# Just bought this today



## alloy (Oct 19, 2014)

Got it for $600.  Amazon list them for $1350 and has outstanding reviews.  Yes I know it's not red or blue, but it's a start for me.

I had him demo it for me and the welds looked very nice.  

At this point I' going to start watching videos and asking a lot of beginner questions here, so please bear with me


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## churchjw (Oct 19, 2014)

Looks good and it looks like it has a good quality gas gauge on it.  Look forward to seeing some welds from it.


Jeff


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## Hardly (Oct 19, 2014)

Not the most hi tech of my tools, but I have found my welder to be invaluable at times. After watching the videos, get out some of your scrap steel and practice, practice, practice.


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## Uglydog (Oct 19, 2014)

alloy, 
Please don't be ashamed or apologize for your starting place.
We all start someplace. 
I started TIG with a Lincoln PT225. It fit my budget and my needs at the time.
I got her cheap and couldn't have gotten more. 
Now I wish I had more switches, controls, and amps.
Regardless, she fit my needs and budget.
You may grow out of her, or not.
Be proud that you are TIGing!

Daryl
MN


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## alloy (Oct 19, 2014)

The guy I got it from said he gauge leaked on him so he recommended replacing it.

Honestly I'm trying to figure out what to buy to start practicing.  I have an argon tank and a nice mask.  It's not auto darkening, but it's already paid for.   

Any recommendation you have no matter how basic will be greatly appreciated.

Would pics of the torch head help in your recommending consumables?

*Hardly*:  I knew it will be a long time before I do anything acceptable, but practice is the key to doing anything well and I'm willing to pay my dues.

Uglydog:   For me having been making chips for 20 years this is a new experience starting into something as a complete newbie.  It's kind of humbling.  At work everyone comes to me to solve machining problems.  Sometimes half my day is solving others problems. And on Tuesday they are giving me a helper to train from square one.  She's bright and has done well doing assembly, so with the lack of available machinists they decided to train someone from the ground up.

So now I'm the one asking the questions like a new kid fresh out of school. Well..........actually a new kid out of welding school has it over me.  I'm going to have to school myself on this one.


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## Ulma Doctor (Oct 19, 2014)

it's never too late to learn!!!
what materials do you plan on welding?
you will need different gas mixtures and tungsten's for different materials.


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## alloy (Oct 19, 2014)

Ulma Doctor said:


> it's never too late to learn!!!
> what materials do you plan on welding?
> you will need different gas mixtures and tungsten's for different materials.



I have nothing I plan on welding now, but in the past it would have been really great to be able to weld. I imagine I will be able to do more complex projects in the future after I am able to actually weld and combine it with machining. 

I got an AC/DC machine so it I ever get there I could weld light aluminum.

My girlfriends son is in welding school now and he will graduate in a few months.  He got in a little trouble and has cleaned up his act now and seems to be doing well.  I got a lot of help when I started machining and I look at  letting him use the tig for practice and maybe do a few jobs with it is a way for me to pay it forward and help a young man start on a career. And I hope he will be willing to give me a helping hand to get started.  I'm not counting on that, but hopefully he will.  For now I'm going to rely on myself and all the great people here to give me a hand. I've already watched a few videos, and they really help.  

Any suggestions on training material will be very much appreciated.


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## Rbeckett (Oct 19, 2014)

There is no question that you cannot feel free to ask anytime.  The 256 has a lot of great reviews and they do seem to be holding up pretty good lately too.  I think when they started using Hitachi electronics they seemed to be a much better product.  So go out and start tinkering with the knobs and understanding exactly what they all do and why.  That will give you some question to ask and that is what we are here for.  The only stupid question is the one you don't ask and get hurt or damage your machine.   So ask till you completely understand the function of every knob and switch on the front.  we will help guide you on any question you have.

Bob


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## alloy (Oct 19, 2014)

I'm glad everyone is so helpful.  

The model number is Everlast PowerTig 200DX AC DC.

I've been watching vids on how to teach yourself how to tig weld.  He shows the first step is to run "stringer" welds with no filler rod.  Then when your comfortable with that start using filler.  What rod should I be looking for to use on mild steel for practice?

I've ordered a pair of tig gloves and a new flow meter.  Hopefully they will be here this next week and I can start playing with it this next weekend.


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## GarageGuy (Oct 20, 2014)

alloy said:


> I'm glad everyone is so helpful.
> 
> The model number is Everlast PowerTig 200DX AC DC.



I have a very similar machine, the Everlast PowerPro 256.  It is a good machine and will make some nice welds.  If you have ever welded with oxy/acetylene, TIG welding is similar.  Get some nice thin, soft goat skin welding gloves.  They are better for TIG than thick heavy leather gloves.  I use leather arm "sleeves" too.  If you ever sunburn your arms while TIG welding, you'll never forget it.  Don't ask how I know...

