My first tig welds

All In A Days Work · Oct 6, 2016

I got my new Everlast 250EX the other day, I finally got a chance to hook it up last night. I don't have an air cooled torch yet so I had to fab up some connections to my tap water. okay I got everything hooked up water to the torch gas is hooked up and I'm ready to weld. I strike an ark and oh oh, I forgot to turn on the gas. I played for a few minutes and then stuck my filler rod to the tungsten. I've got a long ways to go!

I am having a problem though. My auto darkening helmet didn't seem to be working right. There was a couple times it went light on me. I've never had a problem before, maybe the battery is going bad.

Anyway here is my first rig welds.

And the back side. I think I'm going to slow.

Tim

Shield Arc · Oct 6, 2016

Looks like you need to add more filler rod into the puddle. You're getting some under cut. It will help if you clean the mil scale off the metal more too.

Shield Arc · Oct 6, 2016

This may help you. Different ways to sharpen tungsten for different penetration.

Shield Arc · Oct 6, 2016

One of the moderators on Welding Web came up with this idea. Use a drill motor to spin the tungsten while you are grinding it. If you take the guard off over the grinding wheel, and stand behind the grinder the sparks go away from you. And you don't run the risk on the tungsten digging into the wheel, and sticking into your hand.