tig welding.... unsticky subject

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Acute difficulties here in East Sussex England!I know that the word 'welding' implies fusion of metals together but with my welder (in my hands) it patently doesn't! AND I'm on the verge of sending it upstairs to sit on it bed by itself until it behaves. I've been trying to do small spot welds and lap welds on mild steel using either 18 or 20 gauge mild steel. What happens is that as soon as I approach an edge it burns back before I can get the underlying metal hot enuf to take filler. The small 6mm spots that I start out with have the appearance eventually of those markings Dalmations wear for a living!For those who would lke the tec background  - here it is.1mm thoriated, 1.6 mm mild steel rod, dc- 22 amps argon shielding gas at 10. Fronius 200 amp ac/dc set.Mant thnks in advance to those that attempt to diagnose the underlying problems.Michael
Reply:Whip,hopefully you have a foot pedal current control.  If you do, try tack welding as described in the links to previous related posts below.Some key points in tacking thin material:Clean base metal.Sharp square edges and a tightly fitted joint, no gaps, no chamfer, no burrs.A clean, sharp properly ground tungsten.    http://www.diamondground.com/HowtoPrepareElectrodes.pdf Tip of tungsten aimed directly weld joint, biased toward the thicker member, and very close, tip to work distance no more than 1/16". http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=6600http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=5927http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=5874http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=5729http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=4689
Reply:Have no foot pedal which is perhaps part/most of the problem. The best I can do is program a low amps setting and a higher amps setting which is activated from the torch button which I imagine is difficult if you're trying to maintain  1/16 ".However many thanks for the reply.michael
Reply:Maybe not so difficult if you are just doing a tack weld and you are firmly resting the gas nozzle on the surface of the work piece.  Stick the tungsten out to a length where you can rest the nozzle, with the torch tilted and pointed at the joint, while holding the 1/16" gap.
Reply:i've never welded tig with no throttle...i can't...i won't.......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:well I drive a car without an apparent throttle ......... it's a citroen  2cv and  some guys ride harleys......ho ho ho
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsteri've never welded tig with no throttle...i can't...i won't.......zap!
Reply:Hi I suspect from what you write that the Fronious 200 is not your own,Your company machine perhaps?.Would that be a Magicwave model.The Magicwave1700 (170 amps) I own has the variable amp control amp built right into the  torch handle.It is variable  within the parameters you can set by the digital inputs. The instruction book is not really user friendly unless your are deeply into tech manuals. My instruction book is not handy at moment unfortunately. The single bloody annoying charecteristic of this  machine is that on initiating the arc that some  built in  electrical  thingy boosts the arc momemtarily, just for long enough to burn a BF hole in your thin plate. I would suggest a bit of copper plate behid your lap line to provide a heat sink.The R / hand  slider control is the amp control. It is not infinite but responds to a parameter range already ( hopefully preset by yourself on the digital read out face) .I think I have got pics uploded.Give the above a lash and see what happens.Grahame Attached ImagesLast edited by Grahame; 09-28-2006 at 09:56 AM.Reason: cos I make heaps of typos
Reply:I'm not familiar with that machine. Does it have Hi-freq? or are you touch starting? Turn the amps down to minimum, see if it will strike an arc and then try increasing amps until it will "puddle" the base metal. If that works, then see post above about torch angle and arc focus.Good luck.Or send it to zap, he'll weld it and send it back.Weldtek
Reply:Originally Posted by WeldtekI'm not familiar with that machine. Does it have Hi-freq? or are you touch starting? Turn the amps down to minimum, see if it will strike an arc and then try increasing amps until it will "puddle" the base metal. If that works, then see post above about torch angle and arc focus.Good luck.Or send it to zap, he'll weld it and send it back.
Reply:many thanks to those who have replied to this bleat for assistance from leafy England.To Grahamin particular it's not a new Fronius it's the model that preceded the newer magicwave 1700 and 2000 which I understand do everything but hold the torch for u! It's the fuzzy logic 2000 which has been teamed up with a paraweld torch which has a single button on it which is apparently capable of being programmed to accept two differing amperages within the same cycle. However I'll have a flawlessly earnest stab a the varying suggestions outlined above and see what happens. However the bad news for those interested in the 'reference points ' in the history of tig welding is that I've just bought a Kemppi mig which is a partial admission of defeat!For the Zapster ..I used to be an R'n B drummer with an interest in jazz - if u want to see something that surpasses welding to the 'nth degree visit www.dennischambers.com , click on the video secton and watch both solo's from the spanish videos...better than engloid's welding!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:I've been TIG welding high pressure boiler tubes for years & never used a foot pedal. I took a make or break (pass you get the job, fail & you hit the road) ASME tube test once with a foot pedal and you can keep it. You don't "need" a foot pedal. Just my 2 cents or is that pence? quid? shillings?Tennessee Squire Association
Reply:Hey fellas, don't forget all tools have an intended design purpose. You don't need remote amp control for all TIG work. Construction welders generally don't even have on/off. Touch start- no hi-freq, no cap. start, no amptrol. If you are used to a finger roll, then a foot pedal is awkward. A foot pedal is great as long as you're sittin' on you're a**. But, drop to one knee and TIG overhead with a foot pedal and you'll be cussing like a sailor. Every tool has a job. For noobs and self taughts, the more you know about how a welding process works, the better results you'll get until your skill improves. The more your quality improves, the better your confidence will be in your work and ability.Burn n learnWeldtek
Reply:Whippet old son,Did you say Kemppi mig?I am checking out a Miniarc Mig on Monday for alumium.Tig is hardy suited for alloy boat repairs and modifications.What model did you buy?Grahame
Reply:aaah young graham!No the thing I've got is not the very desirable kemppi miniarc, its the Fronius magicwave 2000 (fuzzy logic). However I did buy a kempomat mig today, perhaps anticipating the day when I cast the tig torch aside.