I bought large 1/8" tungstens thinking I would need them, but 95% of your projects will use a 1/16" or 3/32" tungsten.  2% lanthanated is a good all around tungsten for both steel and aluminum, and they are very reasonably priced and last a long time.  Same with the welding rods, use 1/16" or 3/32" in steel or aluminum.

Look up "weldingtipsandtricks.com".  Jody has IMO the best TIG welding tutorial videos anywhere on the net.  Spend a night or two watching his videos, and you'll be up and running in no time.

Have fun!

GG


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## chuckorlando (Oct 20, 2014)

Nice.... When my dad bought me my first welder, years ago, I came home everyday and practiced on scrap. Every day run some weld till it starts to look ok.


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## Uglydog (Oct 20, 2014)

Put your eye protection on....
Make sure that your fuse box will handle the amperage. Use the proper size copper for the draw.
Then take a look at the size of collets and cups you got with her. You may want to add a selection at some time in the future.
Consider starting with a 3/32 collet and #7 standard cup.
Pick up some 2% Lanthanated Tungsten & a pound of 3/32 filler rod. Others may recommend Cerium or Thorium. Some will tell you to where repiratory protection while grinding TIG electrodes.
 You will want a "fine" grinding wheel that you use exclusively for grinding tungsten. Always grind point down!!! Wear eye protection!
Shear some approximately 2x5 1/8 scrap. Cold rolled will weld nicer with TIG (GTAW) than hot rolled. I made alot of scrap. 
Set up a nice surface away from the wind/breeze.
You don't need thin calf/goat skin gloves but they sure make it easier.
Jodi at Tips and Tricks (  http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/tig-welding-videos.html ) does some great videos that will get you started.
I promise that you will get frustrated as it will tax your hand eye coordination!
Please keep us posted.

Daryl
MN


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## alloy (Oct 20, 2014)

I had forgotten about the welders sun tan. Thanks for the reminder. I will get something to wear for that. 

I got some gloves on order, my other ones are thick and not very flexible. 

I have to see what collets the torch has, and I'm going to try and see if the torch takes standard parts. 

I looked at work for some scrap to practice on and all we have is 15-5 stainless, 4130 steel,  and 7075 aluminum. Nothing mild steel. I will have to go to the surplus steel yard and see what I can find.


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## GarageGuy (Oct 20, 2014)

alloy said:


> I had forgotten about the welders sun tan. Thanks for the reminder. I will get something to wear for that.
> 
> I got some gloves on order, my other ones are thick and not very flexible.
> 
> I have to see what collets the torch has, and I'm going to try and see if the torch takes standard parts.



Everlast sends very standard torches with their welders, so if it is the original torch, you'll be able to buy parts and accessories anywhere.  There are some pretty good deals on eBay.  I bought a bunch right away when I got my welder, and they last very well.  I may not ever have to buy more.  Air cooled torches are usually WP-17 or 26 and water cooled are WP-18 or 20.  The consumables (cups and collets) are interchangeable between them.  Mine is a water cooled WP-18 (huge).  Someday I would like to get a WP-17 air cooled torch because they are smaller and easier to handle.

I bought some Campbell Hausfeld leather welding sleeves on eBay for $15 that I'm real happy with.  They are leaps and bounds better than Harbor Freight.  The HF sleeves have elastic ends that are too small (for MENS arms, anyway).  

Enjoy!

GG


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## alloy (Oct 20, 2014)

I'm going to try and figure out what torch I have. I've seen 3/8" thread back caps on eBay and at work the back cap is 5/16". I haven't measured mine yet. 

I got some black stallion gloves off eBay. I never even considered harbor freight for them. I see they have some setup magnets and a few other things that should be usuable at the quality they offer. But for the things that really count I'll go name brand.

I have my mill on a 20 amp circuit, my compressor on a 30, and a heater on a 20 amp all are 220.i will probably swap out with my mill for power so my compressor and heater still run wham I'm using the tig.


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## GarageGuy (Oct 20, 2014)

I use vise-grip style clamps for almost everything.  The magnets play havoc on your arc if they are anywhere near your torch while welding.  Your arc goes every direction but where you want it  :lmao:

GG


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## alloy (Oct 20, 2014)

GarageGuy said:


> I use vise-grip style clamps for almost everything.  The magnets play havoc on your arc if they are anywhere near your torch while welding.  Your arc goes every direction but where you want it  :lmao:
> 
> GG



I didn't know that. I just learned something new


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## alloy (Oct 20, 2014)

OK, quick question. 

