Learning to TIG

[kb58]

One project I enjoy a lot is header fabrication, which combines the technical requirements, welding skills, and artistic ability.

 

[DavidR8]

One project I enjoy a lot is header fabrication, which combines the technical requirements, welding skills, and artistic ability.

That's some really nice work!

 

[kb58]

Here's another glamour pic. Anyway, enough of the showing off... there's so few people who can appreciate it -

 

[DavidR8]

That's beautiful work @kb58!
Do you buy pre-bent tubing?

 

[kb58]

Yes, and to get back on the theme of this thread, TIG welding is like everything else, just practice, practice, practice.

 

[NC Rick]

Thanks for your perspective Rick, I was pleasantly surprised by the few beads I ran on aluminum last night. I didn't clean the material as much l as I should have and my travel speed was too fast on the bottom bead or I should have backed off on the amps.
View attachment 340640

That looks great! Are you pulsing or going on and off the peddle? I found I was good at practicing until I sorta got it then no more practice, just fix and make things. I love how clean and not smelly TIG is.

on the aluminum, fast is where it's at so that you have less heat affected zone. Multiple passes like that when done concurrently are interesting as the heat builds op in the scrap piece. To me il looks like you are doing great. You have quite a lot of cleaning action there.
notice the hot cracking on the top weld in the photo?

 

[DavidR8]

That looks great! Are you pulsing or going on and off the peddle? I found I was good at practicing until I sorta got it then no more practice, just fix and make things. I love how clean and not smelly TIG is.

on the aluminum, fast is where it's at so that you have less heat affected zone. Multiple passes like that when done concurrently are interesting as the heat builds op in the scrap piece. To me il looks like you are doing great. You have quite a lot of cleaning action there.
notice the hot cracking on the top weld in the photo?

Thanks Rick! The first two were pedal-pulsed (if that's a word), the last using the pulse settings. My machine doesn't have any incremental markings on the pulse frequency, just starts at 10 and goes to 200 hz so halfway is 95 hz maybe?

I didn't notice the heat cracking but I definitely see it when I zoom in on the photo.

 

[NC Rick]

Thanks Rick! The first two were pedal-pulsed (if that's a word), the last using the pulse settings. My machine doesn't have any incremental markings on the pulse frequency, just starts at 10 and goes to 200 hz so halfway is 95 hz maybe?

I didn't notice the heat cracking but I definitely see it when I zoom in on the photo.

Kina fun, right? Very nice. I still dip my tungsten more than it like. I can't see and I shake!

 

[DavidR8]

Kina fun, right? Very nice. I still dip my tungsten more than it like. I can't see and I shake!

It it completely fun! As much fun as This Old Tony makes it out to be... I blame him (and he knows it )

 

[NC Rick]

We love us some TOT over here!