First Tig Welds... Input appreciated!

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Finally grabbed a "Q" argon bottle for my Squarewave 175, and got right to 'er.   First, I ran some beads on a piece of 3/16" steel plate.  All of this was done with 15 cfh of gas and the dial on the machine set to about 130 amps.  The top one was with no filler, and the rest were with 1/16 70S-2, which was all Praxair had when I stopped by....(?!!)  I wrote my tungsten choices on the plate. ( the grease pencil doesn't work so well on red-hot steel!)Now, a lap joint on some .200 plate, with the 3/32 E3 which I preferred after the initial test.And again on the other side of the piece.That torch sure does get hot pretty quick!  The guy I bought the machine from said whenever it gets hot he hangs it on the side of the machine, where theres a ****load of cool air coming out.  Seems to work!Now I took another couple pieces and did some "t" joints.  They didn't all turn out that great.  Maybe I didn't clean the steel well enough?  I'm certainly still trying to get the hang of using the pedal to control the amperage, but it is getting easier!  Now obviously these aren't great welds and I need some practice on getting my rythym down and keeping some better control of my puddle.  Was a 3/32 E3 a poor electrode choice for this application?
Reply:Now, some aluminum.  I used the 3/32 E3 again, because my only other choice was the 1/16" 2% ceriated, which I read wasn't a good choice for AC welding.  First I ran some beads on some scrap extrusions I had on hand with some 1/16" 4043 filler.   Wow, is this ever different!   This certainly requires some skill a couple levels higher than anything I've ever welded before!  Also, I like the way the 175 TIG makes the friggin floor vibrate when using AC.  It reminds me of using the tombstone when I was a kid!then I tried a lap joing on some 3/16" plate.  I set the machine to 150 amps.  Kinda seemed like a disaster if you ask me.  It took a while to get enough heat into the piece to even start a bead, and didn't go to well from there.  Ah well.....then I flipped the piece and tried again.  Starting the weld was a lot easier this time, presumably because the workpiece was already hot.  I seems like maybe 1/16 filler is too small, because I can't feed it through my hand quick enough to keep up with the weld.  I had to stop the arc a couple times to re-position the filler rod.  Then I tried a couple "t" joints. Then I tried a second fillet pass on top of the first t joint.  This was the first one I felt good about.Please feel free to add you input, I need to know what I can do to improve my welds!  Thanks!
Reply:First Time??????Boy Wonder you are.Keep the ceriated and E3 for alum. Get some good old cheap 2% thoriated for steel. Holds it's point better.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonFirst Time??????Boy Wonder you are.Keep the ceriated and E3 for alum. Get some good old cheap 2% thoriated for steel. Holds it's point better.
Reply:Yes, ceriated is ok for alum. E3 is better.Your alum is great for the first time. In fact if you stay with it a while you may find it is easier than steel. Then bouncing back and forth reinforces both.Last edited by shovelon; 07-28-2013 at 04:54 PM.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Awesome first time. Need to keep your tempo with the rod better.Think of it like a musician keeping tempo.Dip dip dip dip goes the rod.Not dipdip..........dip..dip.......dipdipdipdipMiller Dynasty 200DXMiller Spectrum 250DMiller Millermatic 200Bunch of old blue dinosaurs....
Reply:Not bad at all for the 1st time. As mentioned practice getting your timing down, at the end of your bead backstep a little, add a dab of filler & back off on the pedal to avoid the crater.
Reply:Well thanks for the tips guys!  I tried welding some of those aluminum extrusions I was practicing on together.  They have a 45 on each edge that worked as a nice bevel to fill.  I worked on my cadence with the filler and was pretty pleased with the results.BTW, at what pressure will my argon tank need to be filled?   I started at about 2100-2200 PSI and its now at about 1600.   Are they good right down to 0?
Reply:Originally Posted by AdvanWell thanks for the tips guys!  I tried welding some of those aluminum extrusions I was practicing on together.  They have a 45 on each edge that worked as a nice bevel to fill.  I worked on my cadence with the filler and was pretty pleased with the results.BTW, at what pressure will my argon tank need to be filled?   I started at about 2100-2200 PSI and its now at about 1600.   Are they good right down to 0?
