New to TIG, constructive criticism needed for growth (pics inside)

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Hello everyone, New to the TIG welding community. I have been MIG welding off and on for a while but just now getting into the TIG welding game as I have a necessity for it. I am hoping that you guys can help me grow and learn this new process. Please critique my welds and let me know your thoughts and what you think I could do to improve. Equipment:Miller Dynasty 200DXMiller coolmate 1 water coolerWeldCraft WP-280 Torch#7 cupConsumables:Argon - 11CFH3/32 2% ceriated 1/16 ER70-S2 rodmachine settings: 125 AmpsHere are the pictures:First picture is of a stringer with no filler...So what do you guys think? Tips, recommendations, comments, running hot/cold? Obviously this process is different than MIG so I am not sure what I am looking for in a good weld...
Reply:what are you welding on? what kind of metal and what thickness? it looks like maybe you are moving a little slow and putting too much heat into the metal. I would try to move a little faster and remember to fill in your craters at the end....then again I am a noob too, so take it with a grain of salt. otherwise I like your consistenncy.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:What you are doing looks like good practice.  Remember to keep the metal fairly 'cool' because letting it get too warm after each bead is the same as allowing one variable to change even if you don't change anything---it's equivalent to unknowingly increasing amperage/heat input.  I could be wrong but with a regular collet body, 11CFH might be just a tad low for a #7 cup.  You may want to try around 14ish CFH, but then again, I haven't used regular collet bodies in a while because I mainly use gas lens collet bodies.  The consistency will come with practice.  With that said, I need to get back to practicing myself  1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:Newbie here too.  Are you sure you're not using an argon/co2 blend?  Lots of contaminant in your weld on metal that appears to have been prepped.  Did you wipe with acetone before laying down beads?Gas too low without a lens.  Turn up to 17.First bead without filler just looks wrong.  I see where you dipped the tungsten at the end.  Was the tungsten clean when u started?Last edited by Drf255; 05-30-2014 at 05:47 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by Drf255Gas too low without a lens.  Turn up to 17.
Reply:Dunno, where's Zapster? He'll straighten you out, while annoying the $hit out of you with his "I heard that"!
Reply:Originally Posted by Willie BDunno, where's Zapster? He'll straighten you out, while annoying the $hit out of you with his "I heard that"!
Reply:Thank you guys for the input so far.  I knew i was forgetting something...Material is 1/8 inch mild steel plate. I am new to this process so I definitely appreciate the guidance. I did notice that I have some sooting along side the bead. Maybe this is due to the low CFH on the Argon?I also did notice that my HAZ was much larger than what i thought I should be getting. I will try to work on picking up travel speed. (hard to do with 1/16th rod) maybe I should get some 3/32 rod? what do you guys think?I also noticed what looked like pooled contamination at the end of my beads? I am tapering off of the amperage at the end of a run, but it looks like deposits are being left in the weld pool. What else do you guys have for me to try and adjust? It looks to me like I am getting good penetration, a little bit of drop out at the start of a bead, so i think i need to bring the amperage on quicker, and start moving a little sooner.
Reply:you should create the puddle up to size within around ~2 seconds, much longer and you're overheating the base material.  The little floaties that solidify at the end of the bead are impurities.  This is why everything needs to be super clean with tig.  Too low of argon flow and the gas coverage can be disrupted.  Try a bit more to see what happens under your operating conditions.  Filler is fine, but again, you need to experiment to see which filler rod you are able to work with the best.  The key is to keep as short arc length as possible, but not so short that you can't squeeze in the filler rod into the edge of the puddle.  Also too big filler rod diameter, and you will need to run hotter just to be able to melt it, which then takes you back to refining your travel speed.  It's a vicious circle.  Try to only alter one parameter at a time. 1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:10-4. I am headed out to the garage right now to practice some more. I will first increase flow rate to 15CFH, then work on travel speed. More pics to come.
Reply:Here are the last two welds that I completed... Ignore the line that goes through the last bead as i dropped a piece of rubber on the hot plate... I think I have figured out that I thought I had removed most of the mill scale with a series of blasting and then 60 grit flap disc... I think i just roughed up most of the mill scale... I think this is what is giving me the "sooting" around the beads. as you can see, the last bead has no sooting, I ran this bead in a location that I knew was fresh steel. however, my HAZ is still much too large...Tell me your thoughts guys!
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterI see it WORKS!...zap!
Reply:you might be running too long of an arc.  It dumps unnecessary amounts of energy spread out over a larger area.  If you happen to be using 1/4" arc length, it's wayyy too long. 1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:I think your HAZ is just fine. don't sweat the small things when learning. I wouldn't even use rod yet. learn how to control the arc first. get used to using your hands foot and eyes together first on a flat plate. lay two flat plates together and practice some edge fuse welding (two plates flat against each other and weld the edges together, or two tubes one slid inside the other) Or try a lap joint burning in only the top plate to the bottom without filler. this will get you comfortable moving your hands feet and eyes together in harmony, as well as give you an idea of how metal reacts to your input. THEN practice with adding filler. get your basics down first and step up when you are ready. you will learn and get comfortable tig welding much faster this way. learn to control your arc and heat range first, then move onto stacking dimes. you are doing great so far; I've taught all of our welders @ our shop, and from what I see you have a good concept of what needs to happen, and are already applying it well. keep up the good work and you will have some good results to share. Don't be afraid to try different things. I still learn something new every day after tig welding for 14 years.Last edited by sausage450r; 05-31-2014 at 09:51 AM.'14 HTP invertig 221Thermal Arc 201ts'15 HTP 2400'13 Hypertherm Powermax 30Esab 875Esab 251Clark Metal Servicespecializing in stainless steel exhaust systems
Reply:Nice work so far.Your base metal is just overheating that's all. Try more pedal and cram more rod while moving faster. The fast addition of rod will chill your weld. The above replies have straightened out your gas and arc length issues. Don't forget proper post flow hesitation at end of the weld. Set your amps to 150 and push you pedal to half to two thirds of your pedal range. Pump your pedal as required.  When you get sick and tired of steel, switch over to alum and do the same with same parameters. You will be amazed. Switching back and forth will open new insights to your technique. Most people when they learn correctly would rather weld alum.Last edited by shovelon; 05-31-2014 at 10:37 AM.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:thank you guys for your input!i practice every night for about 30-45 minutes my arc length is about the the same as the diameter of the tungsten (3/32). i think i am just slow from being new and will pick up speed over time with practice... I do appreciate everyone's time to help give me some guidance.