Hi there
I finally got TIGing with my new SIP Weldmate P178 and as I’ve come to get the idea, most who buy a machine like this realize within just an hour or two of welding that they wish they’d spent a few £s more for the next model up with foot-pedal and pulse features.
Oh well… That’s not to say I am not having fun with it but I am starting to wonder if what I’ll be using it for won’t be quite what I’d imagined. It will still be useful, but…
The intention was to use it primarily on 1-2mm sheet stainless. But getting control to do TIG-brazing with SIF-968 on 90deg joins is difficult even with a good fit-up. I have felt more like a dentist at times with the way I’ve had to back over sections where the filler has not flowed as desired, or fill holes in base metal I've made as I've approached an edge (all good fun). The attached photos show my first assembly and a practice H-section I made up last night. With the H-section I had the Amps up as high 60 in order to get the sense of being able to flow the filler. After a clean up though it’s clear the join is interspersed with sections where the base metal has flowed as well and of course these been burn-through on the other side, cracking etc.
My TIG skills are still basic, I’ve more experience with propane and silver soldering. The hopper assembly pictured has been TIGed for the thin sections and then silver-soldered onto the 4mm base plate (I have Sievert torches with high capacity heads). Was clear to me that I wasn’t going to be able to do that join with my current TIG skill/capacity.
I’m using purple 1.6mm electrodes and 1.6mm filler, and have added a stubby conversion kit and furick #8 cup which for modest cost has improved things a little but I wonder if there are going to be limits with this machine.
Moving forward I could just use the TIG to spot weld assemblies for fit-up prior to silver-soldering. That actually works quite well. Or I could persevere and maybe my skills will surely get better.
There must be people who have been here before. I am I better persevering and improving or would investing in a machine with pulse & pedal be worthwhile? Should I try 1mm filler rods ?
Many thanks!
I finally got TIGing with my new SIP Weldmate P178 and as I’ve come to get the idea, most who buy a machine like this realize within just an hour or two of welding that they wish they’d spent a few £s more for the next model up with foot-pedal and pulse features.
Oh well… That’s not to say I am not having fun with it but I am starting to wonder if what I’ll be using it for won’t be quite what I’d imagined. It will still be useful, but…
The intention was to use it primarily on 1-2mm sheet stainless. But getting control to do TIG-brazing with SIF-968 on 90deg joins is difficult even with a good fit-up. I have felt more like a dentist at times with the way I’ve had to back over sections where the filler has not flowed as desired, or fill holes in base metal I've made as I've approached an edge (all good fun). The attached photos show my first assembly and a practice H-section I made up last night. With the H-section I had the Amps up as high 60 in order to get the sense of being able to flow the filler. After a clean up though it’s clear the join is interspersed with sections where the base metal has flowed as well and of course these been burn-through on the other side, cracking etc.
My TIG skills are still basic, I’ve more experience with propane and silver soldering. The hopper assembly pictured has been TIGed for the thin sections and then silver-soldered onto the 4mm base plate (I have Sievert torches with high capacity heads). Was clear to me that I wasn’t going to be able to do that join with my current TIG skill/capacity.
I’m using purple 1.6mm electrodes and 1.6mm filler, and have added a stubby conversion kit and furick #8 cup which for modest cost has improved things a little but I wonder if there are going to be limits with this machine.
Moving forward I could just use the TIG to spot weld assemblies for fit-up prior to silver-soldering. That actually works quite well. Or I could persevere and maybe my skills will surely get better.
There must be people who have been here before. I am I better persevering and improving or would investing in a machine with pulse & pedal be worthwhile? Should I try 1mm filler rods ?
Many thanks!