Back to school. Gotta practice

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So after at least a year maybe a year and a half of wanting to go back to school and trying to get a pass to skip the first class and getting into the tig class without it being full I finally got in and have been passing time until class started.Well it finally started this week and we get to do welding next week. All lincoln welders, not sure which ones yet. Teacher seems awesome! He started welding at the age of 7 and is now 59 and seems to be one of those guys that loves to hear about the success of his students so he knows he is doing a good job. He is a no bs guy, if you get a weld right he will tell you to do it 2 or 3 more times so it's not a fluke thing and you learn. Instead of just telling how to hold the torch in a position he will move your arms into that position. I guess muscle memory will be easier than saying how to do it. Class is only 16 weeks and one night a week but I'm excited to learn. So with that in mind; I bought a piece of 1/8" flat stock and cut it up and did some practice tonight. Haven't done these in a long time. Did all this on the longevity 160sx, 3/32 blue tungsten, 16cfh 100% argon, and about 120amps. Er70s-2 1/16th filler. Standard #7 cup.In no particular order.Butt joints first, more on next post. Attached ImagesLast edited by Gamble; 01-18-2013 at 12:51 AM.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Lap joints. First two pics, I moved the torch in a "C" motion and dipped the filler once on the bottom of the C and once at the top. Not sure if you are supposed to osculate the torch for a lap joint or not? Doug, what do you teach your students to do?Third picture is just moving the torch along and favoring the bottom piece of metal just a hair.And for the hell of it, I cut a piece of 3" stainless and tried to play with that. I upped the gas to 25cfh maybe even higher and put the post flow all the way up. Was toying around to see how the colors are achieved. I figured that out. However how does Zap and others get some steady looking beads on stainless. It just seems to flow like water and not in a straight line. I also didn't really do a dip, did more of a jap as much as I could into the puddle. Questions/comments/help. All appreciated. Attached ImagesTorchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:I tend to like a C shaped motion on laps and T's. I use the motion to push the puddle up onto the upper plate and swing back down as soon as I see the edge just start to melt.1st pict of the lap joints, I like the top edge the best of the bunch. Note how most of it is nice and smooth to the surface where the others have that sharp edge and could have used more filler.But joints are fair. I'd want to see a more even bead. Flip them over and see how well you penetrated. That's the real measure of most but welds. Pretty tops are nice, but if you aren't getting penetration all the way to thru, it's no good. I'm betting they didn't go all the way thru. Good prep is 90% of the battle with but joints if you already have the basics down. Most times you simply can't just slam two pieces together and try to blow thru them with tig unless the pieces are super thin.You definitely need to work on consistency. You also need to work  on your prep. I'm glad you got into the class and hope you get a bunch out of it. Good luck..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Sweet thanks. I'll do some more tomorrow. They did penetrate through; didn't take pics of them, but I saved some more for tomorrow I'll do pictures with. I did hit it each of those with a flap wheel before I welded them. No bevel, just a quick cleaning. I'll spend more time cleaning them tomorrow. (not the one with the mig welds and must have missed that one in the first post with the black crap from the sticker   but the rest I cleaned, I swear)Are any of those pass worthy?Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Originally Posted by GambleAre any of those pass worthy?
Reply:More. Front/back picturesSame settings, and around 130amps. I did the one really hot to see what the back would look like. Which is best for penetration? Attached ImagesTorchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:The last 2 t-joints I was practicing walking and wiggling the cup. Attached ImagesTorchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:You already know the ones in the 1st batch you posted were too hot. Amps were good, but you went too slow. You can obviously see you had too much burn thru on the back. However picts of the back in the  last group  shows you were too cold on both of those and didn't get enough penetration on most of weld. T's look too large and look a bit cold. Looks like you were going too slow, were a bit too cold and were adding too much filler..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Where are you taking the class? I'm in the NW Suburbs and was deciding where to sign up.
Reply:College of dupage.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:If you want to take the class you need to sign up the day it opens, the class fills up fast! I tried for a year to get in.Last night was outside corner joints. The way the teacher teaches you can use a lot less amperage than the rule of 1amp per .001.I did outside corner joint at 85-95 amps and I believe it was 1/4" thick since we ran out of 1/8".It's a lincoln precision tig 185, and maybe it's just me but I think the machine I'm using runs hotter than what it says. The teacher also said no two machines are alike, what's 90 on one machine might be 110 on another machine. Also not sure if it's an inverter machine or not, but I really like. I did a piece of aluminum just to break up doing so many corner joints in a row and it's probably the most quiet machine on AC I've ever heard.These were done around 85-95 amps, 20cfh, 20 torch, 3/32 gold tungsten (starting to like gold, its good stuff) standard #7 cup. (no gas lens)I believe this is the joint I turned in, but I didn't take many pictures last night.And then did a stainless piece about .080 thick (ish) around 50-55amps. Never done any flat stainless before, so first time. Everything I've practiced on at home was round. Attached ImagesTorchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Bahaha, small world Gamble.  I should be in your class right now, but of course registration screwed up on me and couldn't register till a few days before the class started, which of course didn't happen.  Tell Gutz Greg says I'll see him next semester in TIG.  You going for the cert or the degree that they keep talking about?
Reply:He said they are still trying to get the degree program rolling. Not sure about the cert, I just wanted to take the class for my own benefit. I don't plan on welding for a living.  I do IT.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer