How easy is it to tig weld?

[Water skier 16]

Hi all,
I would like to ask all the stainless tig welders out there, How easy is it to learn to weld and finish a Stainless steel roll cage to a mirror finish? Well thats my ultimate goal. Is it possible for someone who has never welded before to be able to Tig weld a mirror finish roll cage?
Ps i dont have the equipment yet anyway.
Or should i just bite the bullet and save up to pay for someone to do the work for me?

Cheers James

 

[jakecouling]

Hi all,
I would like to ask all the stainless tig welders out there, How easy is it to learn to weld and finish a Stainless steel roll cage to a mirror finish? Well thats my ultimate goal. Is it possible for someone who has never welded before to be able to Tig weld a mirror finish roll cage?
Ps i dont have the equipment yet anyway.
Or should i just bite the bullet and save up to pay for someone to do the work for me?

Cheers James

the easiest way is to experiment with settings your comfortable with and practice as much as possible. also it would help alot if you knew someone who could guide you through it first as you have no experience

 

[Water skier 16]

the easiest way is to experiment with settings your comfortable with and practice as much as possible. also it would help alot if you knew someone who could guide you through it first as you have no experience

I dont know anyone that can help me, and i dont want to pay out on a TIG welder if i can get away with a MIG for the steel welding.
Cheers James

 

[jakecouling]

I dont know anyone that can help me, and i dont want to pay out on a TIG welder if i can get away with a MIG for the steel welding.
Cheers James

you wont get as nice a finish with mig and i doubt it will be mirror like

 

[langy]

you wont get as nice a finish with mig and i doubt it will be mirror like

All down to the quality of welding and eventually down to the polishing.

 

[jakecouling]

All down to the quality of welding and eventually down to the polishing.

a tig weld in fact should always be a better finish i thought?

 

[Water skier 16]

you wont get as nice a finish with mig and i doubt it will be mirror like

Sorry i will explain myself better. I have other mild steel jobs to do that could be done with mig instead of tig/arc. so i could pay for the stainless steel to be done by a professional and buy a mig instead of a tig.
Cheers James

 

[wyn]

If the roll cage is for competition use, stainless might not be allowed.

 

[langy]

Hi all,
I would like to ask all the stainless tig welders out there, How easy is it to learn to weld and finish a Stainless steel roll cage to a mirror finish? Well thats my ultimate goal. Is it possible for someone who has never welded before to be able to Tig weld a mirror finish roll cage?
Ps i dont have the equipment yet anyway.
Or should i just bite the bullet and save up to pay for someone to do the work for me?

Cheers James

Tig welding is tough to master, this would not be an ideal starter project, believe me as i've made them before.

Why stainless ??? seamless stainless isn't gonna be cheap !!!

Also you will have to pre polish all parts then weld and polish out the welds finally.

I recently made this for my period racecar, Its made in 2" & 1.625" x 1/8" wall CDS steel tube, tig welded and then chromed.

 

[jakecouling]

Sorry i will explain myself better. I have other mild steel jobs to do that could be done with mig instead of tig/arc. so i could pay for the stainless steel to be done by a professional and buy a mig instead of a tig.
Cheers James

to be honest i think that matter on your money situation and whether you would like to learn tig welding, if you are really interested in welding as you said it was your ultimate goal why not do a course? mig is the easiest to weld and tig at the highest level can bring up an amazing finish. comparing the best mig welding i have seen and best tig i can easily say tig provide alot nice finish, your runs can be thinner and neater as your in more control and less heat is added into metal, mainly where you are welding where as mig adds alot of heat to the whole material

 

[langy]

a tig weld in fact should always be a better finish i thought?

Yes of course but it can be mig welded fairly neatly and the welds polished smooth but it needs to be done properly, nothing wrong with polishing mig welds that have penetrated correctly.

 

[jakecouling]

Yes of course but it can be mig welded fairly neatly and the welds polished smooth but it needs to be done properly, nothing wrong with polishing mig welds that have penetrated correctly.

as an apprentice welder i like to go for neatest option and hardest as im learning and want to learn fast and the best way

 

[Water skier 16]

Stainless will be used because it is for a fibreglass dune buggy so it is for a structural and asthetics.
Cheers James

 

[langy]

as an apprentice welder i like to go for neatest option and hardest as im learning and want to learn fast and the best way

Well i'm sorry to say this, but as an apprentice should you really be advising ?

 

[langy]

Stainless will be used because it is for a fibreglass dune buggy so it is for a structural and asthetics.
Cheers James

Lets hope you can afford the seamless stainless tube Have you checked the prices yet ???

 

[Water skier 16]

no but what i know that; when my dad got a quote 5 years the roll bar alone, it was £2500 but now i want to add more too it so my guess the whole thing done professionally will be about £6000
Cheers James

 

[langy]

no but what i know that; when my dad got a quote 5 years the roll bar alone, it was £2500 but now i want to add more too it so my guess the whole thing done professionally will be about £6000
Cheers James

I would estimate in steel CDS & chromed it would be half that. but its up to you.

 

[Water skier 16]

I would estimate in steel CDS & chromed it would be half that. but its up to you.

What about corrosion resistance? Is it much worse than stainless?
Cheers James

 

[langy]

What about corrosion resistance? Is it much worse than stainless?
Cheers James

Are you talking salt water ??? Obviously chromed steel won't have the resistance of 316L stainless.

 

[Water skier 16]

In cornwall the air is salty anyway but it wont ever come in contact with sea water, but it might come in contact with rain ocasionaly.
Cheers James