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterI can still weld for about 45 mins after the flowmeter reads zero.You'll know when there is no more gas....zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by Mick120Count me in as a cheapster....for the price we pay a bottle, it's no wonder....  ...
Reply:Originally Posted by AdvanThat torch sure does get hot pretty quick!  The guy I bought the machine from said whenever it gets hot he hangs it on the side of the machine, where theres a ****load of cool air coming out.  Seems to work!
Reply:Originally Posted by Advanthen I tried a lap joing on some 3/16" plate.  I set the machine to 150 amps.  Kinda seemed like a disaster if you ask me.  It took a while to get enough heat into the piece to even start a bead, and didn't go to well from there.  Ah well.....
Reply:Awesome for the first time.  Simply awesome.Get some 2% lanthated blue off eBay.  It's all you'll ever need.  No need to switch between tungtens when changing to steel.  Maintains a sharp tip with a tiny ball on AC, unlike thoriated.  It's the best all around and pretty cheap to boot, around $20 for a ten pack of 3/32.  On the Aluminum, you need to be hotter and faster.  The graininess of the beads is from cooking the silicon out of the 4043.  You brushed the last bead.  If you're getting sputtering while on the puddle in AC, you may have bad gas.  You won't see it on steel, but the arc becomes erratic on aluminum.  Get the black contamination and flakes on the puddle intermittently.  Your poised to be great, much better than I'll ever be.Last edited by Drf255; 07-30-2013 at 05:56 AM.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:I would check the connections on your torch as well, to be sure it's all as tight as it's supposed to be. I can weld out a root and hot pass on 2" pipe before it get's hot enough for me to turn the gas all the way up and let it sit. Usually get through the filler pass before I have to put it down, and after each bead on the cap.
Reply:Originally Posted by akabadnewsI can weld out a root and hot pass on 2" pipe before it get's hot enough for me to turn the gas all the way up and let it sit.
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveAre you saying you crank up the argon and let it sit to cool off the torch????Expensive - must be someone else paying for the gas.Cheaper to hang it over the welder in the fan's air stream like in post #1.Dave J.
Reply:Throw it in a bucket o water.  That's pretty redneck - I like it!  Sounds like they didn't have time to waste.Or little patience to wait around for crap to cool - like me Dave J.Last edited by MinnesotaDave; 08-02-2013 at 07:28 PM.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveAre you saying you crank up the argon and let it sit to cool off the torch????Expensive - must be someone else paying for the gas.Cheaper to hang it over the welder in the fan's air stream like in post #1.Dave J.
Reply:FIRST TIG????????I'm green with envy.Hey~!! It's a hobby. It's not supposed to make sense~!!
Reply:I can't help but wonder if the nozzle is TOO hot, and you dunk it in water, wouldn't it crack from thermal shock? 1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:I'm not sure, but I'm tempted to try it now Dave J.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Originally Posted by OscarI can't help but wonder if the nozzle is TOO hot, and you dunk it in water, wouldn't it crack from thermal shock?
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterI can still weld for about 45 mins after the flowmeter reads zero.You'll know when there is no more gas....zap!
Reply:Nice job. Looks way better than my first attempt. Just curious, how hot can a tig torch get before damage occurs?TOO MANY TOOLS & NO MORE SPACEOriginally Posted by Chris T.Just curious, how hot can a tig torch get before damage occurs?
Reply:I have heated my torch a number of times to the point I can't hold it with tig gloves on, still works fine.
Reply:Originally Posted by AdvanWell thanks for the tips guys!  I tried welding some of those aluminum extrusions I was practicing on together.  They have a 45 on each edge that worked as a nice bevel to fill.  I worked on my cadence with the filler and was pretty pleased with the results.BTW, at what pressure will my argon tank need to be filled?   I started at about 2100-2200 PSI and its now at about 1600.   Are they good right down to 0?