Ooh..this is going to take me forever to get used to..

[SiPMerlin150]

Hello guys I'm on my Level 2 C&G's TIG course, the basics and some of the technical side, health & safety etc. I've done a few practice beads yesterday, and today spent a few hours learning to try and feed the filler rod.. I am having trouble feeding it in.. I've not had to do the walk of shame to the grinder to resharpen the tungstens yet.. What i'm about to show is some autogenous beads along a 3mm thick steel plate, at 85 amps with a 2% thoriated tungsten.

Don't laugh, I've gotten rather frustrated today with the tig gloves being so thin and useless against heat and not getting a good filler rod feed going.

I've got that feeling where you just know something just isn't for you? Well, I had that even before i began this part of my course.

 

[madkayaker]

Practice feeding the filler rod when your sat watching TV.

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Ignore the second picture, somehow slipped in there, thats my harley davidson sportster project found in the project section.

 

[pc18]

dont give up!

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Hi, noticed you mentioned that to another member, M.K, any other types of feed method?

 

[Paul.]

Too hot, get some 1.6 filler rod on the job it will cool the pool down and let you move slower, the pointed ripples show that you are moving too fast trying to keep it under control , its not point and squirt like mig,
have a look at the videos showing torch technique, and filler rod feeding here, http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/tig-technique.htm

 

[madkayaker]

I have heard of thumb rollers and a holder. The practice in front of TV was what worked for me

 

[SiPMerlin150]

haha, Pc18 that made me laugh!

 

[wheresmejumper]

to get control of the pool initially,just dab the rod in,no feeding required.just stop before your fingers burn.its easier to learn to feed the rod when youve nothing else to concentrate on

 

[SiPMerlin150]

So, initially, its ok to just get the pool going with a dab of filler, then use the torch to manipulate the pool the way you want it to go, and dip again when the pool seems to thin out?

 

[wheresmejumper]

the size/profile of the desired weld bead determines how often you dab

but you dont have to feed rod through your fingers to start,just use the 'stick out' of rod between your fingers and the pool,if you follow

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Thats what I have initially started doing at first, seems to work, but its real shame when I get what seems to be a good bead, stutters due to having to stop before my fingers burn.. I will practice and practice!

 

[pedrobedro]

Something I still do as well is to cut the rods in half to make them easier to manipulate. It might be expensive if you use hundreds of rods a day but for the bits I do it makes life easier.

 

[sm-]

about learning too feed the rodd use a thicker one (2.0 or 2.4) in the beginning because they are stiffer on the overall lenght and easier to grip. when you are sitting on the bench put the rod on your shoulder or in the bend of your arm.if on your shoulder you can let gravity help you just relase the grip on the rod and let it slide down.
Regarding the heat if it is on your toch hand just use a thicker glove if it´s on yor rod hand move it back i usually have atleast 10cm of rod sticking out and with a thicker rod like a 2.4 you can hold it in the middle without it wiggeling and like wheresmejumper says just dab it in the pool will take what it need. When the rod is in the pool just move your hands further back on the rod just do like a v with your thumb an indwxfinger and let it "slide" in that then "pinch on it again and lift it out of the pool. when needing more filler just hold the rod say 30cm from the tip then push it in the pool then before lifting it out "slide" the hand back this way you get around the feeding in the beginning you can just push filler in to the pool. So instead of having the rod between your fingers and burn them just put it betwwen the indexfinger and your thumb.

Damn this was hard to explain in writing hope you got something out of it

 

[Tigman]

You could get yourself a " Tig Finger " as seen in the youtube clips

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Thanks for the tip, Pedrobedro, and sm-; Just had a read through and I think i get what you are trying to explain, I swapped from tig gloves (they were hard and past their best) for a soft pair of thicker gloves and it felt a little easier almost immediately. I will photograph some of my test pieces tomorrow if possible

 

[SiPMerlin150]

You could get yourself a " Tig Finger " as seen in the youtube clips

Yes doesn't Jody (welding tips and tricks ) make it look so easy?

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

I don't have a problem with burnt hands, All depends on how you hold the torch though, Also I rarely tig anything thicker than 5mm.

 

[jonnyBMX]

what i found very very very helpfull when learning to tig (after id allready passed level 2 C + G Mig and MMA) with no tutition was the welding tips and tricks videos you are able to see how he moves the puddle around and the effects of differnt arc lengths and filler rods.

its just about practise really, also as lawmowerboy said ive never had an issue with the heat through the TIG gloves up to 200 Amps, how close are you holding the torch etc?

atleast you are doing the right thing by starting of with straight beads on 3mm steel rather then trying to go and do an ally T piece for your first step

good luck and just keep practising and it will come, keep us posted

 

[Dev]

Looks fiddly alright.

I'd like to learn tig at some point. I have this brilliant idea about making aluminium photo booths.