It seams I cant see well .. LOL

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ok .. what the heck .. I am trying to practice pipe seams .. Once the helmet is on and shades activated .. I cant see the seam I'm welding .. Sooooooooooo pipe in peeps .. what tricks do you all use to be able to guide you long a seam thats hard to see ...??? Please dont say practice, practice, practice .. LOLAt any rate ... nothing can make me unhappy today .. I ordered a spare " torch assy" from HF for my TIG .. well it was EXACTLY that .. the ENTIRE Weldcraft WP-9V torch with 6 nozzles, 3 collets the entire cable ... the wholething ... for the low low price of 22.00 plus shipping .. I dont even think I've seen the 9V body for 22.00 Thats one thing I have always liked about them .. It may take awhile to get parts sometimes ... But most of the time .... the price is right .. But anyways...  any suggestions ??
Reply:Originally Posted by Lanmanb4Sooooooooooo pipe in peeps .. what tricks do you all use to be able to guide you long a seam thats hard to see ...???
Reply:my shade level goes down to 9 and thats where its set ..
Reply:your not gonna like this but..practice practice practice..but it is true you have to learn to see in front of the weld..behind the weld and the weld puddle itself all at the same time... ...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:It really helps alot if there aren't any lights behind you. I usually kill the overhead lights in my shop and turn a halogen on the workpiece.
Reply:ok thanks.. I used my lathe to mate up the two pieces .. Which greatly improves my not being able to see the seam . lol .. I'll try the halogen ..
Reply:"v" out the groove a little more now that i know you have a lathe.. you'll see it then.. ...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 zapster"v" out the groove a little more now that i know you have a lathe.. you'll see it then.. ...zap!
Reply:Don't know if this will help you but, I kinda had the same problem and stilll do every so often... What I find helps me is to take the torch and do a couple of pratice runs across the weld (NOT WELDING) with out my mask. This helps me to get my hand and eye in sinc with eachother before I do the actual weld... that way when I do it, it is like my hand is trained where to go.
Reply:you could outline were you need to weld with soapstoneChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:i also use the halogen ..HF has one on a retractable arm that mounts to the wall and swings out to use and back in when not in use. not a bad $$ eather i just havent ever had the extra $$ for it so i use the one i have. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:Lanmanb4 said, "I ordered a spare " torch assy" from HF for my TIG .. well it was EXACTLY that .. the ENTIRE Weldcraft WP-9V torch with 6 nozzles, 3 collets the entire cable ... the wholething ... for the low low price of 22.00 plus shipping .." Lanmanb4, how is that Weldcraft torch listed at HF?  I checked out their online catalog and couldn't find anything close to a Tig Torch.  I could use a gas cooled torch.Thanks.awright
Reply:the wp-9v is a 125amp torch. keep in mind that is 100% duty cycle at 125amps so it will be able to go higher just for shorter periods. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:Originally Posted by awrightLanmanb4 said, "I ordered a spare " torch assy" from HF for my TIG .. well it was EXACTLY that .. the ENTIRE Weldcraft WP-9V torch with 6 nozzles, 3 collets the entire cable ... the wholething ... for the low low price of 22.00 plus shipping .." Lanmanb4, how is that Weldcraft torch listed at HF?  I checked out their online catalog and couldn't find anything close to a Tig Torch.  I could use a gas cooled torch.Thanks.awright
Reply:Originally Posted by chopper5you could outline were you need to weld with soapstone
Reply:i use verithin  silver pencils for lay outChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:if you are  fitting  them  so tight that you  cant  see the joint...you likely  aint  getting a  perfect weld either...im with the  guys  whom say  "v" it  out  some...you will see and  weld  better
Reply:Originally Posted by chopper5i use verithin  silver pencils for lay out
Reply:Originally Posted by billie_if you are  fitting  them  so tight that you  cant  see the joint...you likely  aint  getting a  perfect weld either...im with the  guys  whom say  "v" it  out  some...you will see and  weld  better
Reply:Just a quick follow-up on the "Weldcraft W9," gas-cooled TIG torch from Harbor Freight discussed above.  I ordered one and it appears to be a good value for the money.  Haven't used it yet, but it looks fine.The rubber covering of the head does have "9V" molded into it, but I don't see the Weldcraft name anywhere on the torch.  It looks to me like a knockoff of the Weldcraft torch, rather than a true Weldcraft.  The cable is imprinted with Chinese names and designations (NOT in chinese characters).Now that I have looked closely at it, the tungsten does not look exactly centered in the cup.It did come with six pink cups (two cups in each of three sizes (4, 5, and 6)) three different sized collets and a very short (for about 2" tungstens) and a long (7") tungsten rear caps/collet clamps.When I ordered it from HF by phone, at first the clerk could not identify the torch alone, saying that the 91811 number was for the complete welder.  The actual number I was directed to and which seemed to work was "Item # 28880," "Description, 91811  TIG TORCH ASSEMBLY,"  Price:  $20.97 plus $6.37 freight plus Calif. sales tax.  It came with a $5 off coupon that has to be used within 20 days (which it probably won't be).All in all, it looks like a good deal to me (but, then, I haven't bought a TIG torch for a couple of decades, so I don't know the current prices.)I probably won't be giving a report on performance because if it produces terrible looking welds, I won't know if it's my technique or the torch.awrightLast edited by awright; 08-28-2006 at 02:55 AM.Reason: typos
Reply:You're right ... it is a knockoff ... I didnt take mine apart... I saw the 9V ...  I should have said that and apologize ...Even so ... its still a good price I think ... with all the cups and collets .. I think that collet body has a larger orifice and might be the issue with getting a smaller electrode to center in it .. possibly holding the electrodecenter while tightening the back cap will help? I'll have to try that and see .. otherwise I think getting a collet body that matches the electrode being used would be the way to go ..
Reply:i must be missing some thing here. are you using a collet body for the right size tungsten. you should have a diferent collet for each size tung you use. it should be stamped with its size on the side. if it dose not fit the tung. then i would have to say its way bad construction and not werth a dime.dose the torch have the gas controle on the handle?? i wouldnt mind having a smaller torch for some of the stuff i do but realy dont want a gas nob in the way. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:There is two collets in that torch .. the one the cups screw on .. which in the parts breakdown was referred to as a "collet body" and then the tungsten collet itself .. both of which come in different sizes
Reply:Parts breakdown?  Parts breakdown?  I didn't see no parts breakdown.  Where did you get that?awright
Reply:On the weldcraft site for the WP-9V Theres a PDF there .. or I can email it to ya ..Is the Welding Web a great resource or what?  Downloaded the parts breakdown (and some other interesting stuff) right after seeing your comment.Thanks!!awright
Reply:Having a problem seeing your weld area?  Me too! The following may help you. I was down at our local Bunnings. For you Americans Bunnings is perhaps a relative to somewhere like Lowes.They had a product which is a welders marker stick that gives off UV rays.It needs a insert lens in your helmet to see the lines.I have not tried it yet.I have no connection with it other than to say it was invented here in Australia. Heading halfway towards being a blind old Phart myself, I shall attempt to obtain one and give all all a report.Typical our local guys got the refill sticks first and not the package with the lens and marker stick.Here is the link for you to look at.http://www.toolsthatlast.com.au/ezy-track.htmCheersGrahameLast edited by Grahame; 08-29-2006 at 04:38 AM.
Reply:thats neetChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder