First few tig welds

[Richard.]

It's ok. Looks like it will hold fine.

 

[mtt.tr]

I realise it's not the worlds greatest but a big improvement I feel. The amp gauge on the tig bears no resemblance to anything which I thought was the case when I burnt some rods.

Need better rytheme it will come.

It's ok. Looks like it will hold fine.

 

[Richard.]

Like I and others have said throughput the thread which is falling on deaf ears Your trying to master the basics on complex joints and looking at it its not progressing much for that reason. Looks the same as previous welding tbh.

 

[Brad93]

That is a very complex joint the Torch angle required will be varying all the way round that joint. You haven't mastered a straight fillet yet, ideally you need to go back to the practice on sheet, then butt in sheet, then fillet in sheet, then pipe to sheet then pipe to pipe.

Looks like a poor MIG weld rather than TIG.
Running before you can walk.

 

[Chris Stevens]

Seems to me that the main problem with newcomers to welding is that most try to do a marathon before they can walk! Those wanting to MIG weld get hold of a hobby welding set, and attempt to repair a car so rotten it would be hard work for a pro welder with the proper gear, and those into TIG seem to think there is no need at all to master the basics of the process by spending a lot of time running bead on plate, and very often seem to feel they can do quite complex joints, as soon as they can do a simple butt weld. This of course leads to the learning process taking much longer that it would of had the basics been mastered first, which is a shame, and I think is also something which leads to a fair few giving up.

 

[mtt.tr]

Although i agree, for me time is very scarce. I only practice when I have a project in mind which to everyone may seem like an odd system but this is for my own leisure not for profit.
I'm happy to **Language** up and learn from a mistake which many are not as it frustrates them and they give up, I look at something and say this is why that didn't work, or this would make it look smarter. The previous picture is testiment I know why that weld looks how its looks and what I failed on. Now the next few attempts where far neater still not perfect. I changed what i was doing being more consistent on my torch angle speed and spacing I still know what to do to improve it.
If you held my pieces in hand and looked along them you can see improvments stuttle but better. I do say this camera on my phone blurs beads and it for some reason focuses past as you press the shutter, not that is why my beads arnt 100% just it doesn't show the suttle differences.

I feel too few are happy to make mistakes in aid of improvement, mostly as a nation we are to wet to mess up and be honest with ourselves as to why! we would rather blame the machine.
The great inventor's of this world were often told they would fail, but some we now look upon with amazement.

I'm happy to keep trying I'm stubborn enough to make it work out, i have lost a number of friends due to cancer in the last 2 years to know life is to short to not do what you want. After all I have not hurt or upset anyone or have I?. All one required rather belittlement, was opion on what was done incorrect, more to prove my own thoughts on my failures. And before starting doing something I've laid beads on sheet over they have been consistent width and well formed.

(Sadly didn't collect enough scrap to get paid at the scrap yard. These steel prices are frightening)

 

[Richard.]

I think your missing the point. Things will probably progress much quicker with better results if you get the fundamental parts sorted out. Going round a tube requires all the basics which your not applying because you've given yourself more work with position changing. The idea is to get the technique to a point where its second nature. Then apply it to the butt joint. Then the fillet/outside corner etc. Once your at this stage the tube will be a walk in the park. As you will only have to concentrate on direction changes, the other bits will be there naturally from the practice and the welding will look great. There is no reason why you cannot be great but take it from people who have put in the arc time there are far easier and faster routes to succeed in this skill. Tig welding is all about consistency. Changes made by the torch/filler show up like a sore thumb. Produce a 150mm butt joint on 3mm steel. Aim to get it from A to B without a stop or change in the arc length. Time your filler intervals so that the freeze frames are the same distance apart (this way cap height and pen will be consistent) put a pic of that up when it's perfect and that will be way more impressive to see and comment on.

 

[Richard.]

I totally agree life is waaaaaay to short and precious to waste time. Take it from me there are faster ways to achieve your goals and get the results and comments you want. I was in the same boat as was a lot of others on here. Step by step and always moving forward. Good luck. Rich.

 

[Richard.]

It's a valid point we all learn and pick things up at different paces but in order to tig weld on any thing you MUST have arc length, angle and filling down to a fine art. There is going to be very little concentration on these key things if you also throw direction changes into the mix along with adapting to several types of joint while running 1 weld. There are gifted people who can pic up a torch for the first time and just do it but for most of us it's a game of working at it from the bottom. Most Gp riders had a scooter. They then got a big bike and did track days they progressed through the intermediate groups to advanced to semi pro etc. They certainly didn't just get on the bike and jump in with the professional racers. I have a strong feeling that mr MTT won't need to do much in the flat position before it clicks and he's moving on to fillets but I do think he'll need to do some work on those key things first and the more complex stuff will come to him easier. It's just my thoughts I could be wrong.