In lanthaneted tungstens I see blue and gold, and in thoriated I see red, grey,  blue, and green in the description. 


I've done some reading on this but am not clear which one to get in lanthaneted to start off with. I just haven't found a  clear enough explanation to tell me what to get.

Suggestions?


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## Uglydog (Oct 20, 2014)

I've had really good luck with Jeff at USA Weld. 
http://www.usaweld.com/Contact-Us-s/95.htm
I'd consider giving him a call. He is a straight shooter.
In fact at one point they shipped me the wrong product. I called to ask if I had ordered the wrong item.
They immediately apologized and shipped out the correct product and postage to return the wrong item.
Jeff seems to know alot about different welders.

Consider checking out: http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/tech_tips/TIG_tips/how_to_weld.html

2% Lanthanated should be bright blue.
Other Lanth will be different.
http://hdb.en.alibaba.com/product/5...wt20_wl20_Tig_welding_tungsten_Electrode.html

CR steel will be the easiest it's worth purchasing some sheared pieces.
If you try to start with SS or Aluminum, you might get really frustrated.


Daryl
MN


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## GarageGuy (Oct 20, 2014)

2% Lanthanated is blue
1% Lanthanated is gold

Blue is generally considered a good all around tungsten for inverter machines.

Green is pure tungsten, and does not work well with modern inverter TIG machines, but works quite well on the large transformer TIG machines.
Red is Thoriated, and probably comes in second place (to Lanthanated) as a good all around tungsten.

For specific jobs, some tungsten mixtures have certain strengths or weaknesses.  There are even tri-mix tungstens available now.  It can get confusing.

GG


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## barlow l (Oct 20, 2014)

I'll tell you what I did. I struck my first arc when I was twelve trying to fix a road blade I broke using it as a wheelie bar on the tractor before my Dad came home. The weld held the two parts together long enough to put it back in its place. But when Dad went to use it, yelp it broke. I got my ass whipped for not breaking the equipment but for hiding the fact. Then Dad said let me show you how to do it better next time. That was 1976.

From that time on I have welded any and everything I needed to. Eighty percent of my welds looked crappy but most worked. Around 1994 I bought a brand new Snap-on mig welder and after some time became decent with it. Up until this point, I had no formal training what so ever.


Around 2006 I started producing a product around my hobby, almost over night orders exploded for this product. To reproduce some of the parts that were originally stamped, I had to make them in multiple pieces and weld them together.  Mig welding  was not working too well so I paid a Welder to tig them for me. After a couple years of this, someone mentioned I should check on the Adult night class at the local Vo-tech. 

So I checked on the classes, three hours a night, two nights a week for six weeks, $175.00. I signed up. long story short, I was tig welding the last week of the class! I asked my instructor if I signed up again, could I bring my own material in to practice on which he said yes. I was paying my Welder $250.00 per batch. I paid the $175.00 fee and welded my own parts at school. I took the class another time when I needed another batch of parts and have since bought my own tig machine. 

What a difference those classes made! it initially did not make me a better welder but it taught me to identify what I was doing wrong and how to correct it, which has made me a better welder.


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## alloy (Oct 20, 2014)

Thanks for the info everyone.  I will check it all out.  I did find some  4130 .1 wall scrap tubing today at work.  Not sure how 4130 will weld,  but it was free.  I'm going to our local steel yard and see what I can  get there on Friday.

I've looked at classes at my local college  but they get out too late at night.  I'm up at 4:30 for work every  morning and I'm in bed pretty early now days. I really wish I could find  a way to take some classes.  I see nothing offered on the weekends. I  love working fours 10's and three days off, but my day stops at 8:30 at  night now.


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## melsdad (Oct 23, 2014)

Check out these Youtube channels..pretty good stuff!!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5uGY8gkYB0UALLuF1UZGxQ

https://www.youtube.com/user/weldingtipsandtricks


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## alloy (Oct 25, 2014)

Well I tried to lay some beads today and was doing so so and I changed the tungsten and it didn't go well after that.  The flame looks like it came out of a propane torch.  I changed from one that was in the torch to the new ones I bought.

You can see how I sharpened the one on the right and the one he gave me.   The one he gave me has no marking on it, so I don't kno what type it is. 

So what did I do wrong?


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## GarageGuy (Oct 25, 2014)

What settings were you using?  AC?  DC?  Electrode positive or negative?  Number of amps?  Pulse/no pulse?  Foot pedal or torch trigger?  Pure Argon?  It's just a matter of getting everything set right.

GG


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## JimDawson (Oct 25, 2014)

One of the things you want to do is grind the tip by laying it kind of vertical on the wheel, so the tip is above center, like you would grind a screwdriver, so the striations are parallel to the long axis of the electrode. Then grind it to a fine point.  And was the gas running?


