First TIG project. Jon Boat Console

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Haven't posted much lately. Been pretty busy with everyone's boats breaking on the first-of-season shakedown runs. But I did get my console underway. Still hafta finish, fit and rig it. Still haven't heard from Sea Ark about the one I was trying to order before I just finally decided to make my own. Ended up saving over $200 at that..   Just got tired of those short little consoles they make as a compromise for "sit-down" boaters...Anyways, it's .125/5052 aluminum, laid out and cut by me, broken at Leland Machine (great guys, great work!). Welded with the Dynasty on 140A(push button pulsing). It ain't pretty. But it's mine and for my whopping 10-15 hours experience with TIG'ing I'll take it. We'll see how it does out-in-the-real-world here shortly after I get it done and on the water. I already know my spacing sux, it's a bit crooked, the welds got a little "big" and I need a lot more time under the hood, but any useful critique/suggestions are welcome.  Later..   d:^)  Schneeky.. ESAB 161 LTSCommunicate & adapt, diggit.?ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Reply:for your frist its looks good all just takes time, if it was easy everyone would be doing itidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tigidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tig #2 used for sticklincoln sp100hh125dual arbor grinder polisher30 yrs of hand tools52 pitch blocks 6p-26prake gauge -pitch gaugeG&D prop repair 918-207-6938Hulbert,okla 74441
Reply:Please take a bunch of pictures and give your boats size and all.I do not have a Jon Boat but want one and think i like what you are doing.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Hey Reebs..  No problem.. But gimme a shout on email and I'll try to help ya best I can.. I'll shoot ya my number there and you can just call if you like..  Prop- Thanks. I'm hoping to have more opportunity to get some hood time in and tweek my inconsistancies.. So far I'm diggin this schtuff.!! Got a couple more welds to do and I'll be thru with the now-locally-infamous "pig trap" here shortly.. Hopefully, that l'il fiasco will teach me to keep my yap shut when I see an idea for a friend's project.!! Later..    d:^)  Schneeks..ESAB 161 LTSCommunicate & adapt, diggit.?ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Reply:Schneeks,When I'm carrying too much puddle I reduce tungsten, and filler and then hold the arc length tighter and I use more hi-freq on the Dynasty.This higher high freq (250 Hz on the older 300DX) is good to narrow the arc cone to the edges of the 1/8" parent metal but.... it will tend to 'run' to the filler if you don't keep the dip rod really low to the puddle's lead edge at about 7:30 or 8:00 if the lead edge tangent point is 9:00 in around the puddle.I'd be using 3/32" pure with a dome not a bulb/sphere, and I'd use the pulse feature on the Dynasty to time my movements and give me the surge to keyhole the weld and then chill down to the background.Just getting going I'd use a pulse of about .7 to 1.00 seconds per and a high percentage of say 65% and a background of 35% or 40%.  Then the pedal/slider/roller pot control would give you the top end as your sight picture needed for the puddle, and I'd say the pulse will give a good 'metronome' or drummer's back beat to the weld.If your off hand is not smooth yet, so your feed is not uniform,  then I'd drop the pulse rate but I'd also lower the amperage a little so the top end was JUST enough to flood the full puddle width you wanted to put down on this outside edge to edge fillet.by keeping the top power setting just at or below the amperage needed to melt both edges AND the filler, you'd have a setting that would help keep the puddle from overfilling if the feed weren't as uniform as it will become.As you feed with a minimum amperage puddle, the shape of the puddle will bulge up and you can use that to help the sight picture of the amount of filler you need to add to keep a tight and uniform bead.I know some welders who keep a little 'bend' in the filler that is- the off hand holds just a little downward pressure on the rod to keep it against the parent metal and under the gas envelope and that keeps the arc's high frequency component from 'running' to the filler and sticking it to the parent metal in front of the puddle.Some welders use this to help insure the filler rod has a 'friction' to the parent metal and that helps with feedback to your hands in order to 'feel' the rod's fill.Consistency is a function of practice; with 15 hours it looks like this... so with 150 hours the welds will look more uniform.coming along nicely, I hope I'm making sense in these ideas expressed as words instead of pictures?cheers,KevinLast edited by Kevin Morin; 05-09-2011 at 10:47 PM.Reason: spelling
Reply:Hey Kevin.. Thanks for the input.!! And yeah, it'll take a few more readings thru to digest that much info.. Luckily, it ain't goin anywhere..    I haven't got near enough time in to get any kindofa groove goin yet.. But more projects are showing up. Lots of work's been comin in and interfering with gettin more time in with the Dynasty. But sooner or later it'll let up. Then again, that "interference" is payin the bills.!! Gotsta work when the work is there, play when it ain't..     d:^)  Schneeks..ESAB 161 LTSCommunicate & adapt, diggit.?ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Reply:That's what they make flap wheels for.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Originally Posted by BoostinjdmThat's what they make flap wheels for.