TIG info needed

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Hello,Can you guys direct me to a good set of videos and/or books to learn TIG welding. Not looking to weld for NASA, just want to learn techniques, what settings to use for given material and thicknesses etc. etc.. I do mostly sculptures. Want to do alum. and mild steel. The welds are not heavily structural. They aren't suspending a vehicle or the like.Need something to explain all the TIG terms like "high frequency start" and "hot start" and what tungsten's to use for what material, etc, etc. Don't want to go nuts asking ?'s on the forum if I can get the info in one or two good video's and/or books. I will ask one question though. I weld a lot of mild steel round and flat stock( MIG right now). Most of the time I'm welding, for example, a 1/4" rod to the side of a 1/2" rod( butt joint "T")or 3/8" round rod to the edge of 1/8" flat stock, mild steel. I'd like the ability to do similar with aluminum. When looking into TIG welders, they mostly refer to " 1/4" capacity" for example. I assume the companies are talking flat plate, butt joint, in one pass? This really doesn't do me any good figuring out what I need based on the welding I've described above and I bet it won't be in the teaching books either. Any thoughts?Big thanks to those for the help. I just don't want to get a machine and end up under powered or spending too much adn getting something that is way more than I'll need. ( so far, from reading the posts here, I'm guessing a T.A. 185, or Miller Sycro 200, but I'm just shooting in the dark here)Again big time thanks!!!BertLast edited by bert the welder; 03-29-2010 at 02:27 PM.200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:A general rule of thumb is 1 amp for every .001" of material thickness for single pass TIG.YMMVRexLast edited by rode2rouen; 03-29-2010 at 02:45 PM.Reason: speelage
Reply:the ratings are at best a wild guess, there's too many different configurations and the like to use them accurately. AS a note you can theoretically weld as thick if you want, if you don't mind running stringer beads all day.Also when welding aluminum take any amperage for steel and add about 50% if memory serves me correct. That means if you're welding at 100 amps for a certain gauge, you would need about 150 amps for aluminum. It's a better electrical conductor and a better heat conductor so it's harder to melt with an electric arc.As far as books go. Hobart and lincoln make some good books,  a google search or forum search should bring them up. As someone who designs welds for NASA, I'll say that my art welds were perhaps the hardest things I did (I did direct sculpture in steel and SS)  crazy joint configurations and weird visual requirements.
Reply:goto utube they have many videos..some good some bad.....you can see the different techniques...and outcomes of some welders..
Reply:Here are some links for a series of videos on You tube about 9min long each that takes you through a TIG machine and explains the knobs and buttons and what they do. I found them helpfull As well Miller and HTP have some instructional info videos you can watch on the Miller site and a hour long video from HTP you can  purchase for around30$ plus shipping. Here are the linkshttp://www.youtube.com/profile?user=.../8/5u4Efn1twUohttp://www.youtube.com/profile?user=.../7/YXa1Pxcr_Wwhttp://www.youtube.com/profile?user=.../6/T3vBH59VF0shttp://www.youtube.com/profile?user=.../5/geasK5nD4T0http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=.../3/ZlFZUQzKCq0Best of luckHarold MulderMiller 211 AutosetHTP 201 Invertig with water coolerHardinge Cataract Quick Change Lathe
Reply:Thanks Harold! I found this guy on Youtube yesterday. Just watched the first link you sent. That's exactly the type of vid. I'm looking for. Strait forward, no fancy speak. Look forward to seeing the rest. Better get a pad of paper to make notes!! Any one else got a good book or text book?B200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:All Mfg. will have the sales points on their TIG machines(GTAW).  JGSMAW,GMAW,FCAW,GTAW,SAW,PAC/PAW/OFCand Shielding Gases.  There all here. :
Reply:Hey bert check you pm i sent you a messageCigweld Transmig 265seBoc 140amp StickBoss 200amp AC/DC TIGLincoln Electric Invertec V260-S
Reply:Check out the site welding reality.com, their are some books the author has written and he has troubleshooted for a period of time alot to tig,mig and it looks like his interest is now orbital tig,tip tig and pulse mig.I find his material interesting.
Reply:Originally Posted by MetarinkaAlso when welding aluminum take any amperage for steel and add about 50% if memory serves me correct. That means if you're welding at 100 amps for a certain gauge, you would need about 150 amps for aluminum. It's a better electrical conductor and a better heat conductor so it's harder to melt with an electric arc.