First TIG welds

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So after about 3 weeks with a TIG welder in my garage and no gas, filler or metal, I've finally been able to lay down some beads. I started out with some cheap zinc coated metal out of the hardware store and using .030 mig wire. That didn't work out too well so I made a run to a few stores to pick up right-ish stuff. So these were done freehand cause the torch is just way too big for me to get comfortable with any kind of prop. I'm sitting on a pair of my wife's summer tires and using an old craftsman wood top workbench with my work piece clamped to other metal underneath so I don't set it on fire. Workin with what I got at the moment.Metal: .260Amps: 200-220Filler: Way too small (1.6mm)Tungsten: Also too small (2.4mm Cer)What I learned today:1. Turn on the gas2. Don't touch the tungsten to the work piece3. Don't touch the tungsten with the filler4. Turn on the gasI knew all that already just needed a few reminders lolOk I see I am angling the torch more as I'm moving. Will work on it. How do I get the crater at the beginning filler?I figure I'm not doin too bad as I've never used a TIG in my life. Could always be worse.
Reply:Why not try something a little thinner? Like 1/8 (.125)What I learned is that if you see >>>>>>> instead of ))))) that means you are going too fast.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:Not bad. Practice makes perfect.Get some bigger rod, it will suck some heat from the puddle.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:Funny thing. I went to a steel supplier to buy some shorts. I didn't bring anything with me to measure and the folks there didn't speak english. I horribly misjudged the thickness but yeah I was looking for something a bit thinner.
Reply:Originally Posted by SnuffyFunny thing. I went to a steel supplier to buy some shorts. I didn't bring anything with me to measure and the folks there didn't speak english. I horribly misjudged the thickness but yeah I was looking for something a bit thinner.
Reply:With tig you really will do better if you clean the metal shiny before you begin. Then match up your tungsten to the filler to the metal thickness.Miller diversion 165Miller mig 211Hypertherm pm 30Milwaukee 6230 14 inch chop sawMd 45 mag drill (RIP; fell on its head)New MD 45! Thanks to the esposa!Finally got an O/A setup
Reply:Originally Posted by [email protected] tig you really will do better if you clean the metal shiny before you begin. Then match up your tungsten to the filler to the metal thickness.
Reply:Originally Posted by Snuffy. How do I get the crater at the beginning filler?I figure I'm not doin too bad as I've never used a TIG in my life. Could always be worse.
Reply:Yep it's backwards. Direction of travel was left to right by the picture. Right to left actually. Just a picture edit fail
Reply:Back at it. This time I ran some practice beads on some 2 x 2 x .065 tube. It had a zinc coating on it. I just hit it with a flap disc and had at it. Bad idea as I think it's what caused the porosity. I had the acetone nearby but impatience took over. Lesson learned. 2.4mm Cer Tungsten50 amps1.6mm ER70-S6 (I think). Sold as SG-2 but not absolutely sure[IMG][/IMG]Need to remind myself not to yank the torch away before the post flow has done it's thing.
Reply:Are you welding twards yourself or away?...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:Originally Posted by zapsterAre you welding twards yourself or away?...zap!
Reply:OK..Going twards yourself is good...Well after reading a few posts you can't rush this at all..TIG is clean welding.NO flapdiscs!!The abrasive gets caught in the metal then you have to melt the sand and that contributes to the contamination/mess..Hard disc with light pressure will do the job and go with the "Grain"..Acetone and a stainless brush with CLEAN rags after and I know you will have a better time at it.....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:Funny thing is I took the hard disc off to get that coating off as fast as possible. With the coating on I can't tell which way the grain is. Any suggestions on that?
Reply:hard disk? like one of these? http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...1#.UKke8vnMKUkESAB Heliarc 252
Reply:Originally Posted by BlauSchuhhard disk? like one of these? http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...1#.UKke8vnMKUk
Reply:Originally Posted by SnuffyFunny thing is I took the hard disc off to get that coating off as fast as possible. With the coating on I can't tell which way the grain is. Any suggestions on that?
Reply:Got it thanks
Reply:One thing I forgot to mention is about half way through the first bead pictured, I started long arcing it a bit. Once I noticed what I was doing, I tightened it up. But there was another change. Right after I tightened up the arc, I started pushing the wire into the puddle as opposed to tapping the wire and letting the puddle take it. It appears to me that I got better deposition and profile. The second bead pictured was done entirely this way. Thoughts?Edit: Should be noted that I got full pen from start to finish
Reply:I would buy pipe and practice root passes on pipe. I wouldn't waste my time with flatbar or structural - the money is is tig welding pipe together. For starters, I would recommend 6" sch. 40 pipe. Carbon steel. Get a bottle of Argon; use 1/8th ER70s-2 filler metal. Use 32-37 degree bevels, use either feather edge or 1/16th land, use 5/32 gap.Typically it should take you 60 hours of practice to be good enough to get your carbon tig and stainless tig tickets. Also, you are pulling your torch out of the puddle everytime you stop  - bad habit to get into, and if you do that on a rootpass on pipe, you will have a pin hole going straight through to your root. When you decide that it is time to stop welding with the tig torch - you must now carry on in the direction of travel and gradually give yourself a little bit of arc length with the tungsten to work piece, and speed up your hand - YOU Watch the puddle start to narrow and narrow until it gets smaller and smaller - and suddenly the puddle will solidify as you trailed it down to a smaller size - then you can break the arc, and you will never get a pinhole.46’ sae30047’ sa200 w/Wisconsin VF451’ shorthood56’ shorthood56’ shorthood68’ redface69 redface07’ ranger 305G13’ sae300Inconel/Hastelloy – SS – Duplex – Chrome/Carbon Tig – F3Downhand – STT/RMD – F3F4 – B Pressure