A look back at this weekend tig welds

[Bert]

fun4now, I was going to think of something witty, but I'm laughing too hard.
Bart, it's ok, by the time the kids move out, maybe the prices of houses will go down and I'll have my own by then! then we can BBQ in my backyard

[Bart]

...from what i have herd its calmen to start low, every one tends to start out too cold. its only practise so heat it up and see how it goes...

Let me interpret: "...from what I have heard, it's common to start low,
everyone tends to start out too cold. It's only practice, so heat it up and see how it goes." THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR DISS'N BAMBI!!!!!!!!!!!

The torch should be pointing at the puddle, not the filler rod. the puddle should melt the filler rod. One thing we teach in beginning TIG, is get a rythm going. That's why we count. One thing our teacher used to ALWAYS say "TURN UP THE HEAT!!!" I think it wa his mantra... Butt welds (hehe...hehe...Bart said "Butt"...), and corner welds are hard, 'cause the edge melts so easily. THAT takes a LOT of practice, so don't be discouraged!
Just make DARN sure, your torch tip is straight between the 2 plates, and not pointed to one side or another! PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
If your want, come on over, and I'll show you how

Thanks for the tips, especially on the torch position on the corners.

I'd love to come over and have you show me but my traveling days are over until my kids move out

[fun4now]

my torch was at 45 degrees over the pool. The torch was pointing towards the rod
the torch should be at 90 deg. or as close as you can to that, the filler should be close to 15 deg.
sorry some how i missed thet part of your post.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR DISS'N BAMBI!!!!!!!!!!!
dissin bambi, i wasent diss'n him i was eating him.

[Bert]

...from what i have herd its calmen to start low, every one tends to start out too cold. its only practise so heat it up and see how it goes...

Let me interpret: "...from what I have heard, it's common to start low,
everyone tends to start out too cold. It's only practice, so heat it up and see how it goes." THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR DISS'N BAMBI!!!!!!!!!!!

The torch should be pointing at the puddle, not the filler rod. the puddle should melt the filler rod. One thing we teach in beginning TIG, is get a rythm going. That's why we count. One thing our teacher used to ALWAYS say "TURN UP THE HEAT!!!" I think it wa his mantra... Butt welds (hehe...hehe...Bart said "Butt"...), and corner welds are hard, 'cause the edge melts so easily. THAT takes a LOT of practice, so don't be discouraged!
Just make DARN sure, your torch tip is straight between the 2 plates, and not pointed to one side or another! PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
If your want, come on over, and I'll show you how

[fun4now]

from what i have herd its commen to start low, every one tends to start out too cold. its only practice so heat it up and see how it goes.

[Bart]

keep in mind if you set the amps to 70 amp's you need to have the peddle all the way down to get the 70 amps, and thats a lil low for 1/8" make it easy on your self set it for 10o amps that should have you welding in the middle some where so you can work it better.

Thanks for the tips. I have tendency to be conservative with my settings. I try and be a little more aggressive with the amps

[fun4now]

keep in mind if you set the amps to 70 amp's you need to have the peddle all the way down to get the 70 amps, and thats a lil low for 1/8" make it easy on your self set it for 10o amps that should have you welding in the middle some where so you can work it better.

[fun4now]

i think you are making it hard on yourself by setting the amps so low. you should be able to give it some peddle and get the puddle right now, boom!! there it is. if you are running too cold like i suspect you are you will be takeing to long to start the puddle and as such are waisting a lot of time and putting too much heat into the serounding area.
i would try kicking your amp's up to atleast 1amp per .01 steel +10%. this will alow you to get the puddle to start fast and add heat as its needed or back off as needed. if you did not have a foot controle, i would not recomend the extra heat, but with the foot controle you can back aff as needed and add as needed.
give it a try with the amps up higher and see how you like it, i think you will like the results as i suspect you are running too cold. no point in useing a foot controle if its bottemed out all the time.
give it a try, you will like it.
you can always back off a lil on the foot controle as you add filler then heat back up again as you move forward.

[Bart]

I was getting a nice little pool going. I also started to find the filler rod would start to liquify and be drawn towards the pool, instead of me having to force the filler into the pool.