 

[Richard.]

Well whatever method the gp riders adopted to get as good as they are, the point being they started off at the bottom and worked up to that level over time. Each to there own method. I do a fair bit of welder training In my Day job and some private tuition and I can only comment from What I find works. I always wish everyone the best of luck whatever method they adopt but if they want comments or advice on there welding this is IMO an upward hill struggle. Horses for courses.

 

[Chris Stevens]

Although i agree, for me time is very scarce. I only practice when I have a project in mind which to everyone may seem like an odd system but this is for my own leisure not for profit.
I'm happy to **** up and learn from a mistake which many are not as it frustrates them and they give up, I look at something and say this is why that didn't work, or this would make it look smarter. The previous picture is testiment I know why that weld looks how its looks and what I failed on. Now the next few attempts where far neater still not perfect. I changed what i was doing being more consistent on my torch angle speed and spacing I still know what to do to improve it.
If you held my pieces in hand and looked along them you can see improvments stuttle but better. I do say this camera on my phone blurs beads and it for some reason focuses past as you press the shutter, not that is why my beads arnt 100% just it doesn't show the suttle differences.

I feel too few are happy to make mistakes in aid of improvement, mostly as a nation we are to wet to mess up and be honest with ourselves as to why! we would rather blame the machine.
The great inventor's of this world were often told they would fail, but some we now look upon with amazement.

I'm happy to keep trying I'm stubborn enough to make it work out, i have lost a number of friends due to cancer in the last 2 years to know life is to short to not do what you want. After all I have not hurt or upset anyone or have I?. All one required rather belittlement, was opion on what was done incorrect, more to prove my own thoughts on my failures. And before starting doing something I've laid beads on sheet over they have been consistent width and well formed.

(Sadly didn't collect enough scrap to get paid at the scrap yard. These steel prices are frightening)

You can do exactly what suits you best, but I feel if you spent more time on getting the basics correct, you would make forward progress much faster, as trying to do more complex work without having mastered the basics first, will make things much more difficult, as it will be harder to work out which particular area is causing problems, and to sort that out. Unless you are exceptionally gifted you won't learn how to TIG weld reasonably well in a few days, and will find doing as Richard suggests will greatly reduce the steepness of the learning curve and ultimately make things far easier. Personally I would say if you have an AC set, the best possible way of quickly getting the basics would be bead on plate, using 2mm or less aluminium sheet.

 

[mtt.tr]

I can make it around the 1/2" keeping a constant arc length 1/8-1/16 and nearly constant angle and very very rarely touching down. I find I'm far more aware of the puddle and its behaviour and when it needs filling.

I need to play more with filling as I've read and seen so many different techniques I find im between a dab and constant push. The last welds I did were looking concave just my consistency needs improving.

I can see what I'm doing wrong. I'm getting into the habit of not thinking about the torch too much in either hand. Actually find it easier to use in my left hand two reasons, after a days work my right hand takes a lot of grunt and tends to shake more, also I find the filler needs better dexterity as its only 1mm works easier in my right hand

It's all a game of trying and learning. Don't consider my self the most amazing or expect to be the greatest in weeks. I do push myself with everything I do, it personally works for me and how I like it. Might not agree but each to their own

Came up with a super flexy hose idea if time allows I'll make one. Super simple and cheap.

 

[mtt.tr]

Decided to give a wp9 torch a whirl. Now that was much nicer around some 1/2inch, I notice my torch hand thinks for it self with litle deviation in arc length and close to consistent torch angle. My next thing is my filler hand, constant rythem.
This is how I learn, make myself struggle, sit back let my brain absorb what I've done. Then when I go back its clicked a bit more with that part of my plan Now I can let myself get more rhythmic.

I have a plan for learning just its unconventional.

 

[mtt.tr]

Left my down slop a bit to long hence to wide finish. Started take further steps and less filler.

An improvement all the beads are looking like this.

It's is just above flat and convexed.

 

[mtt.tr]

Here's a perspective

 

[langy]

Is that a flexy head torch ? I find the flexy head very useful

 

[mtt.tr]

Is that a flexy head torch ? I find the flexy head very useful

It is yes. That and glasses. I have brilliant vision but glasses made a huge difference I discovered. I was trying to get to to close as I couldn't quite see the tip. That's more down to bad lighting.

 

[God mode restorations]

They also do a three way adjustable head....look really useful. ..

 

[mtt.tr]

They also do a three way adjustable head....look really useful. ..

Tell me more.

 

[Richard.]

They also do a three way adjustable head....look really useful. ..

Flex loc. ?