TIG Newbee Needs Help

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Hi, I just picked up a Lincoln Idealarc TIG-300/300.It has a Heliarc HW 20 water cooled torch and a Miller water cooler. It is a mid 1980's vintage so it is not a square wave machine. I have done a fair share of stick welding but the only tig welding I have done  was in school 30 years ago. I  have lots of 304 stainless sheet from .030-.187, mildsteel shetmetal of the same thickness & 6061 aluminum of all sizes so these will be my practice pieces.Can I get some info on type & size tungsten and cups for the above metals.type of filler rod for the above metals.Will I have a much more difficult time on aluminum than a modern machine?Finally can anyone suggest a welding video for TIG. Thanks for your time. RDIND
Reply:imo older machines do just as nice of a job as modern machines do. id take my old airco over any of the new machines we have at work. could also be that im used to it though! not sure.... lincoln is in the process of making some very very nice videos. (of course leave it to lincoln)  i got a sneak peak at them over the summer and theyre out of this world. should be ready in the near future.
Reply:Try the Ron Covell intro to TIG.  I am a rookie, & found it very good.I like Lanthanated best--have tried Thoriated, Ceriated, and the Hybrid (blue) mix.  All worked well on my Dyn 200.  Course, I don't know all that much--but I have fun.Jerry in Anchorage
Reply:2% thoriated tunsten will work fine.  May not be the best choice for every situation, but it will work ok in just about any situation.  Pick up a package of 1/16, 3/32 and 1/8 and that will cover most projects.Use 308 filler rod for the 304 stainless, 4043 rod for the 6061 aluminum and 70S-2 rod for the mild steel.  I would pick up a tube of each type in 1/16, 3/32 and 1/8 sizes and that will cover most general tig welding jobs you may find to do.   May also want to pick up some 316 rod in 1/16 if you do any kitchen stainless projects.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Just a thought to add to DR33's accurate list of things you need. When you weld the aluminum, AC is the setting, DC for the steels. Use a pointed tip for the steels and a blunted tip for the aluminum. If you are doing the aluminum right, it will ball up and turn purple on the end. Stainless is easier than steel and aluminum is the hardest. A nice trick is to use stainless filler rod when repairing holes in steel. It just flows nicer and easier to seal up the leak. Last, but not least, just practice. Practice practice practice. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, we all learned something from f@#%ing something up.Bill LambertArgon WeldingABQ NMSic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
Reply:I've heard this a ton of times about thoriated being used for everything, I don't buy it.  I have been using thoriated and I often get a very unstable arc.  Occasionally I can keep the arc as I think it should be but I think a better choice in tungstens when welding with AC are green or pure tungstens, zirconiated or brown, and arctime or skyblue tungstens.  To be honest, I haven't used brown or skyblue tungstens yet, I have only used the green a tiny bit, not enough to understand them yet.  However, I have done a -lot- of reading on the subject and although there is a lot of people who say a lot of things, I think most of them are just making things up, being too vague or don't know what they are saying.  Red tungsten might work fine for AC on a new inverter machine, but the transformer TIG's seem to not like it, and I don't suggest trying to grind them to a point.  It just balls up shortly after, I haven't perfected my grinding methods yet, but I am working on getting a diamond dresser for truing a grinding wheel and two new diamond wheels at higher grits for fine finishes on a tungsten.  I have a 36 and a 60 grit on one of my grinders right now, I am planning on putting 60 and 120 grit wheels on one of my grinders, and then 260 and 600 grit diamond wheels on the other grinder (I have two grinders).  The idea is the lower grit wheel is used for the initial shape, then the rest is pretty obvious.  Maybe I will make a video in the future concerning this subject.I have been playing around with sodium nitrite (chem sharp is what sodium nitrite is) but I don't know how to make a balled tungsten with it.  I can make a pretty sharp taper on a tungsten with it though, I feel it might be better than any diamond wheel or extremely expensive pro grinder, and I got a pound of it for 15 dollars or so.Miller 330 a/bp water cooledI believe in gun control, I hold my gun with two hands.  If you want to know why, click here.Buy American or bye America.
Reply:Originally Posted by pinjasI've heard this a ton of times about thoriated being used for everything, I don't buy it. .....bla bla bla....
Reply:Originally Posted by dsergisonso, last week your asking questions about tungstens, wondering what the differences are.this week your offering advise.now that's PROGRESS!