Corner and butt welds

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Mild steel .11", 3/32" thoriated tungsten, 12cfh argon. I think on the butt weld I started okay but ended up getting colder.Corner weld towards the end I had to stop the weld as I was running out of filler rod. The butt weld was the first one I did today, did a terrible T weld, then did this corner weldI'm standing while I'm doing this....I am thinking I'd be better off learning while sitting, controlling the pedal easier for sure. Attached ImagesHobart EZ-Tig newbie.
Reply:comments? pointers?Hobart EZ-Tig newbie.
Reply:I haven't started TIG yet at college, but I agree with what you said, sit down, to me it would seem much harder to do it while standing up if you have to use foot pedal instead of finger tip controls...Miller Performance AD Helmet - Camo Edition Soon to have: Jackson HSL 100 - Forest Digi CamoMiller Thunderbolt AC/DC((Currently at welding school))
Reply:Not bad for just starting out - but im also no expert.I would suggest that instead of starting with making butt and corner welds, start with just running beads. Get your consistency up and rhythm on a 5x5" piece of scrap. When I was in school the rule of thumb was a minimum 4x4" square with 3 sets of beads covering the plate. I also recommend getting a metronome with an ear piece to develop a metered rhythm of wrist movement. with Tig there are multiple factors involved so getting some of them mastered right at the beginning helps even more.Finally, keep up the practice. A wise man once said,"When you're not practicing someone else is, and when you meet that person they will beat you".
Reply:way to go Mike....wish i could start learning how to use tig too.. but need to buy the machine first.........maybe i can do better stuff  using better equipment...
Reply:Originally Posted by smokin_dodgeNot bad for just starting out - but im also no expert.I would suggest that instead of starting with making butt and corner welds, start with just running beads. Get your consistency up and rhythm on a 5x5" piece of scrap. When I was in school the rule of thumb was a minimum 4x4" square with 3 sets of beads covering the plate. I also recommend getting a metronome with an ear piece to develop a metered rhythm of wrist movement. with Tig there are multiple factors involved so getting some of them mastered right at the beginning helps even more.Finally, keep up the practice. A wise man once said,"When you're not practicing someone else is, and when you meet that person they will beat you".
Reply:Just a few observations.Watching the puddle and practicing getting your width consistent is a key to improving in TIG welding.  Don't be in a hurry to do other things until you've got this part well observed and understood.  In particular, for corners and Ts you will benefit from watching the sides of the puddle.  If you look at the photos you posted, you can see in the open corner weld that the sides are not tied in for much of the weld.  If you focus on watching how far over you push the puddle, you will tie in the sides properly and the middle will take care of itself (so long as you push enough filler).   Same concept with the butt weld -- the bead is uneven in width, which is caused by the same thing.All but the smallest corner welds and T-welds both benefit from learning to "wash" the puddle from side to side (or from lower to upper, depending on how the weld is oriented).  Practice getting the puddle fluid and then moving the puddle by the motion of  the torch/electrode.  Add some filler, wash it up the side (on a T) or across (on a corner) until you can see the side tie in well.  On the T, try to get the same height every time, so you have a uniform bead.The more you eliminate variables in your position (like sitting in a comfortable position and getting your arm braced on something that lets you move smoothly) the better your practice will be.
Reply:Moose did a very good job explaining things to watch out for and what to do to improve and covered pretty much what I was going to say. The hardest part for most is learning to ignore the arc and to concentrate on the puddle.At the tech school we start out students with beads on flat plate, followed by overlapping one bead 50% over the last one. Then it's on to joints, lap joint, T joint, outside corner and finally a butt joint in that order in the flat position. Then you repeat the sequence in horizontal, followed by vertical and finally overhead.I learned tig years ago sitting on a stool, but the main instructor at the tech school wants all the guys to learn standing since most are going to be working towards tig on pipe in the field. The idea is the same however, try and get as comfortable as possible. If you can't sit, lean on the table or wall, find something to rest your arms... whatever..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 for the tips. I look at the puddle, but I honestly have a hard time knowing if I'm melting the filler rod with the puddle or the arc itself. I move forward, stop, maybe back a little bit, then put the filler in the puddle (or as close as I can and it melts), which is what I did on the above corner weld.Hobart EZ-Tig newbie.
Reply:It's not how you fill the puddle I was talking about.  It's where you move the puddle with your arc.  Your puddle will follow the direction you move the arc.  When the puddle is filled with the filler, whether by dip or lay wire, you can move it up the "T" (called "washing") and then back down to the horizontal material.  You can dip on the horizontal and move it up the vertical.  You can dip in the corner, or dip on the horizontal and also on the vertical.  Whatever method you choose to use, you have to watch how far you move the puddle side to side, up and down.  On a T or a corner, that is done by moving the torch electrode.  On the flat, you can do the same by using a weave, or in some circumstances, by moderating the heat with your pedal.  You should watch the sides of your puddle to know whether you need more heat, or less, depending on the width of the puddle you have.  Try it and look carefully at the puddle and how it moves.  When you can see that easily and recognize what it can do for you, you've made a big step foward in TIG welding...
Reply:Okay, I can picture in my mind what you're saying, just have to try to put it into practice.Hobart EZ-Tig newbie.
Reply:I can't offer much help but what I can tell you that has helped me out a ton! Sit down and get as comfortable as possible as Doug said. It helps. Also move the foot pedal around to see where it "fits" best. You might be the guy that likes to stretch their leg out a bit and press the pedal or like it closer to you.Another good tip I learned on here is carbs. Eating bread or something will help with the jitters and keep your hand steadyAnd I use a piece of 1/2" aluminum  angle that I found at work that is haning over my bench. Something that helps absorb the heat like aluminum or copper seem to make a really nice difference IMO.Other than that it's practice practice practice. Look through some of my old threads, people have given me a lots of good advise on there!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:I have a beer or 2 lately to stop my jitters. They seem to have got worse past couple of years. As mentioned in other replies any movement of that arc will show in the finished weld. When I started out I used a 1.5 magnifier in my mask and was very close to the weld about 6 to 8 inchs away. You really can see what is going on with the magnifier. It really doesnt do any good if you are to far away. Also for my corner welds I use  0.45 filler rod for up to 1/8 material. Strick arc get puddle size dab rod move torch and do it again and again. Practice is key.  I actually use to count when welding on a bench,still do. Keep at it.Hypertherm Powermax45Miller auto 140 migMiller Econotig Watercooledwith wp24w TorchLincoln Power255XTNew(Lincoln V205 ac/dc)Miller Elite Helmet