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## alloy (Oct 26, 2014)

Amps from 80 to 120 DC, material 4130 .100 wall tubing, pulse off, electrode negative, trigger, no foot pedal, pure argon, pre flow at 10, post flow at 15. I sanded the tubing off to remove any coatings.

I saw on youtube how to grind the electrode. I'm pointing it down and the grind marks are parallel to the electrode, the taper is 3 times the diameter of the electrode. 

It just seemed like everything changed when I switched to the new electrode.


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## JimDawson (Oct 26, 2014)

Try going back the the original electrode and see what happens.   That is a bit strange, it sounds like your setup is about right.


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## GarageGuy (Oct 26, 2014)

Your electrode tip looks great.  DC electrode negative (DCEN) is the correct setting for steel.  120 amps sounds a little hot for .100 wall tubing with a trigger switch.  I would try 90-100.  With a foot pedal, you can change the amperage on the fly.  As the tubing gets hotter, you may need to lower the amperage to keep from running too hot.  You should use a 1/16" ER70S-2 rod.  3/32" will work, but it's a little big and will be slightly harder to use.  Your Argon flow should be set to about 20 Cfh.  Start with a #7 ceramic cup.  Keep your arc short.  Hope this helps.  Keep us updated on your progress!

GG


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## alloy (Oct 26, 2014)

I will switch back tomorrow.  I don't know what cup size I have, there are no markings on it.

I'm thinking about buying a consumable kit with different cups and collets.


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## xalky (Oct 26, 2014)

alloy said:


> Well I tried to lay some beads today and was doing so so and I changed the tungsten and it didn't go well after that.  The flame looks like it came out of a propane torch.  I changed from one that was in the torch to the new ones I bought.
> 
> You can see how I sharpened the one on the right and the one he gave me.   The one he gave me has no marking on it, so I don't kno what type it is.
> 
> So what did I do wrong?


 It looks to me like the direction of the grind scratches on the one you sharpened are going around the perimeter of the tungsten. The grind scratches should be parallel to the rod. Seems like a small thing but it makes all the difference in the world.

Marcel


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## alloy (Oct 26, 2014)

I'm definitely grinding parallel to the rod.  

It went a little better today.  I used the old electrodes and hooked up the pedal.  I got some barely acceptable beads without filler rod.  When I add the rod it doesn't look good, so that just tells me I need way more practice without rod before adding filler.  I just can't get the weld to flow out.  I think I'm adding too much filler.

I have an old style helmet from 30 years ago and it's a pain.  So I'm going to order a new miller auto darkening one off ebay.  I've seen cheaper ones, but I only have one set of eyes.............I'm going with a name brand on this.

Edit:  Been looking at helmets on Ebay and see a tig rating of 20 amps.    Why is there a separate rating for tig welding?


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## JimDawson (Oct 27, 2014)

For DC welding, I grind my electrodes to a needle point.  It takes just a bit more heat to get the rod to flow, I am normally working the foot pedal continuously.

The TIG rating has to do with the sensitivity of the sensors. Sometimes if a low-current TIG is below the threshold of the helmet's sensitivity, it won't recognize the arc and auto-darken.

I use one of the higher end HF hoods, just the pilot arc will darken it, and it has adjustable sensitivity and time delay, as well as adjustable darkness from about 9 to 14.  Seems to work very well, I think I paid about $35 on sale.


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## GarageGuy (Oct 27, 2014)

I have three auto-darkening welding hoods, and they all work fine on TIG, MIG, or stick.  The $35 Harbor Freight auto-darkening hood I bought works fine, and has never flashed me even at low TIG amperages.  My favorite hood is a Rhino that I got on eBay for about $95.  I also have an expensive HTP "The Striker" auto-darkening hood.  The Rhino and HF hoods have larger viewing areas and are lighter and more comfortable than the HTP.

GG


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## alloy (Oct 28, 2014)

I looked at Harbor Freight and the high end helmet is $60 plus tax.  I got this off ebay just now for $70.99.  I like it because it has replaceable batteries.

I will try tomorrow night with needle point electrodes.  I'm thinking with being able to see where my electrode is with an auto darkening helmet it will be easier to start the weld.  I also got some 1/16" rod.  I was using 3/32".


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## Uglydog (Oct 28, 2014)

Sounds like great and appropriate progress.
TIG is difficult.
It'll take hundreds of hours of practice.
But once you get it, its incredible relaxing and fun. 

Daryl
MN


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## JimDawson (Oct 28, 2014)

Nice hood, I'm sure the auto darkening will help.  One other thing that I did today was to take off my bi-focals, and put on a pair of 2.5 diopter reading glasses from the Dollar Store, my welds improved dramatically.  I could actually see what I was doing.  For the last couple of days I have been working on a project made of 20ga SS, so that's pretty fine work.


