from miller that regulary refers to the dynasty 300.

now, it sounds like the 1.5% lanthanated tungston will work with all types of metal, right? that way, i can get that in different lengths (as well as different backing lengths for the torch to fit into tight corners) and not worry about changing it, just shaping it. i plan to build a motorcycle frame from scratch with a few donor parts--headset, forks, dropouts, etc--as well as roll cages. i have a bender (http://www.pro-tools.com/200.htm), and notcher (http://www.pro-tools.com/hsn501i.htm), and didn't think that the mig would do as nice a job as a good tig machine would do.

as far as the bottle sizes, i always think about needing it to be portable, but realistically, i wil probably never have to do it, i just want the option. i was thinking of the really small bottles just because they would be really easy to move, i just drive a civic.

-SPiNNeR-

[HAWK]

burninbriar,

The Dynasty is not really tempermental as you say. It is newer technology utilizing an advanced squarewave arc. Therefore, a few characteristics of the TIG standard for the past 25 years (squarewave arc) are different.

One nice feature is that continuous high frequency is not needed to maintain the arc with the Dynasty. The high frequency is only used to start the arc and then it cuts out. Pretty cool?

Also this advanced arc depends on a pointed tungsten tip to propogate its energy. A balled tungsten will only disperse the arc energy effectively overworking the machine. The ceriated and lanthanated tungsten alloys have the electrical conductivity that the Dynasty needs to maintain the proper arc.

It is nice to have a GTAW power source capable of : producing 150+ amps on 120VAC, maintaining an excellent AC arc without continuous high frequency, using one type of tungsten for AC and DC welding, adjustable arc frequency form 20-250HZ and infinite pulse from 0-500PPS. All of this is wrapped up in a 45 pound suitcase.

All that said don't get me wrong. I learned on an old Lincoln sinewave machine (predecessor of the squarewave machine) and really like the Miller Syncrowave series. However, the Dynasty's high tech features packed into a portable package that is powered from 100-500VAC 1 or 3 phase make it a rather appealing GTAW power source.

The metal prep is the same as for any TIG machine. The cleaner the better. Physical cleaning followed by a good chemical cleaning such as an acetone wipe is standard procedure for most materials.

[HAWK]

thanks for all the helpful advise. i want it to be known that i don't get offended very easily. i realize that i know very little right now, that's why i am asking. what i do know has been from the "tig handbook" that i downloaded from miller that regulary refers to the dynasty 300.

now, it sounds like the 1.5% lanthanated tungston will work with all types of metal, right? that way, i can get that in different lengths (as well as different backing lengths for the torch to fit into tight corners) and not worry about changing it, just shaping it. i plan to build a motorcycle frame from scratch with a few donor parts--headset, forks, dropouts, etc--as well as roll cages. i have a bender (http://www.pro-tools.com/200.htm), and notcher (http://www.pro-tools.com/hsn501i.htm), and didn't think that the mig would do as nice a job as a good tig machine would do.

as far as the bottle sizes, i always think about needing it to be portable, but realistically, i wil probably never have to do it, i just want the option. i was thinking of the really small bottles just because they would be really easy to move, i just drive a civic.

-SPiNNeR-

Lanthanated is your best choice. You can purchase it in 7" sticks and use a bench grinder to notch, cut, and prep it. A 40 cubic foot argon bottle will ride nicely in your Civic. It is not much larger than the Dynasty 200DX. Enjoy!

[Blown S-10]

i can't speak for other 200dx users. but from my experience. GOOD LUCK keep the tip from balling on aluminum. it happens to me nearly every single time.

[HAWK]

Tungsten Tip Configurations and Causes

Blown S-10,

The tip wall loose its point after a period of time, but should not form a true ball like the Syncrowave does. If this is happening, your balance could be too far to the + side or your tungsten diameter could be too small for your amperage. Take a look at the attached picture from Miller's TIG Handbook. The tip should resemble tip "B". It may have lost some taper, but should not form a ball as shown on tips "A" or "E".

[Blown S-10]

HAWK

take a look at a ball point pen. thats the size of the ball i'm getting, and looks about the same. nothing seems to make a difference.

#7 cup, gas lense
3/32 lanth, thort, cer
balance 60-80
herz, doesn't matter
gas, 15-25

"sometimes" it doesn't do it, maybe 10% of the time