I'm not sure if I understand you correctly, but it sounds like you're letting the torch melt your filler rod. The liquified pool is supposed to melt the filler rod. I'm getting to do more and more TIG aluminum and watching him do it also, and it what school taught. TIG is fun, 'cause I think it's like "painting" your beads." Go 3/4 on the foot peddle lide fun4now said (depending on how hot your heat is set), and ease off a lot, but keeping your pool liquid. When there is an indentation, dip your rod. You will have a little bump (or big one, depending how much filler you put in). After that second you dipped and pulled out, use the torch to push the puddle forward (I work from right to left), then you see the puddle getting flat, dip again. Whether you count 1-2-3...dip is all up to you, depending on your heat, speed, etc.
my 2 cents

I was work right to left with the torch in my right hand. My filler rod was just out side of the pool,my torch was at 45 degrees over the pool. The torch was pointing towards the rod. As the tip of the filler rod would liquidfy, the liquid would be drawn to the pool. I was trying to dip the rod in the pool, but kept on running into issue with contacting the tungstan or the rod sticking. So I started to be a lightly more standoff the the rod.

[Bart]

What Do You Have The Welder Set On And Are You Doing Filets
Or Butt Welds

I was working with 1/8 angle, doing butts and corners, 1/16 tungstan, 3/32 rod, 11 cfm and I think I was at about 70 amps. The fillets were coming out nice but my corners need some more work.

[Bart]

i find it best to set the welder so full peddle will just blow threw, that way i am usualy about 1/2-3/4 peddle in that range. best to kep it hot and as fast as you can progress wile maintaining controle. i'm still fairly new to TIG but with a good O/A background i am off to a good start. and have moved on to useable aluminum welds, still need a lil work on apearence though. but that will come with time, i just keep at it when i get a chance.

I've using the quick reference chart to get me in the ball park on my settings. I general set the amps to the lower part of th range shown on the chart, but I'll have to using your full pedal technique. Sounds like a good safe guard.

I actually have no o/a experience and I new that was going to be a handicap when taking up tig.

[HMW]

Bart congrats on the practice.

I have the same welder as you. About 3 yrs old and I like it. I first practiced with TIG on an older SW250 and I really had a time learning it. After practicning with the 250 I borrowed from work i bought the 180. What a difference old and new is. My welds improved overnight. I just leave the 180 set on 150 and just use the pedal. have not changed it since I bought it. I really like alum, but it can be difficult and Im still practing on making those nice ripples others make. My welds are usually smooth, not "dimes" but I sawed some practice pieces apart and was good. I think its more important to watch everything get fused together than it is to make a pretty bead. But its nice to have both, im still working on the latter. I too have learned alot from here and reading books on TIG. I had already had many years in stick and mig but was completely new to TIG and had no one to ask about it so it was by trail and error. This site is great, lots of good info

[fun4now]

Whether you count 1-2-3...dip is all up to you, depending on your heat, speed, etc.
my 2 cents
i never tryed the count thing, i'll have to give it a shot. just figure a count that maches your speed and heat and use it to keep the ripples constant right??
now to find some more time to play with it i still got to get more stick time in too???
on the bright side, i got a cool welder so i can play any time i get the time.

[Bert]

I was getting a nice little pool going. I also started to find the filler rod would start to liquify and be drawn towards the pool, instead of me having to force the filler into the pool.

I'm not sure if I understand you correctly, but it sounds like you're letting the torch melt your filler rod. The liquified pool is supposed to melt the filler rod. I'm getting to do more and more TIG aluminum and watching him do it also, and it what school taught. TIG is fun, 'cause I think it's like "painting" your beads." Go 3/4 on the foot peddle lide fun4now said (depending on how hot your heat is set), and ease off a lot, but keeping your pool liquid. When there is an indentation, dip your rod. You will have a little bump (or big one, depending how much filler you put in). After that second you dipped and pulled out, use the torch to push the puddle forward (I work from right to left), then you see the puddle getting flat, dip again. Whether you count 1-2-3...dip is all up to you, depending on your heat, speed, etc.
my 2 cents

[AC MOTORSPORTS]

I Remember This Felling

What Do You Have The Welder Set On And Are You Doing Filets
Or Butt Welds

I Have Done A Lot Of Tig Welding On Stainless All Thikness
And When I Got Good At Aluminum I Felt Like You And That Is
The Best Felling Ever "right On"

Set A Gole And Do That Then Get Good At That Then Move On

Aluminum Was My Gole And A Old Welder Told Me To Wel Two Pop Cans Together And I Laughed At Him But I Did Do It That Was Hard

My Best Friend Is High-freak On All The Time And Stainless Is Good To Weld On No Rust To Clean Up And Put The Ground On The Work Not The Table

Good Luck And Tig On - "practice Will Help"