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## GarageGuy (Oct 28, 2014)

Same here.  I can't weld worth a crap with my bi-focals (assuming I can weld worth a crap in the first place):lmao:  I have a special pair of +2.0 glasses that I wear under the welding hood.  Being able to adjust the shade helps too.  Then I can actually see what I'm doing.

GG


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## AlexK (Oct 29, 2014)

Lots of good advice in the thread.  TIG takes the most practice out of any of the processes.  Good welds mean dialing in settings just right and adding filler at the right times and in the right amounts and being able to read what the puddle is doing and reacting.  That takes practice and nothing can change that.  The number one tip I can think of is that everything has to be clean.  Super clean.  

These are some best practices that are overkill for practicing on scrap steel but will help down the road if you get into welding stainless, aluminum, or even titanium.  Consider, if possible, getting a grinding stone that only grinds your tungstens so that the wheel is free from contaminants.  Ideally media blasting the work piece is best, but wire wheeling or angle grinding followed with a rub down of solvent acetone or alcohol to get rid of any grease is good enough.  If you dip the tungsten into the weld or get some filler metal on it stop welding.  Break the tungsten, regrind the point and grind out the bit of weld where the tungsten touched.  Be extra sure you are getting adequate gas coverage.  Low tank pressure, fan blowing, open windows will all cause big problems with the weld if the gas is not covering the weld.

Hope this all helps, I'm no expert by any means but my welding class is going pretty well so hopefully my tips are useful.


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## alloy (Oct 29, 2014)

I really appreciate all the tips everyone is giving me.  Thank you very much 

I bought the helmet because I was getting frustrated with my old one. It was nice 30 years ago, a very high end helmet at the time.  But I'm trying to make it as easy and as enjoyable as I can to learn this.  I'm sure the thousands of hours it will take me to get good the new helmet will get plenty of use.  I just wish it would be here this weekend, but coming from South Carolina it will be next week I'd guess even with priority mail shipping.


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## catoctin (Oct 30, 2014)

Also make sure your not welding in a breeze outdoors.  This does bad things to your argon shielding and your welds. 

I got really tired of using a plain old grinding wheel to sharpen tungsten this past summer.  My daughter was learning to TIG weld and ruining 10 ten rods in an evening.  Tungsten is quite brutal on normal grinding wheels and creates a lot of dust that's not great to breathe in.  I decided to go down the diamond grinding wheel path.  Some folks have used HF's diamond disks for chain saw sharpen on a cheap HF grinder to accomplish this.  I ended up buying a 220 grit  diamond wheel off of Ebay for around $70 and a $36 HF grinder.  My grinding goes real fast now and with only a little tungsten dust laying around.  My technique is to put the rod in a cordless drill and grind point up.      I can get through a pretty screwed up 3/32" rod in less than 10 seconds.  It take longer to get the rods in and out of the drill


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## alloy (Oct 31, 2014)

Well for now I've got ll my $$$ in the welder and other "accessories".  I will take my electrodes to work and see if I an use the diamond wheel there.

Got my new helmet today.  I just fell in love with an inanimate object.  Wow is all I can say.  After about 2 mins of playing with it my test passed improved dramatically.  I can actually not feel to embarrassed showing the welds on here now.  On my old weld test part, I'm going to wrap it up in 3 layers and throw it away so no one can ever see it.  Even the lady next door could see it's cr*p.  


I ran these test passes with no rod and at 90 amps. 100 amps seemed too hot.  I'm having a problem keeping my beads straight, but believe me this is a huge improvement over what I was doing before I got the new helmet.  And with the new helmet I didn't dip the rod (well that I know of)

So...........talk to me.  Any advise will be greatly appreciated.


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## GarageGuy (Oct 31, 2014)

With TIG you should "prop" or rest your torch arm to help keep it steady.  It makes it much easier to keep a straight smooth bead without dipping the tungsten.  The pros all prop when TIG welding.


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## alloy (Oct 31, 2014)

Thanks.    My table I'm using has a big lip on the edge and it's hard to rest my hand and slide down the table.  And it's the only steel table I have right now.  I will try and find a way to get a flat surface to rest my arm on.  

Also with the new hood realized I really couldn't see with my glasses on.  Took my glasses off and that also helped a lot.

I was thinking of getting the HF welding table soon.  Need to make some more $$$ to get more toys 

So other than the weld not being straight, how does it look?


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## catoctin (Oct 31, 2014)

One other accessory I found useful for keeping your torch steady is the "TIG finger".  They're pretty cheap and great for burn protection.  Checkout the "Welding Tips and Tricks" website for demonstration of the product in use and for pointers on TIG welding.  The guy that runs the website puts out a new welding video almost every week.


