Another new TIG member

[Turbo Gav]

After years of doing my own MIG welding and paying to have my TIG work done I finally saved up for a TIG set for myself. and it was delivered on Wednesday.
I chose an R-Tech AC/DC 201 like this
http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/welding_equipment/Tig_Welder
Now I have never used or watched any TIG work in my life and had no idea how to set up the machine or what rods/tungstens to use so most of this is probably wrong and I started with what came in the box with the welder, 1.6mm red tungsten and huge WP26 torch and a 9 gas cup iirc.

After sorting out an account at BOC and getting myself some pure argon I set off to make a mess! Got some scrap pipe I had lying around at the workshop and had a go

I had noted by now that the pipe was very hot but it was still good for getting used to the torch etc, its either that or im using to many amps

Fresh bit

Started to get the hang of it abit better here I think but i'm very hamfisted and not used to the small hang movments

Now I needed to finish these boost pipes off for both of my cars ( one drag and one track) so did some reading about back purging and bodged a little somthing up thinking that argon is heavier than air right?

I know im a little crazt btw

And cracked on and did my best to weld them up

Not the best but thats why I'm here to ask how to make them better? Alloy was hard work last night but got some fairly nice beads on an old fan housing that I had kicking about and could not find anything else to practice on that was even remotely clean.

Right im off to read about local courses

Cheers

 

[Turbo Gav]

Oh and after setting fire to the bench several times on Wednesday night I thought I best sort that before we have an accident

Should do for now

 

[JayRS4]

Howdy, looking good there, and a couple of nice project cars by the looks of it, any more specs? Good job you`ve got an AC tig too, might need it for that intercooler

 

[Turbo Gav]

Howdy, looking good there, and a couple of nice project cars by the looks of it, any more specs? Good job you`ve got an AC tig too, might need it for that intercooler

Thanks, what do you want to know spec wise? as it goes on abit as im sure you can imagine

 

[weldequip]

One tidy workbench there...never seen the likes! What made you decide to go for the R-Tech machine Gav, just out of interest?
weldequip

 

[JayRS4]

Wherever you want to start, i know this is a welding forum, but there are quite a few car nuts here. Turbo looks around GT40 size? Something like that. What are your goals for the cars, power wise, 1/4 times etc

 

[Turbo Gav]

Wherever you want to start, i know this is a welding forum, but there are quite a few car nuts here. Turbo looks around GT40 size? Something like that. What are your goals for the cars, power wise, 1/4 times etc

Correct I am car STUPID
Nova
GT4088 twin scroll
8.0 comp
1200 cc rc
Emerald
Sienz rods
Custom mani's
Full Wizzards Venom nitrous kit
dry sump
Solid lifters
+1mm valves
porting

blah blah LOL

Did 11's 4 years ago now going for 10's this year

Corsa
Cheap track car @ 300 BHP to start with total stock engine. need a GT2876 and a mani at some point and already have some 8.5 comp Wiscos for it.Full custom cages cage and I painted it about a week ago. Only had it 3 weeks

 

[Turbo Gav]

One tidy workbench there...never seen the likes! What made you decide to go for the R-Tech machine Gav, just out of interest?
weldequip

TBH I knew what I wanted it to do,had looked on Ebay as you do and saw all the chinese stuff with no backup so stayed away, they are probably good machines but if they break your fooked

Typed in Tig welders in Google and they come up first with good backup and read abit about them and was happy.

Didnt know about this site until today so missed you im afraid your going to tell me some horror story now?

 

[JayRS4]

Nice work, never matters what you say to yourself, cars are a stupidly addictive way of burning all your money. Good luck with the 10`s, i`ll look out for you at the strip

 

[Turbo Gav]

Nice work, never matters what you say to yourself, cars are a stupidly addictive way of burning all your money. Good luck with the 10`s, i`ll look out for you at the strip

I call it
Obsessive Performance Disorder see you there

 

[gavuk]

Nice work Gav, welcome aboard,doing well with the tig ,lots of people find it difficult apparently not you ,,shame about the silly name though.......regards Gavuk

 

[Turbo Gav]

Nice work Gav, welcome aboard,doing well with the tig ,lots of people find it difficult apparently not you ,,shame about the silly name though.......regards Gavuk

LOL cheers

 

[ngt]

What type of stainless do you use ? And what filler rod ?

 

[Turbo Gav]

316L on both

 

[ngt]

What made you choose 316 pipes as there is a strong debate about 304L vs 316. THat is, only the price difference and salt water corrosion resistance varies across these two types of stainless.
So why did you choose 316 ?
(i am about to buy some pipes for a turbo manifold but i am stronlgy confused about these two)

 

[Turbo Gav]

That was all my supplier stocked. 316L 1.5 D 3" were £7.20 each cash dont know if thats good or not?

Help with my welds?

 

[ngt]

Well you should really take a look (and post a pic) on the backside of your welds. There should be no underhangs but full penetration all together.
And i would file the edges of the pipe so when making the butt joint a Y shapes.

 

[oceanobsession]

Re another new tig member

Hi there turbo gav. ive considered the same welder as you have bought. this
might sound a bit cheeky but you dont fancy taking some pics with the covers off do you ill understand if ya dont cheers oceanobsession

 

[hotrodder]

Looks like you're off to a good start Gav. There's a good guide to TIG here if you haven't already found it.

You need to increase your pulse frequency/tighten up the distance between filler additions as there's a lot of crater defects on your welds- a couple of them look as though there could be a pin hole running all the way through the weld. Craters when ending a weld... ending the arc abruptly is the cause, machine will/should have a 'slope down' and 'crater/finish current' setting to correct that- machine winds the amps down over a few secs before shutting off.

As said, you need to take a look at the back of the welds to get a better idea of what they're like. Breaking/cutting some open would be even better

 

[Turbo Gav]

Hi there turbo gav. ive considered the same welder as you have bought. this
might sound a bit cheeky but you dont fancy taking some pics with the covers off do you ill understand if ya dont cheers oceanobsession

No problem when I remember I will do it for you.

Looks like you're off to a good start Gav. There's a good guide to TIG here if you haven't already found it.

You need to increase your pulse frequency/tighten up the distance between filler additions as there's a lot of crater defects on your welds- a couple of them look as though there could be a pin hole running all the way through the weld. Craters when ending a weld... ending the arc abruptly is the cause, machine will/should have a 'slope down' and 'crater/finish current' setting to correct that- machine winds the amps down over a few secs before shutting off.

As said, you need to take a look at the back of the welds to get a better idea of what they're like. Breaking/cutting some open would be even better

I have been doing some reading and have a slightly better idea about what all the functions do now. Have some more scraps to practice with now and different size tungstens and filler rods. I established that 1mm rod on 3/4 mm ally does not work.... well it does but it takes the rod as quick as you can push it in LOL
I'll have another bash tomorrow night and stick some new pictures up.

Thanks for your advice I will try that.