The way of the Weld Pool (Introduction)

[1974Warthog]

Hi All,

Got to say, i have been reading articles on here for ages. But just never got around to registering.

Work in a Maintenance enviroment and Mig welding is very much a must to keep things together.

At home i use Mig for fabrication of parts for my passion for Off-Roading. (Butter 211 Plant, single phase)

Thats it really

Oh just started training in Tig Welding at the Moment....Takes a little bit of time to get the welds looking peachy, but i do like it. (Murex Transtig 375 plant 3 phase)

Cheers

 

[lexi]

Hi Mate . Let`s see pics of your Landies..........unless you are brave enough to use a Jap...lol
Alex

 

[malcolm]

While it's fresh in your mind - when going from MIG to TIG I've found it reasonably straightforward to get a TIG weld that works but doesn't look pretty. Is there anything you altered in your technique to get nice looking welds, or was it just practice?

 

[1974Warthog]

@ lexi; Im a Landy owner through and through! But i do some work on Jeeps too. I'll up a piccy soon

@ malcolm; I think its practice, practice, practice!!! My instructor can nail it everytime but for me to get the welds laid down like "Pennies overlapping each other" But as descrete a possible.Takes me a good few hour to get close to it!

However, something of a tip i have been given is, if you can keep the heat line the same width all the way on the materials. Your weld pool should stay at a steady size. But the filler rods introduction is where it goes pear shaped for me!!!
Hope that makes sense........???

 

[MigTig]

Remember you dont want to 'feed' the rod in like an arc welder when Tig welding, but more like you want to just nib a bit of in the arc when needed. Often you only need a very small amount, and just the the arc bite a bit of when needed, then pull the rod away, but try to do this while still keeping your Tig torch in the same motion.

It really is all down to practice
Im about to buy a new tig machine myself, cant wait. Mig is very useful, but to use Tig well, its not just skill, its also an art. Takes many years to master all the matiriels (alloy, steel, Ssteel etc)

 

[1974Warthog]

Well had another day at it Today. More practice......But a couple of things i have noticed is, get you angles right and control of the weld pool increases.
With a 1.6mm Electrode on 1m mild steel, managed to do good runs no more than 4mm wide. The Electrode needs a really long and thin point though, as it seems to make it a lot easier.

@ MigTig
First time i had a go at Tig, I made the mistake of constantly feeding the filler rod in. But now i have come to realise it is not the way.....Or so it seems

Oh well, still learning.........Will always be learning, me thinks! Only been at it for 24hours total!

 

[MigTig]

Gas (oxyA) welding and TIG welding are my favourite, they are noiseless, and easy to control on small projects. They just take a lot of time to get good at, which is funny as its one of the slowest methods of welding.
Im about to spend £400 on a TIG, it will be my first own TIG, as I used to use very expensive industrial kit. Looking forward to it, no doubt I will be completley out of practice..