Oh no another first weld thread

[bert]

I have migged for some time but at Christams i treated myself to a R-Tech TIG160PDC as i had fancied a Tig for some time.

Anyway today my first bottle of Argon arrived and tonight i set it up to give it a go.

These are my first welds, i played with the amps but settings are 2.4m red tungsten.

9-10lpm
2.5 sec up
2.5 down
5 sec post flow

5mm mild steel


11012012387.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr

Then on 1.2mm steel with 30A


11012012388.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr

the back to show penetration


11012012389.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr

Then joined a few bits together but I was not comfy at the start and my arm got caught up on my bench


11012012390.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr


are they OK or do i need a lot more practice time?

 

[hotrodder]

They're very good for a first attempt but yep, you'll probably need a lot more practice time . Doesn't look you got all of the coating from the 1.2mm sheet, the white/yellow 'soot' looks like remnants of zintec

Rarely need 10lpm, should be able to knock the flow back to 5-7lpm without problems

 

[bert]

Thanks, I lowered the gas flow a bit, still emtptying the bottle at an alarming rate though

spent some more time practicing today and making a few bits that I normally mig


14012012391.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr


14012012392.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr

my stainless doesnt look very nice though, is this due to a lack of gas coverage?


14012012394.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr

 

[Shox Dr]

Firstly, get a Flow gauge, and either a dual stage reg, or a gas saver add on. Both will dramatically reduce gas usage.

As for welding SS, it's not easy, your last picture suggests to many amps and too slow.

The 2 above back this up, as the HAZ has moved quiet a way down the bar, for the weld you have done

 

[bert]

OK thanks, will try to move faster.

Amps on the stainless was 25 and moving quite fast. have ordered a gas lens and a bigger cup too.

also ordered a y piece for my reg so I can back purge the stainless.

 

[Paul G]

OK thanks,

also ordered a y piece for my reg so I can back purge the stainless.

That'll be two flow meters then.

Just watch that contents gauge drop.


Paul G

 

[bert]

after a bit of advice and a lesson from Gav - cheers mate! my tigging is looking much better

my gas lense arrived last night so gave it a go and im getting lovely colours and no grey at all. still need to get the nack of dipping in filler rod but im getting there

will get some pics up later

 

[bert]

pic of something i tigged up tonight.


24012012409.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr

Im now out of Argon so a call to BOC is in order for a W size bottle

 

[Shox Dr]

Don't worry for some reason you use less gas when you know what you're doing

 

[bert]

its ok ive done maybe 3 hours on this bottle, it was only a 9l one.

I wil be using it a lot so make sense to get a really big bottle

 

[gavuk]

Looking good Bert ,glad to help,any probs give me a shout......are you now watching telly and practising feeding the rod?.....play with the pulse,dip on the higher current,or mentally count to get a rhythm to your filler rod

 

[bert]

finally got a bit more tig time tonight after collecting a W bottle from BOC

crappy pic again 85amps with pulse on about 1 per second, starting to get the hang of movement but im struggling with the filler rod, maybe i need a thinner rod as the ones i have are 1.6mm and dont like melting and ball up on the end of the filler rod.

Thats 2mm steel plate bracket with a 4mm plate on top


13022012415.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr

comments good or bad welcome

 

[Paul.]

Why are you using the pulse?, when learning pulsing just adds another element to control, and is not really for use on that thickness of material,
I would turn it off set your amps to about 80 -90, keep the arc tight and concentrate on creating a fluid weld pool, and learn to feed the filler into the leading edge of the pool, the rod should be melted by the pool not the arc, have you read through the tutorials and watched the videos here, http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/tig-butt-weld.htm
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/tig-technique.htm
That material looks as if it is zinc plated, that will also cause you problems with tungsten contamination.

 

[bert]

Hi Paul,

Yes I have read the tutorials, good info in there.

Id been welding some 1.5mm stainless tube the last time i used the machine and just left the pulse on.

Next time i make some of these I will turn it off and try as above.

 

[gavuk]

I have some smaller rods here if you want to try some ,i'll double check later..are you adding at a low enough angle?..............

....play with the pulse,dip on the higher current,or mentally count to get a rhythm to your filler rod

...as Paul rightly says pulse is really for the thinner metal and doesn't help the learning process,But you have progressed quickly and knowing you would like to stack-o-dimes for at least some of your thinner work,counting for the filler rod and experimenting with the pulse to achieve the "freeze" lines,I think its worth you practising....even though stack -o-dimes is not something I recommend as I said .....Paul is about the neatest tig welder on here,listen to him,you won't go far wrong

 

[b4lamb]

With a gas lens you need less flow as it is not turbulent (i.e. laminar) and more efficient but if you are protruding the tungsten further to get into corners you will need to wind up the flow to compensate. On your very first welds there is clear signs of touch down (dark sooty stains). This happens but if it does, immediately regrind your tungsten. keep a tungsten, cup/nozzle, collet body and collet parts as a set for stainless and another set for carbon steel, dont mix them up. Its a pain switching over but prevents contamination. You will not notice the difference but after ageing and weathering the effects will begin to show. With stainless always keep the torch moving, never dwell. Always use backing gas on thin stainless. Get the biggest bottle of Gas you can, its false economy not to.

 

[bert]

Thank you, i didnt think about having 2 sets of cup's and collets etc, will have to spend some more money

I have a W sized bottle of Argon and I have a Y piece on my regulator ready for back purging. I still touch down everynow and again but immediately re-grind the tungsten.

 

[Paul.]

Personally I think that having separate cups and collet bodies is over the top, especially for the level at which you are welding, If building a nuclear reactor maybe...
Just make sure you regrind and start with a clean prepared tungsten when you change materials and it will be fine.

 

[gavuk]

At work I use a shared machine ,the tungsten and ceramics are used for everything,without problems ,,,,we do however have wire brushes marked for steel or stainless and flap discs and cutting wheels just for stainless,some of the worst rust spots I've seen is from steel grinding dust contamination

 

[bert]

I thought Id post an update on how my Tigging is coming along. As always im open to advise

This is a Drive shaft I made, its pinned in the centre and welded together and then sleeved.


25032012427.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr


25032012425.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr

This a part of an Adjustable Track Control Arm I made today for a customer. Thats 1.5mm wall Tube with a 5mm thick Mild plated going though its middle.


25032012430.JPG by bertmuppet, on Flickr

Gas flow is 11lpm amps vary