New tig - need lots of help

[Andyrg]

Hello guys.

Im going to start off with saying im completely usless and clueless.

Ive mig welded for years and thats pretty sorted now.

We do a lot of custom pipe work and ive had a lad weld all my alloy pipes but hes becoming hard tonget hold of so inpurchased a r tech 161 ac dc tig.

Just after some advice as weve played a little but the arc seems to be wondering all over the place and doesnt sound how we have watched the videos on youtube etc.

Can any one help us with some basics of welding thing alloy tubes.


Andy

 

[eSCHEn]

Can't help you Andy but there's oodles here who can and will

Welcome mate

 

[Andyrg]

I hope so, id love some one local tonus to pop over see us and drink coffee while we talk tig!!

Andy

 

[Appyasme]

Why don`t you ask the person you purchased the machine from to help you?

 

[skotl]

Welcome!

Dumb question but have you been through the tutorials over here?

I'm afraid I've never Tiggered before either (or whatever the correct phrase is ) but, as eSCHEn says, there are plenty here who have. I guess they're all having their dinner right now

 

[roofman]

Hello guys.

Im going to start off with saying im completely usless and clueless.

Ive mig welded for years and thats pretty sorted now.

We do a lot of custom pipe work and ive had a lad weld all my alloy pipes but hes becoming hard tonget hold of so inpurchased a r tech 161 ac dc tig.

Just after some advice as weve played a little but the arc seems to be wondering all over the place and doesnt sound how we have watched the videos on youtube etc.

Can any one help us with some basics of welding thing alloy tubes.


Andy

Being a newbie "tigger" myself i was a raw novice and practiced on scrap stainless steel 1st to get the hang of the machine,after much advice from the lads here and plenty of hours spent i can now knock a decent bead up...What i will say after reading your post is learn to walk 1st before you can run as trying to tig thin ally tube as a raw beginer may be asking a bit too much mate

 

[Richard.]

A wondering arc on ac?
What are your settings and the job or application.
My first thoughts are current matching tungsten size and prep.
A 2.4 tungsten with a sizeable ball face Is going to produce a very unstable arc at 40 or below amps. You need to have the appropriate tungstens and size/prep for the current joint you intend before you start getting involved with the bells and whistles. Put up a load of info on what you've got and want to weld

 

[Richard.]

I know it's Alu tubes but your idea of thin might be my idea of thick so some measurement would be handy to be accurate.

 

[Andyrg]

I cant even get a puddle started.

Shall reply tomorrow with some details

Thanks so much for the replys

 

[Richard.]

You won't if the arc is wondering. Joining two pipes out of thin Alu with a new machine and brand new process that is one of the most difficult to master.
Setting your sights rather high I think.
Let's say the pipe is 1mm thick. Your gonna want a good tight fit. Tack it with a short sharp blast of about 60 amps and a quick introduction of 1.6 filler.
If you get it tacked. I'd suggest you weld it at 40amps and if you have one use a pedal as you'll want to come down to about 25-30 as it starts building up heat.
1.6 tungsten ground to a point and a tiny flat on it to encourage a very small ball. 70-75% negative balance to keep the tungsten shape stable. 100--120hz freq to give a narrow focused arc.
This type of job is not easy and you need to get some arc time in on thicker flat stuff is my advice to to get an idea of the process and what does what.