how to feed filler metal

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hello everyone,   i was wandering if anyone has a way to practice feeding the filler metal for tig welding and also the proper technique to use. any help will be greatly appreciated. good welder but getting better
Reply:Hey Hammer,Good question.  I am working on that process myself this weekend.I can tell you what I found out so far...When welding 1/8 MS with a 3/32 Tung. and 1/16 Filler, instead of just a quick dip, I give a little push into the puddle.  It seems like the dip does not take off enough metal maybe due to the filler rod size, so I pushed it a little and the weld started to look better.I watched a Tig welding video last week and the technique for dipping from what I could tell was about two times per second, and thicker metals like 1/4" a little slower with a little more feed of the filler.That's about all I could tell.  I practiced this technique today and my welds have improved over the last attempt which was my first time Tig welding.Just try different things, faster slower etc..  Watch the puddle and try to figure out what is going on with it when your dipping and moving..I wish there was an easier answer, but I think it all comes down to practice, practice, practice...Hope that helped!Build a Barstool Racer at BarFlyRacers.com!
Reply:Here are some videos I made for this
Reply:thanks for the help,welderboy are you left handed? good welder but getting better
Reply:Hey Welderboy,Do you wear gloves when feeding that method, or your bare hands?Thanks!Build a Barstool Racer at BarFlyRacers.com!
Reply:Torch at about a 15* angle facing the finish line.  Filler at a low angle to the plate, maybe 20 to 35* facing the start line.  Keep the filler in the gas from the torch.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by malichHey Welderboy,Do you wear gloves when feeding that method, or your bare hands?
Reply:Originally Posted by hammer70546welderboy are you left handed?
Reply:Originally Posted by WelderBoyYup!  The best!
Reply:Put gloves on and practice feeding WITH BOTH HANDS.   Don't need to be doing it with the welder going, in the evening at home, after a week your welding will improve heaps.  True story.I'd rather be hunting........USE ENOUGH HEAT.......Drifting around Aussie welding more pipe up, for something different.....wanting to get home.
Reply:Originally Posted by WelderBoyYup!  The best!
Reply:are you moving the puddle around with the left hand too?    or is the "Stack of dimes" achieved with each push of the filler rod?
Reply:"Dips" of filler.  The dimes come from your dips into the front of a fluid puddle.   For bigger welds I "stick" the rod in the puddle and I get more of a bead.David  Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:It is a good idea to practice to use both hands on the torch and the filler...I do it all the time..Even better..Use a diffrent foot on the pedal also..And to really make you go ...Try alternating your feet with a positioner also if you have one..Yup I can do that too..  ( And I only use a glove on my torch hand.)...zap!Last edited by zapster; 09-04-2007 at 04:26 PM.I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:thanks for all the help, i am really not worried with the stack of dimes as long as my wels are sound and i dont touch the tungsten with the filler. i feel the dimes look will come with practice but its hard to practice when you have to re-sharpen the tungsten every weld. i was looking for a "method" of feeding the filler in order to prevent this from happening. if anyone can show me there method i will try it and find one that works for me. i guess i might mention that i have limited use of my left thumb because of an accident as a kid and this doesn't help at all when trying to learn how to feed the filler lol.but belive me any help is truly appreciated. good welder but getting better
Reply:Get yourself 4 or 5 tungestions ready to go..Sure beats having to get up every 3 mins...After awhile you'll be able to run the whole project with only one...Clean everything good first..That helps in the funk reduction on the tungestion.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:In 3 hours of continous DC tig,  I keep 5 sharp tungstons on hand, and resharpen them when they all are contaminated.  Once an hour?  Some days are better than others.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:hey hammer,if you've limited use of your thumb a 'tig pen' might help- google it for a picture/descriptionwhether it's 'damaged thumb' friendly or not is another question though as i've never used one- always thought of them as a gimmick
Reply:Originally Posted by maxyedorThe one other thing I do, and I don't do it much anymore, but when I was first learing it helped a lot, is that I cut the filler rods in half so that they are easier to balance. You have to stop and grab a new rod more often, but it makes like much simpler.
Reply:Originally Posted by wirehuntIf I catch anyone I'm teaching doing this they get a slap up the side of the head     You don't learn much cutting corners, well not until you know what your doing properly.   Learn the hard way, nothing worse than being in the biggest mongrel of a spot doing a tie in and running yourself out of wire.   In fact on a 10" I'll hold one and a bit pieces of wire in my hand cause one won't get there.That thumb problem you've got will make it interesting for you, but there's lot's of ways to feed it, so go get the gloves and the wire and get at it.  I've been doing this for a year or two and still find myself running a bit of wire through the fingers, just for something to do.Good luck
Reply:You've got more bad habits than me Supe ;D I don't grind tacks, grinders are evil and I don't like picking them up.   So how do you weld a butt in a bad place when you have to feed the wire from the back side?   I'll try to remember to take the camera to work today, got maybe the worst weld yet to do on the job (which I had hoped was the one yesterday)I'd rather be hunting........USE ENOUGH HEAT.......Drifting around Aussie welding more pipe up, for something different.....wanting to get home.