Class is in, with pics:

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Over the next five weeks or so, I have challenged myself to become proficient with my TIG.  I've logged about two pounds of rod so far this year, and still consider myself a beginner on all counts.  I am working with a 200amp machine, no foot pedal or remote control, HF start.  I really like the machine so far, even without the pedal.  So, fire away with all the critique you've got, it will toughen me up and motivate.  Thanks,Scott Attached ImagesScottMiller 135 Mig - I miss this oneMiller Maxstar 140str - fried! Mitech 200amp Tig - so far so good
Reply:Consistensy...You need more of it....2 pounds of rod ain´t really that much, but you will get better as you mooveMy Babies: HF Drill pressHF Pipe Bender3   4.5" Black and Decker angle grindersLincoln Electric PROMIG 175that´s it!
Reply:Try to weld together 2 1/16" 304 stainless pipes without burning , when you get it do the same but with some 1/8" gaps between the pipes  ...Idealarc 300\300 TIG AC\DC
Reply:Climber11,not too bad, but maybe you should lay off the juice before welding.No, seriously, just try to find a way to steady your hand so you can move in a straight line at a constant speed.
Reply:WWI .............Weding While Intoxicated
Reply:NO kidding.  I have trouble keeping my beads in a straight line on tube.  I tend to drift downhill towards myself as I go along.  I dont have any stainless to work on yet, so it will be mild steel for awhile.  I have done some work with gaps, and it seems to work ok for flat stuff.Thanks for the feedback.  I seem to get it, and then loose it again pretty quickly.  More pics tonight.ScottMiller 135 Mig - I miss this oneMiller Maxstar 140str - fried! Mitech 200amp Tig - so far so good
Reply:Just ran across this in an AWS guide to GTAW:"dragging-the-finger. A technique used in manual welding of all types of joint configurations. It can be used when welding all diameters of pipe and tubing. In this welding technique a fingerstall is made by overlappinga “sleeve” of fiberglass material approximately 8 in. [200 mm] long. The fingerstall is placed over the middle finger and should extend approximately1 in. [25 mm] beyond the end of the finger. The fingerstall is used to stabilize the hand holding the torch as it is slid along during welding."
Reply:What a great idea pulser.  I was trying to think of a way to make an insulator for a drag finger.  Ive done that while painting and what not.  I do it without the protection, and lets just say, the glove becomes quite stiff as well as hot fingers.Various GrindersVictor Journeyman torch200cf Acet. 250cf oxygenLincoln 175 plus/alpha2 gunLincoln v205t tigLincoln 350mpEsab 650 plasmaWhen you can get up in the morning, Its a good day.Live each day like its your last.
Reply:Originally Posted by pulserClimber11,not too bad, but maybe you should lay off the juice before welding.No, seriously, just try to find a way to steady your hand so you can move in a straight line at a constant speed.
Reply:Sometimes I scribe a line in the plate to follow.  DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Just did a few by scribing some lines, and on flat plate.  Much better control by my standards.  I also played around with trigger placement.  Does anyone have a cool pic of their steady rest setups? bracing?  clamps?  whatever you use to stay in control would be great. Bottom three lines were first, all dabbing with constant torch movement.  Top Three lines were all done with a pause, keeping my eye on spacing.ScottMiller 135 Mig - I miss this oneMiller Maxstar 140str - fried! Mitech 200amp Tig - so far so good
Reply:Now your getting the hang of it!!Lookin good.....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:I notice you are getting a big pin hole at the end of your beads.  If you have your pedal working slowly lower your heat while you are over that location allowing things to work their way out gradually.  If you finish and lift off rapidly and you aggravate the problem.  At this point in your practice it is not critical but will be in the future.  At that point you will have to extinguish a bad habit.
Reply:I notice you are getting a big pin hole at the end of your beads. If you have your pedal working slowly lower your heat while you are over that location allowing things to work their way out gradually. If you finish and lift off rapidly and you aggravate the problem.At this point in your practice it is not critical but will be in the future. At that point you will have to extinguish a bad habit.
Reply:regarding the pinhole, I just started happening to me this week.  I don't have  a foot pedal, nor that capability, just post gas flow after the trigger is let go.  Not sure why it started happening, maybe contamination?  Or my gas flow is set up to high?  Right now it's around 12-15.ScottMiller 135 Mig - I miss this oneMiller Maxstar 140str - fried! Mitech 200amp Tig - so far so good
Reply:joint Attached ImagesScottMiller 135 Mig - I miss this oneMiller Maxstar 140str - fried! Mitech 200amp Tig - so far so good
Reply:The pinholes are often because there are still impurities in the weld pool that need to float out.  By holding position and very slowly reducing output the weld pool gradually diminishes as the gases rise.  If you don't have the advantage of a pedal you can elongate your weld pool by slightly moving back over your weld bead to form an elongated pool that is cooler than when you were concentrating the arc on a circular pool.  Similarly with MIG you can elongate your finishing pool by backing up slightly before shutting down.  Easier said than done.   With MIG end porosity often the parent metal is rusty so it takes more time for the deoxidizers in the alloy to remove dissolved gases.  Some filler wires have more deoxidizers in them than others.  On occasion I have had to use extremely large forward backward motions continuously to work rust out of a weld joint.  There are some cases where prior cleaning is not doable.
Reply:I figured out the porosity.  Somehow I knocked into the regulator and it was running off.  Here are some new pics of a tube joint I tried out for kicks.thanksScottMiller 135 Mig - I miss this oneMiller Maxstar 140str - fried! Mitech 200amp Tig - so far so good
Reply:Not having the use of an amptrol calls for a different technique for your breakaways.  Theory of the 'crater pinhole' or 'fisheye' has something to do with how hot your puddle is when you break away.  Problem gets worst as chrome content rises....some will burn out if you carry on....some won't and  will show on x-rays.  Couple of things to do to survive without using an amptrol.  Using the picture below you can see...on the right in the red rectangle...the signs of a normal breakaway.   At point '1' would be where the puddle would have been full size...about 3/4 the cap width.   To breakoff,  I would have run the puddle to point '2' at a speed that  diminishes it's size to about 1/8"...intentionally aiming  onto the thicker part of the bevel to help cool the puddle trying not to go too high as to wash out the top bevel edge for appearance sake.  While running from point '1' to '2', slightly lengthen arc-lengh and twist the torch so that when it reaches '2' it is aiming as flat as possible while still maintaining a good arc....at '2', quickly flick tungsten away from work to break off arc.  There should be no porosity and the slight crater that is left will only be on the surface.  If using higher chrome content such as er90s-b3 alloy or stainless then the runoff should be up to twice as long as what is shown in the picture on mild.  Point '3' shows an open root breakoff.  To tell the truth, I don't know of any method that would guarantee a clean break with no pinhole.   The running off on the bevel doesn't work  well on  plate size to 1/4" because you risk suddenly opening up too big a keyhole.   When I did this I was pretty confident that the 'crater depression' was only on the surface and not a pinhole that went right through. Some days  they will all be nice and clean, other days you know right away they go through.  In any case, if the weld is at all critical...performance test or x-ray...the breakoff would be feathered back with a grinder to check for pinhole and also to help blend in the root on the opposite side. Attached Images