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## alloy (Nov 1, 2014)

That looks like a great thing to have.  I just ordered one.  Great videos he has also.


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## AlexK (Nov 3, 2014)

I'm taking a look at your picture and the welds don't look too bad; you seem to have a consistent travel speed which is great.  What sort of motion are you doing with the torch, small circles are usually recommended.  The red discoloration is a little concerning, what material is that?  If its mild steel I would be thining a contaminated tungsten or maybe bad gas coverage.  Dipping the tungsten happens all the time when you are learning and then now and then when you know what you are doing. Don't sweat it while you are getting the hang of it, but don't weld anything that has to hold weight with a dipped tungsten.

How are you holding the torch?  It should be close to perpendicular so that the gas covers the whole weld and isn't blowing in one direction only.  It can be tough to position the torch at the correct angle and be able to see the puddle at the same time.

Getting straight lines is something that will get better with practice, running stringers is tough because there isn't a joint to use as a frame of reference.  Also, try to get the arc struck right where you are going to start, it looks like the middle bead the arc was struck a bit to the right?  All in all I would say great job getting up to speed!  TIG is challenging but very versatile.


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## alloy (Nov 3, 2014)

With the welds in the the first pic I was using a kind of "N" motion.  Here is my latest effort.

The material is 4130 tubing.  I'm holding the torch with a slight angle.  I got one of those Harbor Freight welding tables and it's easier to slide my hand now.


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## JimDawson (Nov 3, 2014)

Looks like you are getting a straight bead now.  I think you are still moving along bit fast, there should be more overlap in your puddles, about 60 to 70% overlap.  But looking better.


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## markknx (Nov 3, 2014)

Alloy Sorry I found this post so late. But one thing all my teachers said was clean clean clean is key to tig. Get a good stainless wire brush and only use it for your carbon steel. ( you can get others for SS, and AL.) Try welders Handbook by Richard Finch. Your welds are looking good. I am certified on tig for ss. andmy welds are not always pretty but they are strong with good pen ,tie in, and no porousity. so don't worry so much if they are not supper strieght. It is hard to runa streight bead with no joit to follow. Did I mention Clean Clean clean? When you changed tungsen, did you change the stick out? or how the part was grounded?Keep us posted


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## alloy (Nov 7, 2014)

Sorry I've not answered sooner.  Been really busy at work.  Our programmer left yesterday and we have been staying late trying to get all we can from him on the parts he programmed before he left.

I'll try and answer everyone that replied.

I've been using several different motions. I started with an "N" motion, then my GF's son (he's in welding school now) said to try a "C" motion, and I've also tried small circles.   The material is 4130 .100 wall tubing from work.  

I'm holding the torch at a slight angle pointing towards the way I'm going with the weld.  

The material is very clean.  I ran it over my belt sander and it's shiny and oil free.  

Today I picked up some 6"x 6" 3/16" CRS plates from the Steel Yard to practice with. They were pretty cheap, only $2 each.  

Can someone explain arc force setting?  I have this on my welder, but some I've looked at don't have these settings.  

 I will do some more practicing this weekend and if I get anywhere I'll post pics.


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## markknx (Nov 8, 2014)

In short acr control changes the amp/volt relationship. It can fine tune a machine to a person or condition. Like if you tend to hold  tighter arc you might turn arc force up. it also can afect the beads shape and the amount of penitration. Not sure I and saying this right. Try this link. http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/articles/index.php?page=article108.html   Mark


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## alloy (Nov 9, 2014)

Thanks for the link.  It looks like according to miller the arc force function is turned off when in tig mode. I'm not sure on an Everlast the same thing happens. Just for curiosity sake I'll play with that setting today and see if it makes a difference.


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## alloy (Nov 16, 2014)

Well I found out what one of my problems was.  I had a tank with argosheild in it and not pure argon.  I guess I didn't realize there was a difference.  I got the tank swapped out and it did make a difference.  It's a whole new ball game with the argon.  I pretty much had to start over.  But I've made progress in the last two days.   

I'm struggling with torch control, I'm jerky and not very controlled yet.  I did go almost 1/2 hour without dipping  the tungten today.  My longest time so far.

To save gas I have pre and post flow turned off, so the beginning an the end of the bead isn't good.  But after paying $95 to exchange my tank I'm doing everything I can to save gas.

So how am I doing, what do I need to work on?


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## JimDawson (Nov 16, 2014)

I wish I had more TIG experience to be able to better advise you.  It looks like this weld is a bit hot.  Not dipping the tip is a good thing.  I have a tendency to do that, but I just keep welding anyway, most of the time :nuts:.  You might try welding with that new gas torch you bought.  The hand movements are about the same, and the gas torch is a bit more forgiving.

