Help!

[bludenz]

Hello!

In the near future (hopefully next month), I will be learning to TIG weld. However, I already have a machine (Unimig Inverter 190, Stick/MIG/TIG) but it has no foot pedal support unfortunately. I have some prior experience (not much) in MIG welding for context.

My question is, for a complete TIG beginner, would you recommend starting with, or without a foot pedal. Please provide some reasoning so I can better understand what I should do! I'm a very fast learner so I'm sure it wouldn't be so much more difficult to incorporate a foot pedal...

Thank you in advance,
B.

 

[carbon]

A pedal can be useful when welding aluminium with ac tig but not essential. I used my first ac tig welder without a pedal when welding aluminium by using the down slope as a way of controlling the heat input just by releasing the button on the torch if things got a little out of hand.

 

[hotponyshoes]

A foot pedal (or some other form of remote control) is useful when welding aluminium or welding pieces of vastly different thickness, ie, a 3mm tab onto a 20mm plate.

If you eventually plan to do either I'd say start off with a foot pedal (or remote)
However many (possibly most?) people learn the basics without, then add one later if required.

 

[bludenz]

Thank you for the quick responses.

Planning to mainly weld mild steel/stainless and upgrade my machine to be able to weld Aluminum later on, so may not start with a foot pedal, but purchase one later on...

A foot pedal (or some other form of remote control) is useful when welding aluminium or welding pieces of vastly different thickness, ie, a 3mm tab onto a 20mm plate.

If you eventually plan to do either I'd say start off with a foot pedal (or remote)
However many (possibly most?) people learn the basics without, then add one later if required.

I may need to occasionally (very rarely) weld thin washers onto thicker steel bar (~10mm). Is it just more difficult to do without a foot pedal? What are the advantages to having a foot pedal in this situation?

 

[chrismac]

You dont need a foot pedal or remote, a slope up and down or at a minimum slope down is a huge benefit to help starting and stopping,

your question above, a foot pedal or remote is helpful in any situation where you need to change amps while welding, not essential for the majority of stuff, granted at work we would not be with out it.

 

[waddycall]

You’ll learn quicker without. Then you can decide for yourself if you need a pedal

 

[hotponyshoes]

I think your welder has fairly basic, scratch start tig functions. Meaning it's unlikely to have the slope functionality mentioned above.

To weld a washer onto a thick bar is tricky.
You need to set the power level low enough so you don't melt the washer completely as soon as you direct the arc towards it. But, high enough to melt the thick bar.
The thick bar will conduct heat away quickly, and also, dissipate that heat into the room.
So, at a certain power level all you will do is warm the bar and room without ever melting it.
So, turn the power up enough to melt the thick bar, direct the arc onto the thick bar and hold it there until the bar starts to melt.
You then need to move the arc to the washer which will then start to melt very quickly. You add the filler at this point and move the arc away from the washer before it melts away to nothing.
Adding the filler will cool the weld a bit so it's a lot of practice and coordination needed to make a successful job.
When you get to a big difference in thickness it's very hard to control. Certainly beyond my skill level and I've been doing it a while..

With a pedal you just increase the power when you move the arc to the thick bit and decrease when you move to the thin bit.

A typical 3mm thick washer onto a 10mm thick bar should be achieved easily enough without a pedal and you can always make things easier by preheating the thick bit!

 

[bludenz]

Thank you very much for all of your very insightful replies, they have been extremely helpful!

 

[zzr1200]

A slightly cheaper way around not having a foot pedal (if your machine is capable of using a external control) is to replace the torch assembly with one that has the option of a amperage control knob/switch in the torch handle.

I have one on my Miller Maxstar 350 tig welder, I can set the minimum and maximum amperage range on the machine (say 120 amps to 170 amps) the control knob on the handle allows me to vary between the low/high settings, giving me 100% control over the 50 amps. Alter the min/max machine setting you alter your variable amps

There are various designs of torch control buttons/push switch/rotary switches which can be ordered with the torch or separately, if you decide you don't like one type, page 17.

https://www.parkertorchology.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Parker-Suregrip-Tig-MPP021-V2021.08low.pdf

 

[Tangledfeet]

Having just recently returned from Perth (visiting my brother in law who's been there for 30yrs) I was struck by the amount of steel (and aluminium) fabrication that goes on in the city and its surrounding area - and the subsequent educational infrastructure available.

I'd look into an evening class; whilst it probably won't be free it will pay dividends in the long run.

I did an evening course on TIG several years ago and it was well worth it.

 

[bludenz]

Having just recently returned from Perth (visiting my brother in law who's been there for 30yrs) I was struck by the amount of steel (and aluminium) fabrication that goes on in the city and its surrounding area - and the subsequent educational infrastructure available.

I'd look into an evening class; whilst it probably won't be free it will pay dividends in the long run.

I did an evening course on TIG several years ago and it was well worth it.

Have already found a TIG course in Perth, around $160 AUD for a 2 hour course. Any recommendations on what I should look for in a welding workshop?