Help! Beginner TIG welder with a 330 A B/P.

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Hi, I'm teaching myself to Tig and need some guidance.  I have an Air Products Vis-Arc and a 9FV torch.  I tried running a puddle with no filler rod on 1/8 flat steel without much luck. I am using 1/16th tungsten with a #6 cup, gas set at 10 cfh, and welder set at 80 amps,DC reverse with High Frequency start mode.   I was able to strike an arc with no problem but before long the tungsten started burning up into the cup.  I tried adjusting the gas setting up to 20 and back and adjusting the Amps down but couldn't find a spot to get the metal puddling before the tungsten went south on me.I know this will take alot of practice but I'm determined.  I've got a 100 bucks into that old welder and it Stickwelds great.  I've since read that I should have it set on DC straight, electrode negative as that will put more heat into the metal and reverse puts more heat into the electrode.  Is this true?Also, I'm sure it would help if I had a remote amp controller. I think old sckool and figured if those old guys could make it work then I can too.Thanks for your input!
Reply:DC tig is DCEN or electrode negative.For 1/8" steel you should be up around 100-125 amps and probably need to be using a 3/32" electrode depending on the type of tungsten.With no pedal I'd set the amps on the lower end 100-115 so you have a bit more control since you will have to control your heat with travel speed and distance from work to tungsten. Play with both, one at a time so you can see what happens with the puddle with each. Set the machine at say 100 amps and then maintain a constant distance from work to tungsten and just vary your travel speed to see what happens with the puddle. Then try and maintain a constant travel speed, while changing the distance from the plate to the tungsten. You'll find the tighter you hold the tungsten, the "colder" the puddle will be, and the farther away you hold it, the wider or "hotter" the puddle will be everything else being the same.You might check with Southpaw. I think he was parting out a 330 AB/P and might have a pedal that he could sell you. The pedal will make learning easier.If you got that machine for $100, you stole it. They are great machines even if they are a bit old..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:Thanks DSW, I'll try those settings tomorrow and see what happens.Your right about stealing that welder.  A buddy of mine owed me a $100 and called me one day and asked if I wanted that old welder.   He had only stick welded with it I knew it had the HF feature and wanted to get into TIG so I said hell ya.  I found out on the Weldingweb that it was a rebranded miller 330 and downloaded the manual off the Miller sight and the more I learned about it and the more I sticked with it the bigger my smile has gotten.For what its worth it has some kinda cool history.  My friend got it through some horse trading with an old Millwright that bought it new when he was doing reconstruction on the IBP packing plant in Dakota City, Nebraska back in the 70s.  IBP, Iowa Beef Processors, is now BPI, Beef Products Inc.  BPI is the company that got shanghaied by our wonderful media earlier this year for the dreaded "Pink Slime".   Many of there plants closed down because of this but fortunately the home based Dakota City plant is still going. Fortunate for our local economy.   Not a big deal but I always like learning the history behind old tools and stuff when I get them.
Reply:The reason your tungsten evaporated was because of the wrong polarity.    Go for a 1/8th or 3/32 tungsten. You can weld lower amps with a bigger tungsten but u can weld higher amps with a smaller tungsten.   Also be sure to jam plenty of filler into your weld bead.  Use a larger diameter filler rod and then if it starts getting too hot of a puddle, speed up and force more rod into the puddle and it will absorb some of the excess heat...   The how to make a pedal explanation is now over on my for sale thread.   Congrats on the awesome buy on your machine...  think about getting a water cooled tig setup too.  If u plan to even use 1/2 the capacity of the machine u r going to need it..    Just so happens I have a couple tig cooler pumps and a motor for sale too.   U can also connect you home water tap to the in side of the water valve and run the out side to your drain or flowerbed. Etc.  That valve opens and closes with the gas valve so water only flows when u r welding and on post flow gas setting.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Oh make sure your HF is set to start only for DC.  Continuous is for AC on aluminum.     HF start means you don't have to touch the tungsten to the work to start weldingTiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:+1 on using a 3/32 tungsten, which is compatible with a # 6 cup.U mite want 2 bump the cfm to bet. 15 & 20. For a 1/16 tungsten, I use a # 4 cup.
Reply:Thanks guys.  The welding supply store was out of 3/32 so I chose the 1/16 over the 1/8.   I'm gonna get both as soon as I can.I do have a water cooled torch that I plan on using after I start getting the hang of things.  Do you have to regulate the water flow or can I just use whatever flow the hydrant supplys?
Reply:I'm HAPPY    I pooled together all your advise and hears what happened.  I set the machine on DC straight and made the most difference (why I tried reverse is anybodys guess, it seemed like the thing to do at the time).  I set the gas at 15 and the amps at 90.The top weld shows that I didn't turn the gas on right away..OOPS!    The nice thing too that I noticed after these passes was that my tungsten was still clean and sharp.I have along way to go but this is a good start and practice makes perfect.Thanks again!  Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by straightaxle65Thanks guys.  The welding supply store was out of 3/32 so I chose the 1/16 over the 1/8.   I'm gonna get both as soon as I can.I do have a water cooled torch that I plan on using after I start getting the hang of things.  Do you have to regulate the water flow or can I just use whatever flow the hydrant supplys?
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterI run mine with a garden hose hooked up to a old waterline that once supplied a drinking fountian..The exhaust goes out in the parking lot..Works great!...zap!
Reply:Yes you can..After it cools off.....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:A couple questions,1.  When I connected my TIG gun to the electode stud I dissconnected my stick holder lead.  Is this neccesary or can I have them both connected as long as the one not in use is safely stored?2.  Is there any charts available that will get me in the ballpark as far as material size, heat range, tungsten size etc. ?
Reply:Originally Posted by straightaxle652.  Is there any charts available that will get me in the ballpark as far as material size, heat range, tungsten size etc. ?
Reply:Yep, thats why I emphasized "safely stored".   I work on gensets for a living and shorts and arc flash are no fun.   Twist locks sound like a good idea and I have access to plenty of those.  Thanks for the links!Last edited by straightaxle65; 09-17-2012 at 11:35 PM.