About all I can say is keep practicing and pretty soon you will be a pro.


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## alloy (Nov 16, 2014)

Well the acetylene tank is empty, so can't use the torch setup.  I do think my GF is going to fill the tanks before we give them to her son, so I may us it for a little while before he gets it.

I've had so much hood time this weekend I've used 1/4 of my tank up since Friday.  But I've made a lot of progress.  I see short parts of my bead looking like a tig weld now and then, just need to work on control with my hand and heat.  

As far as I can see my beads look like a mig weld and not tig. I'm just trying to figure out what I need to change to get the proper look to the weld.

Maybe with a few thousand hours more practice my beads will look like a pro did them, but that won't happen anytime soon


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## markknx (Nov 17, 2014)

The weld looks pretty good. It is either a little hot or you are shaking to the side and whipping back. This is what is causing the under cut at the sides. The next thing is a timing issue. To get a uniform weld you must progress at a uniform rate. Try moving in steps, and count. (1, 1, 1) dip small with every pause. This will help get the stack of dimes look. All in all not a bad weld. By the way how wide are they? P


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## alloy (Nov 17, 2014)

The bead was about 5/16" wide.

I practiced some tonight and had one good bead, then it went downhill from there.

I'm having a problem finding a way to hold the torch and controlling my hand/arm movements. I do one decent bead, then can't repeat.

Here is my best bead so far.


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## JimDawson (Nov 17, 2014)

That one looks good!


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## GarageGuy (Nov 17, 2014)

Looking good!  You've already come a long way in a short amount of time.  Welding is just one of those things that the more you do it, the better you get.  

For me, finding the best and most comfortable way to prop both my torch arm and my rod arm will make my welds smoother and better.  TIG is much more forgiving than other forms of welding when it comes to stopping, and picking up where you left off to continue your weld.  

You may find it necessary to change positions several times as the weld progresses.  The more comfortable and stable you are, the better you can lay a smooth and consistent bead.  You will find that as soon as you are out of your "comfort range" with regards to propping your arms or hands, the quality of your weld will tend to drop off.

It looks as if you have the basics all covered.  Experiment with slightly hotter or colder and see how it affects your weld.  Experiment with torch and rod movement techniques to see what feels and works best for you.  

After I had my flat welds looking pretty good, I tried welding round tubing (exhaust pipe).  It was a lot harder than I thought it would be.  It was like starting over again for me.  Challenging, and fun though.

You're off to the races.  Have fun!

GG


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## GA Gyro (Nov 18, 2014)

alloy said:


> The bead was about 5/16" wide.
> 
> I practiced some tonight and had one good bead, then it went downhill from there.
> 
> ...



Yeah... that looks pretty good... :victory:

I will be in the same place as you soon... bought some steel for a project and have not 'stick-welded' in too long... probably will run a dozen rods or so to get the feel back... before starting the project.  
May be too embarrassed to post a pic... :lmao:


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## markknx (Nov 18, 2014)

That looks real nice. If you are welding on a table try to rest your arms on it. some times I clamp anangle or something to the table or part to rest my forearm or hand on. One more thought. How do you hold the torch? if you are holding it like a hammer, try holding it more like a pen. thumb and index finger on either side of the top just behind the cup. Let your palm rest against the handle. You should also try to run some passes with smaller beads. try 5/32. this is one of the great things about TIG being able to run small tight strong welds. you have the basics down pretty good it looks like. so all you need for smaller welds is travle a bit faster. Remember find a wayto rest your hands or forearm on something. Just remember have fun and practice. as someone said you have come a long way and pretty quick. Mark


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## alloy (Nov 18, 2014)

Thanks everyone.  The encouragement does help. Several times I'm just walked away in frustration, but always come back.  

I don't even know what I did different on that bead, it just happened and couldn't repeat it. But now I know I have it in me so I will keep trying.  I did it once, I can do it again.  Just going to take lots more hood time.

I have a HF welding table I use.  It's a nice little table, just not easy to slide my hand across even with the tig finger. I am going to have to experiment on how to hold the torch and be able to side my arm and not just my hand and be be consistent.  I really appreciate all the suggestions.  They really help.

GA,GYRO:

Do you wonder why my pic of the last bead is so small?  Well it's  because I cropped it to remove the crappy weld beside it.  I wait til I  have something decent to post a pic of.  You would laugh if you saw all  my welds from day one to now


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## GA Gyro (Nov 18, 2014)

alloy said:


> Thanks everyone.  The encouragement does help. Several times I'm just walked away in frustration, but always come back.
> 
> I don't even know what I did different on that bead, it just happened and couldn't repeat it. But now I know I have it in me so I will keep trying.  I did it once, I can do it again.  Just going to take lots more hood time.
> 
> ...



