TIG welding tips for dummies (me)

[miketweedie]

Hey gang. My fiancée knocked it out of the park this year and bought me a TIG welder for Christmas. I have "some" experience with TIG, but realistically I am starting from scratch. So, I'm wondering if anyone has a "tried and trusted" resource for TIG settings, tips, tricks etc.

My machine is dual voltage (110/220) which is important, because we still don't have 220 in the garage. I've been playing around with some scrap sheet metal, some 1/8" stock, etc. and trying to learn how all the different controls work. It has a pulse function, which is great, but I'm hoping to build a basic reference chart for when I need to use it.

If anyone has something like this, or knows a good website to get it from, I am all ears.

Thanks, and happy new year to you all.

-Mike

 

[Jim]

Hey gang. My fiancée knocked it out of the park this year and bought me a TIG welder for Christmas. I have "some" experience with TIG, but realistically I am starting from scratch. So, I'm wondering if anyone has a "tried and trusted" resource for TIG settings, tips, tricks etc.

My machine is dual voltage (110/220) which is important, because we still don't have 220 in the garage. I've been playing around with some scrap sheet metal, some 1/8" stock, etc. and trying to learn how all the different controls work. It has a pulse function, which is great, but I'm hoping to build a basic reference chart for when I need to use it.

If anyone has something like this, or knows a good website to get it from, I am all ears.

Thanks, and happy new year to you all.

-Mike

Knowing the brand and model would help. There's some good pointers on Youtube, but most are brand/model specific.

 

[Beck Built Fab]

If it happens to be a Primeweld machine, The Fabrication series on YouTube has a very in depth video on that machine. Even if it isn't a lot of machines are pretty universal as far as what controls do, they just might name them something different.

I am a full time Tig welder. Feel free to pm me if you need!!

 

[miketweedie]

Knowing the brand and model would help. There's some good pointers on Youtube, but most are brand/model specific.

Good call, Jim.

It is just a cheap Yeswelder 205P. It is DC only (I don't currently have any need to weld aluminum). Here is a LINK

Currently setup on 110V, pure argon, 3/32 tungsten and 1/16 ER70S2 filler.

 

[miketweedie]

If it happens to be a Primeweld machine, The Fabrication series on YouTube has a very in depth video on that machine. Even if it isn't a lot of machines are pretty universal as far as what controls do, they just might name them something different.

I am a full time Tig welder. Feel free to pm me if you need!!

Thanks DB, that is super generous of you.

 

[Beck Built Fab]

Thanks DB, that is super generous of you.

Not a problem man! Welding is a huge passion of mine. I love helping people get into it!

That looks like an awesome and capable little machine! Has just about everything my Primeweld has just less knobs and no AC.

You're in the right track with the tungsten size and filler. I use 3/32 tungsten for everything up to about 270 amps, then I'll go to 1/8". Filler wire usually depends on material thickness. I tend to use 1/16 and 3/32 the most. Along with .45 sometimes.

The key to success is hood time and research!

 

[Damage Inc]

It is just a cheap Yeswelder 205P

Please keep us posted on how the machine is working out. I'm in the market for a cheap DC only TIG as well.

 

[Paul Sutton]

The title of this thread seems just fine for me...

About 2 years ago I scrapped my MIG and bought one of those very cheap inverter power supply MMA/TIG combination welders for £75. I went for one with the Lift TIG option. Just recently I have been playing with the beast in Lift TIG mode. The circuitry is very good for striking an ARC but unfortunately I am finding snapping the ARC off a little difficult and this gives me a small pinhole at the end of each weld. I saw on U-tube 2 videos where they made simple foot switches to interrupt the current to the torch. As you may expect they got a lot of arcing when switching of the TIG arc, but they were able to prevent pinhole formation. So I decided to make one with a couple of improvements to deal with the arcing during switching by stealing from the concept of ignition points and capacitors.

The lead on the Left plugs into the Negative on the welder and the Torch plugs into the socket at the Right. The switch is made from a domed piece of brass that pushes down into a matching counter sink, also made of brass. To prevent arcing at the switch when switching off the TIG arc a capacitor is placed across the contact points - Ignition concept. I used a large capacitor (63V 22,000 MFD electrolytic: Positioned in the white tubing on the Right) because I am switching a large current. At the instant the contacts start to open the current diverts to the capacitor and the voltage across the capacitor starts to rise resulting in the TIG arc being extinguished and no arcing at the switch contacts either. When the switch contacts are again closed the charged capacitor shorts and damages the switch contacts. To solve this I connected a heavy resistor (470 Ohm white ceramic thing on the Left) parallel with the capacitor to bleed off the capacitor charge between switching cycles.

I tested this final prototype today and have no switch contact arcing and I can terminate a bead without pinhole formation. For those wondering what this all has to do with the XS650, the foot switch uses a retired XS650 clutch spring...

This idea may be useful to those wishing to use their old MMA welders for scratch TIG. If you want more detailed photos just mail me.

 

[verndawg]

Welding Tips and Tricks. There are videos on youtube and there is a forum where there are a lot of very knowledgeable people willing to help. Best help I've found for learning more about welding.

 

[Paul Sutton]

I just shifted this from another thread as this one seems more appropriate for Dummies...

I find TIG welding nuts to steel plate difficult. Should I be grinding the chamfer off the nut so the nut makes full contact with the steel plate? It seems the chamfer makes it difficult for the bead to bridge from the nut to the steel plate. Maybe I should just use flange nuts?

Thank you for any DIY suggestions.

 

[Beck Built Fab]

I just shifted this from another thread as this one seems more appropriate for Dummies...

View attachment 332072

I find TIG welding nuts to steel plate difficult. Should I be grinding the chamfer off the nut so the nut makes full contact with the steel plate? It seems the chamfer makes it difficult for the bead to bridge from the nut to the steel plate. Maybe I should just use flange nuts?

Thank you for any DIY suggestions.

TIG welding nuts to plate can be tricky. Personally the only grinding I ever do is if it's a zinc plated nut I'll grind off the zinc because that's really gross to try to weld through. I find that when welding things with chamfers on them to a flat surface, having a really sharp skinny point to your tungsten helps direct the arc into the chamfer a bit and you just feed a little bit more wire than normal to get it started or you can direct the ark to the nut feed some wire and wash it onto the plate.

 

[Paul Sutton]

Thank you. In future I will do as you suggest, particularly staying away from Zinc.

 

[Beck Built Fab]

Thank you. In future I will do as you suggest, particularly staying away from Zinc.

No problem! Yeah definitely stay away from zinc. It's nasty nasty stuff and can make you very very sick