Just got first TIG rig!

[Sodo]

Piece of advise about the cheater lens, dont bother, just go buy some of those cheap reading glasses. I have the cheaters in my hood which means nobody else can weld with it. That sounds good, but whenever I use it, I have to take off my bifocals and set them up out of the way and when I get thru welding, I cant ever find where I laid them.

I'm in the same boat. Using cheap reading glasses now, and the problem of losing bi-focals is WORSE, because I can feel the reading glasses ontop of my head I THINK it's my bi-focals.

When I bought the JawHorse I got the welding attachment. And never used it. But with this TIG thing, you are welding while holding the tig torch with accuracy req'mts of about 1/32nd inch (or less), so position is much more important. I'm really glad to have the welding attachment. I also bought a HF welding table, it's was a worthwhile $80. I'm thinking of an adapter so the Jawhorse accessory can be used on the HF welding table.

This TIG thing is very satisfying. Need practice to be more consistent though. Not all of them look like these welds. Basically you melt steel with this tiny, glowing, controllable orb, then try to coax the puddle using it's surface tension, to flow into where you want the weld bead. It takes a lot more concentration, and it can be surprising too, how well it turns out.

I left all my filler rod out in the woods, so I used SS lockwire for these welds. Funny how it melts back, out away from the arc, looks just like solder melting. But seems easier to get it to flow towards the heat.

 

[k0ua]

You are having entirely too much fun. :thumbsup:

 

[CNC Dan]

He's hooked now.

 

[k0ua]

He's hooked now.

yep, he is on the TIG drug now for sure!:laughing:

 

[Sodo]

he's huffing Argon

 

[Big Barn]

FYI. Inert gas, not INEPT.
Sorry, Sodo. Couldn't resist.

Terry

 

[like2wheel]

Wait!

How about explaining how "lift start" works for us noobs following along?

 

[Sodo]

You set the electrode down on the work. THEN press the pedal and hold it. When you lift the electrode up off the work, the machine senses this moment of lift-off and starts the arc in a pre-programmed manner. It starts with a tiny round flame about 1/16" diameter, then you give it some pedal and you're off.

Contrast this to scratch start which is very similar to stick-welding. You lightly brush the tungsten onto the work to start the arc but the tungsten sticks then you try to break it off but instead it lifts your project up off the table and you have to flail it around like a coyote with a gopher. List start is much better.

 

[k0ua]

You lightly brush the tungsten onto the work to start the arc but the tungsten sticks then you try to break it off but instead it lifts your project up off the table and you have to flail it around like a coyote with a gopher.

I will have to admit that brought on a chuckle, and it CAN be just like that if your tungsten gets stuck, but with some practice it can be a lot easier than that.

 

[DXN1EL]

Have you guys seen how Jody uses the filler to start the arc? :cool2:

 

[Shield Arc]

Does he start the arc on the filler rod? A lot of guys who do top quality code work with scratch start Tig rigs do that. Lowers the risk of arc marks out side the weld zone, which is a big no, no! :thumbdown:

 

[Sodo]

By that time you have that skill,,,,, you can do it any way you want. You do that one only when someone's watching.

 

[DXN1EL]

See around 2:40

 

[Sodo]

It was at 3:40. That was the Perfect video. Wish I saw that before I started learning.

 

[CNC Dan]

It was at 3:40. That was the Perfect video. Wish I saw that before I started learning.

If you go to his website, he has links to all his videos, by catagory. Look through his TIG videos for beginer tips.

 

[dragoneggs]

I will have to admit that brought on a chuckle, and it CAN be just like that if your tungsten gets stuck, but with some practice it can be a lot easier than that.

More than a chuckle here... i dang near snorted a swig of Coke all over my keyboard. :laughing::laughing:

 

[Sodo]

This is great stuff! Why did I wait so long to get the TIG running? Probably because the only other time I tried it was Aluminum, and I had terrible trouble with contamination, and nobody to help me thru it. Was NOT very satisfying. This was a long time ago (before YouTube ).

Here's a 1/2" extension bolt welded into a bung. Some fellers can probably tell what caused 'bobble' in the weld.

 

[k0ua]

This is great stuff! Why did I wait so long to get the TIG running? Probably because the only other time I tried it was Aluminum, and I had terrible trouble with contamination, and nobody to help me thru it. Was NOT very satisfying. This was a long time ago (before YouTube ).

Here's a 1/2" extension bolt welded into a bung. Some fellers can probably tell what caused 'bobble' in the weld.

Well, if it is any consolation, I would have invited you over to try your hand with my little rig, but you are on the other side of the country!

 

[Shield Arc]

You shouldn't be so stingy with the filler rod. That under cut is going to bite you in the butt one day!

 

[Sodo]

Filler rod takes more hands. I was using all I had to hold the torch. Plus there's no inspectors

And I don't have any filler, it's all out at my shop in the woods. This is kinda fun, like welding with no underwear, wild & free. Wait,,,,sorry you didn't want to know that. Now James is gonna retract his invite like Terry did.

You didn't say what caused that bobble (and the undercut too). It's all there, like an open book, right?