can't start the arc!

[molten mickey]

hi new to tig welding having some problems .with my kepak 150 super tig/stick welder.any suggestions on how to set upie; leads/switches on the right setting etc so i can practise on mild steel plate/bar,cant start the arc for some reason,

 

[weldequip]

You want the TIG torch lead to negative (-) & the earth lead to positive (+)... the opposite way round to stick (MMA) leads. If you get them the wrong way round it won't do any harm but you will find the tungsten electrode 'flaring' back all the time & a very unstable arc.
weldequip

 

[molten mickey]

cant start the arc

thanks for that ,i had the earth lead on the negative side! thought i bought a duffer cheers! any advice on the gas side? co2 co2 argon mix what works best?

 

[gavuk]

pure argon for everything

 

[snowcat]

Mickey suggest you have a read through the rest of the TIG posts, most questions should be answered there...........Its such a broad subject theres no way it can be covered simply.....

 

[roverfan]

im learning mma at the moment but i had a go at the tig function on my inverter this morning. using 1.6 ceriated tungsten with no gas connected. what i found was that i had to hold the tungsten uncomfortably close to the workpiece before a small pilot (hf?) arc was established and even then it was hit and miss as to whether anything would show at the tip. the times i did manage to get some action at the tip it was a flame effect. the tungsten glowed bright and the 'flame' blew holes in the workpiece. is this all because of not using gas or something else? i was hoping to get a decent arc to run a few small test beads.

 

[fingers99]

Without gas you'll wreck the tungsten. You'll not do anything useful.

Check the posts here, also the Miller site has lots of useful stuff (as has eDonkey, Gnutella, etc. -- peer to peer networks).