TIG welding, can I do it????

[dutchman]

Hello Welders,

I want to buy a TIG welder for hobby purposes, like building recumbent bikes or HPVs (see for example http://www.jetrike.com/index.html). My first idea was to make a bike out of aluminium, but welding aluminium is probably too difficult for me to start with, so I’ll try building one out of steel first.
I have done some MIG welding, and that went OK, but I am not an expert at it though.
What I would like to know is whether it is possible for a serious hobby welder to master the art of TIG welding.
Also I’m interested in your opinion about this machine, which is sold for 750 Euro. http://www.gys.fr/pdf/datasheet/uk/015647.pdf

Thanks!

 

[matt1978]

I have heard a lot of bad reports in the UK regarding the GYS machine. Poor duty cycles and poor reliability. My advise would be to steer clear from them.

Tig welding is the hardest of the welding processes to master, if you are a complete beginner and no one would be able to teach you even the basics then I would say you'll struggle.

However if you can get onto a college course or you have a friend who can tig weld and is willing to teach you the basics, then there is no reason why you should not go for it.

Have you any experience of Gas welding/Brazing? If so the learning curve won't be so steep.

Also if in the future you are thinking about making structures from Aluminium, then I would suggest you get a (Minimum) 180 amp AC/DC welder.

 

[Mikey D]

my ex employer had a gys machine we used it for site tig and arc work , it was ok and we had no reliability issues (although it wasnt in daily use ) . i do prefer the IFL machine i have recently bought tho

Although gys is a french company i beieve i dont know where they are actually made they certainly seem quite cheap

cheers mike

 

[matt1978]

GYS are French company but those particular inverters which seem to have flooded the UK are Chinese.

 

[dutchman]

Thanks for the quick and excellent information.
I Think I will stick with Mig and forget about welding aluminium.

Greetings from Holland!

 

[matt1978]

Dutchman, where abouts in Netherlands's are you?

My colleague who works for Lorch in Holland, would be able to supply you with a AC/DC Tig and also include a little hands on training to get you started. The cost of the machine would be a bit more than maybe what you were planning of spending because its Professional quality not DIY, but it maybe an idea if you wanted to get into tig welding.

 

[dutchman]

Sounds very interesting… I live about 50 miles north of Amsterdam.
I’ve sent you a personal message with my email address.

 

[matt1978]

Hi Dutchman,

My clog wearing colleague said that he would email you today, his customer that covers your area is Haprotech, have you heard of them? I have been there, its a A1 distributor with excellent facilities, they also have welder training facilities. Its near to the Corus plant, you know it?

 

[irondarren]

Matt you should get weldequip to become a Lorch distributor, them we could all get some forum discount.

 

[matt1978]

Yeah that would be nice wouldn't it

 

[irondarren]

Here in the UK Lorch doesn't seem have a big network of distributors. can find plenty banging out butters welders (think every distributor and his dog sells butters), but none selling lorch stuff

 

[matt1978]

Theres not that many yet. And those that are mainly concentrate on our big stuff like the Pulsed migs and Big tigs etc.

So far we only got about 20 Dealers, 2 of them are in Scotland and 1 in Northern Ireland, so actually only 17ish in England. Closest to you is in Southampton and thats not really close is it!

I am slowly but surely filling the gaps tho, I just want to find quality dealers rather than to sell to Everyman and his dog.

 

[irondarren]

I can see your point about selling through quality dealers, better to find people who actually know what they are selling when it comes to welders, people who can offer service and support back up rather than the likes of machine mart, who don't really know what they are selling.

 

[matt1978]

Also got someone in Aldershot but its still not that near you is it?

 

[Drains]

Who are your scottish distributors Matt?

 

[malcolm]

What I would like to know is whether it is possible for a serious hobby welder to master the art of TIG welding

That's what I did with a load of help from the forum. I've not mastered it in the sense of consistent professional looking tig like welds (should imagine that takes a lot of practice) but have got to the point where I'll use the TIG over the MIG for a few things.

 

[snowcat]

That's what I did with a load of help from the forum. I've not mastered it in the sense of consistent professional looking tig like welds (should imagine that takes a lot of practice) but have got to the point where I'll use the TIG over the MIG for a few things.

TBH malc, unless you are tig welding every single day i dont think they ever get to that production look, mine are not and nor are 2 freinds of mine we are all fabers, the guys who produce that stuff sit there day in day out mostly working on the same meterials....

 

[dutchman]

Hi Matt,
I’ve received the email from my fellow (glock wearing) countryman. He also included a nice brochure. I don’t know the people from Haprotech personally, but I sure know where they are located. Only a 5 minute walk from my former office at the Corus site! I even stood in front of their window, gazing at their machines a while ago.

Still haven’t made up my mind about MIG or TIG. I really like the H180, but the basic version doesn’t have HF start. Is HF start worth investing the extra money?
Another option would be to buy a MIG welder and use brazing for connecting aluminium. Solder manufacturers claim strengths of upto 370Mpa! Does anyone know the strength of an average aluminium weld?

Malcolm, thanks for giving me good hope on learning TIG welding. Did you have to put in many hours to learn it? 20, 50, 150??
I saw you also did some aluminium brazing. Are you satisfied with the strength?

BTW, what is the meaning of this symbol??

 

[Drains]

BTW, what is the meaning of this symbol??

That symbol, my friend, is a can of worms!

BTW, you do know you can mig-weld aluminium? (using pure argon gas or alushield and 5356 ally wire)

Saves spending a fortune on an AC tig set, and easier than brazing i'd guess.

 

[Wozzaaah]

I’ve received the email from my fellow (glock wearing) countryman.