My first TIG beads

admin

I think they are turning out great.  The butt joint was my 5th ever bead ever ran with TIG on the 2nd day in lab.  The lap and corner joint were done on Thursday, which was my 4 time in lab.  All this was done on 1/8" steel plate (0.109" actually).  Miller XMT304, 65-72 amps, Red 3/32" Tungsten, size '7' Nozzle, 20cu-ft Argon.  3/32" ER70S filler.  NO PEDAL!   Set the amps and go.  Sorry the pictures aren't the best.  Im stuck with an old *** 1990's model 2.1MP Olympus with no "close-up" "macro"....or whatever it's called.  Butt Joint:Butt Joint Penetration:Lap Joint:Corner Joint:Corner Joint Penetration:Miller Syncrowave 200MillerMatic 180 AutoSetHobart Airforce 500iVictor O/A (80cf)
Reply:I have a question also.  Is forehand or backhand the preferred method?  My instructor was watching me the other day and noticed that I was using the backhand method.  I hold the torch in my right hand, and the filler in my left, and travel from left to right.  He told me to try the forehand method.  I tried it, but I cannot see the puddle, or the width of my bead.  I also hold my torch at about a 45-55* angle.  They want me to hold it at about 70*.  I also tried this, and I cannot see the tip of the tungsten.  I can't see my arc length, and have stuck the tip in the pool a couple times, as well as jabbed the filler into the electrode.  My only problem with doing it the way I am, is that I can't fully see the end of the material until I'm there.  It has resulted in me burning through the final 1/8" or so on occasion.Miller Syncrowave 200MillerMatic 180 AutoSetHobart Airforce 500iVictor O/A (80cf)
Reply:Forehand is the only way to fly with a TIG torch, it has to do with the gas coverage.Nice lookng welds.  Did you grind the mill scale off?DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Yeah, my instructor also said the same about the gas coverage.  But, I really don't see a problem with it...the nozzle is over the weld pool at all times.  I guess I'll try forehand again next week and see if I can't get it to work for me.  Next week is our last TIG class.  Then we go to MIG for the last half of the semester.  Pretty lame if you ask me...As for your question....Nope, we don't grind or shine these pieces up at all.  We grab them out of the bin and go with it.  They weren't even cleaned with a wire brush afterwards.  I have to finish a T-joint next week for my project (the 5 basic joints)....and I hate T-joints Miller Syncrowave 200MillerMatic 180 AutoSetHobart Airforce 500iVictor O/A (80cf)
Reply:Originally Posted by 700RAs for your question....Nope, we don't grind or shine these pieces up at all.  We grab them out of the bin and go with it.  They weren't even cleaned with a wire brush afterwards.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapstersnipBlow their minds and clean the crap out of it next tiome and show them "How Its Done!!"Snip...zap!
Reply:Tigging dirty metal is like trying to **** with a limp ****.(insert your favorite words like "hike" and "walk"....or something else.)
Reply:Even the dodgy community college instructor I have wants us to clean the metal. We got our one minute instruction on how to use the linisher and away we went. At least your guy is watching you weld...
Reply:Clean metal or not you need to practice forehand when welding tig. Your welds look good but your not doing it right. Ask you instructor if you could practice more after class. If you get the hang of tig welding oxy/fuel welding will be easier.
Reply:Originally Posted by gorillawelderClean metal or not you need to practice forehand when welding tig. Your welds look good but your not doing it right. Ask you instructor if you could practice more after class. If you get the hang of tig welding oxy/fuel welding will be easier.
Reply:You will see the difference between forehand and backhand on many materials, but it isn't really major on low carbon. One of the big differences is in the amount of heat you put into the metal. TIG gives great control of the weld puddle, filler, penetration, etc, but with this control comes the ability to put in a fairly small amount of heat, or a LOT of heat, and get a similar appearing weld. Pushing the puddle tends to put in less heat then pulling it and gives better mixing of the filler with the base metal in the puddle.There ARE cases where dragging is useful, but they are rare. Pushing gives better puddle control, better heat control, and, in most cases, better gas coverage, as long as the torch angle isn't too steep. Though there are really not any universal rules here, as there are situations where dragging is the only way to do the weld, or the torch needs to be layed way over, etc., these situations are the exception, and the 'right' way (pushing, torch at about 70 to 80 degrees) is the best way the vast majority of the time.As to cleaning the metal, listen to Zap, David, et al: With ANY process clean is key. The cleaner the prep, the better the weld. The minimum standard for TIG is much, much cleaner than with stick of fluxcore, and a bit cleaner than MIG. The weld may look fine, and may meet service requirements much of the time, but the mill scale contaminates the puddle and makes it tough to handle, changes the metalurgy of the weld metal, and can leave inclusions in the weld metal that are places for cracking to start.Clean about 1 inch back from the weld area, both faces of the metal, and edge of the plate if the weld goes there. Clean means no scale, no rust, no oils, no paint, no residue of cleaners nothing but shiney metal. On softer metals (like Aluminum), be careful not to drive crud into the surface. One warning: DO NOT us chlorinated cleaners to degrease. The UV from the arc can cause chlorinated solvent residues to form several toxic gasses.
Reply:I'm a bit disappointed in my welding instructor after purchasing a good welding book and reading threads throughout welding forums. Not only is there no cleaning of metals, he never showed the proper method of sharpening a tungsten (which is done on a shop grinder that's used for everything).Makes it a bit hard to swallow the $421 tuition and class cost On the bright side, I found this place
Reply:Geezer, don't be too harsh on your instructor. I took metallurgy from an awesome instructor. This guy knew his stuff and could weld and back up theory....In my opinion, he was the exception. I just got done reworking some stuff for a local church that was taken to a local school to be fixed.......I told them to tell the school to throw all of their welding equip. in the trash and buy JB Weld.......It would suit them better. Good instructors are hard to come by. Get your certificate from this clown and use it to get your foot in the door (if that's what you desire) and have a good weldor mentor you.Yeah, yeah, I know you are a weldor too. But, are you a good one?