Sounds like you and I could compare 'bad' welds... and maybe have a contest to see who improves the most... :lmao:

I used to be pretty good stick welding, and do oxy-acet regularly (heating and AC work)... yet have not stick welded in over a year.  Used to get an order once a year or so, for a 'cage' around an outdoor AC unit (thieves stole them for the copper).  Have not done a cage since 2012... so I am a bit rusty.  I hope the rods are not moisture laden... that makes for difficulty keeping a clean bead going.  
On the Oxy-Acetylene... did a system change today, had to do 16 joints (CU tubing inside another CU tube or fitting-each end of a fitting counts as one joint).  Did them all with 1+1/2 18" rods of 'SillFoss', in about 10 min... no leaks.  It is more a brazing process... the goal is getting the CU just hot enough to get good flow into the joint.

Back on the stick welding: 
Will fess up and post ONE pic of a really BAD weld when I get started... then only the good ones... fair enough.... :whiteflag:


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## alloy (Nov 18, 2014)

That's fair.

But can you top welding with the wrong gas for two weeks? :nuts:


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## GA Gyro (Nov 18, 2014)

alloy said:


> That's fair.
> 
> But can you top welding with the wrong gas for two weeks? :nuts:



Hmmm... ya got me there... 
My Lincoln gas powered stick welder (AC/DC+/DC-) does not have shield gas...

However...

I have been known to use the wrong rod, set the amps too high or low, burn the material or cold joint, etc...
Thus the need to 'tweak' my skills a bit before going after the project.  

Most of my recent stick welding has been those cages... have not really done any real steel fabrication in many years.  With a bandsaw, a definite need, some steel, and a goal...
Might just get those skills dusted off and working again...
And I might have to eat some crow... since I did agree to post pics... 
Silly me... :roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:


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## markknx (Nov 19, 2014)

Alloy post some of the bad welds, it would be easier to trouble shoot the bad then to tell what you did right on the good. We all had bad ones when we started and most of us still get some bad ones once in a while. Are you standing or sitting?, are you using the amp petal just as a switch or varying it?


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## alloy (Nov 19, 2014)

I'm sitting.  I do use the pedal but probably not enough.  I depress it to get the arc started then then after I get a puddle going I'll back it off to where I get a good puddle and hold it steady.  I've tried varying the pedal but don't get good results that way just yet.


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## AlexK (Nov 19, 2014)

YouTube has been absolutely fantastic at helping me get a better grip on welding.  Watching someone do a weld as opposed to reading or just trying blindly is huge for me.  There are tons of channels out there where people are doing welding.  Some of them are professionals who are giving out good advice and some are not quite as skilled.

Two of my favorites are:
https://www.youtube.com/user/weldingtipsandtricks Has info on all welding processes but has great TIG info.  If you look for his TIG videos he does one where all he does is change the amperage and shows the effects on the weld.  That one really taught me I was running cold.  Usually was doing 90 amps and should have been more like 120 amps.  Also some good beginner tips and its more of a beginner channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Welddotcom Lots of equipment reviews and Q and A but he also does showcase technique and he does know what he's doing.  I'm working through his videos right now.

Watch a few videos now and then, pick up some tips, realize what mistakes you might be making and try to work on that.


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## Malave16 (Jan 4, 2015)

Been tig welding for a while. A few tips: 
get that thungsten way up in there in the puddle as close as you can, you will dip it quite a bit, but keep at it.
The welds you posted seem to be too hot, but they are actually too low amperage. Whats happening is by using lower amperage you are spending too long on one area, burning the metal up. So try to stab the pedal a bit more and get the puddle moving.
For grinding the thungstens a good ol grinding wheel will do, but you have to use it only for thungstens. Chuck up your thungsten on the drill chuck and grind then with the tip pointing towards the top of the wheel. You want the grinding marks to run parallel to the thungsten. Try not to breathe the dust.
Have music playing when welding, it will help your rithim.
Dont tig galvanized crap, now that you are scavanging for metal to weld you might pick up some galvanized crap, trust me been there. If you are welding something and you see a cotton candy/powder forming after welding it, you are most likely messing with galvanized. If so, put the helmet down and open up the garage and get the fumes out. I've got poisoned with this crap before and it will ruin your weekend.
Work on your feeding hand. It was the hardest thing for me when i was learning.
Give aluminum a shot, get some soda cans and weld them together. It will teach you pedal control. And something to bragg about when the buddies come by.
Challange yourself every time you can and Have fun


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