Tips For Learning Welding

[boostn0199]

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for stainless pipe welding with around 1.5mm wall. I keep burning it and getting a greyish weld and have tried different settings, pulses, gas flows, different size filler wire and have no success. Have been using around 35-40amps with the 1.6 filler and 28 amp with even smaller filler.

[brenton21]

What size tungsten are you using? 1.6mm? What type of tungsten are you using? Thoriated( Red ) or lanthanated ( Gold )? 0.9mm filler wire? What size shroud? Your amps should be fine, it comes down to speed and gas coverage.

[boostn0199]

What size tungsten are you using? 1.6mm? What type of tungsten are you using? Thoriated( Red ) or lanthanated ( Gold )? 0.9mm filler wire? What size shroud? Your amps should be fine, it comes down to speed and gas coverage.

Tungsten is 2.4 only because I havent got my 1.6collar yet for this new tig machine and its grey one. Filler used both 0.9 and 1.6 and shroud 9. Ended getting it to work with both sized fillers without burning it anymore found moving alot faster and making post flow time about 10sec and going over the whole bead done helped clean the weld up.

Just trying to figure out some pulse settings so far havnt been able to get any that works well have tried 1 pps , 10-20pps, 30pps and just doesnt seem to feel right.

[scotty nm35]

Try a lower current. I would usually use around 20-25 amps on my machine with no pulse on thin wall stainless like that.

The bead will go black if it's too hot with no gas shield. Are you purging the inside? Best to get the cuts dead flat so there is no gap, then you don't need filler...

[brenton21]

when you get your 1.6 mm collet use that with some 0.9 mm filler wire should be alright, same amps 30-40A. wont need to purge inside, unless your doing a weld test that has to pass x-ray. always add filler, not too much but enough so it keeps the finished weld above the material your welding. Thats called reinforcement. critical for a long lasting crack free weld.

[R33shaun]

bit of a thread dig but here goes anyway, im looking to build an ally tube tray for my new hilux and am looking to pick up a new welder and do it myself.

Ive done a tafe course on stick and mig years ago but havent had stuff all to do with tig.

So what would you recommend to buy? ive got a budget of a few grand.

i saw a combi welder (arc, mig, dc tig) at bunnings today for 1300 or so but figured id do some research before spending up.

cheers, shaun

[zebra]

You need AC if you want to tig aluminium

Also

Don't buy a bunnings welder...In 2 years from now when you need spares/consumables you wont be able to get them....I get this every 2nd day at work

Someone got a "bargain" off ebay or at repco/bunnings etc and they need consumables.

Our answer is "good luck" because you can't buy them.

If you want to TIG aluminium and dont want to spend 5-7k than buy a Unimig 200AC/DC (the new "Razor" version) We sell them everyday for 1600 bucks with a foot control and can get parts just about anywhere.

[R33shaun]

You need AC if you want to tig aluminium

Also

Don't buy a bunnings welder...In 2 years from now when you need spares/consumables you wont be able to get them....I get this every 2nd day at work

Someone got a "bargain" off ebay or at repco/bunnings etc and they need consumables.

Our answer is "good luck" because you can't buy them.

If you want to TIG aluminium and dont want to spend 5-7k than buy a Unimig 200AC/DC (the new "Razor" version) We sell them everyday for 1600 bucks with a foot control and can get parts just about anywhere.

cheers that sounds like what im after, where abouts do you work?

[zebra]

I work for an industrial supply mob in Canberra.

This is the one I mean

http://www.unimig.com.au/catalogue_product.asp?product=974&category=10&subcategory=25

[works 510]

Seems like a good place to ask. Also looking for a budget get into TIG ac dc welder.

Anyone had any dealings with Fabgear branded equipment (supagas distrubuted)?

http://www.fabgear.com.au/FabGear/TIG_Welding_Machines_files/200_AC_DC_TIG.pdf

[R33shaun]

i ended up getting this

the blokes at the shop(global welding supplies) said its made by unimig, it just doesnt come with the huge pricetag. Its got a 3 year warranty

I also got all the ancillary gear

allthough ill probably pick up some more tungstens and different sized shrouds later on, all i need now is to pick up a bottle of argon, fit a 15A gpo in the garage get a heap of scrap metal and start practicing.

I also picked up a licon auto darkening helmet

Ill jump back on with some more pics and probably a fair few questions once i start having a crack

[R33shaun]

i finally got off my ass and got some argon so ive been having a crack at welding this arvo.

i cant seem to get a weld pool going in ally, all im trying at the moment is to run a weld pool down 3mm ally box, im using zircon tungston (grey) 2,4mm with a size 7 shroud. 7l/m gas flow

these are the setting i had, i tried between 100-170 A all with no luck.

what are some base settings and tips to get me started?

after about an hour of stuffing around i had a crack at mild steel, same shroud and tungsten i just cleaned up and sharpened the tip and put the welder on dc and it worked no dramas.

a bit rough as i was free handing it but this was my first go, 80A welding 1.6mm 25x25 box

im booked in to do a tafe course but it doesnt start till july, so some beginner tips and settings would be awesome

cheers,

shaun

[warps]

I'm far from an expert but 2.4 sounds awful big for such light gauge (I'm talking about the rhs). Also looks like you're not using a filler on that weld. Possibly a bit light on with gas flow by the look of the Burning / soot at one end of the weld.

[ISL33P]

Here is a good start for all your amperage and gas flow requirements.

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/calculators/tig_amperage_calculator.php

120ish amps on 3mm aluminium

15cfh and you should be fine

the steel tig weld just looks too hot and you dipped/touched the tungsten halfway thru. Do you have a pedal or switch to control amps?

[MozzMann]

It is a pity I am out in the boonies so to speak, but as a retired Fabricator and Mechanical Engineer I I think I could offer a lot of tips for general fabrication work in sheet, RHS and Pipe work etc.

I wonder if it would be worth a few of us old blokes banding together and put on a workshop or something similar to try to pass on some our skills and knowledge to the younger ones.


Just a thought

[MozzMann]

Apparently not it would seem,

Anyway the best advice I could give you is , to get a number of scrap bits and practice repeatedly, trying different Current and gas-flow levels and taking note of their effect. You'll likely burn holes and get frustrated BUT you will gradually get the hang of your Welding Unit and get used to the pedal ( heat ) and feed (filler rod) and things will fall into place. Assuming your Welder uses a pedal for on the fly current control.

[tridentt150v]

It really helps if you are proficient at Oxy Acetylene welding if you take up TIG. Anyone that has lots of oxy welding experience already has almost the correct technique for TIG. The filler rod angle, speed of weld, and amperage/pulse etc are all newish but the weld pool, dip and move are all very handy skills.