just not getting it...

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Hi all, I am new to tig welding, well have been trying,  but I just don't get what I am doing wrong.... I have watched several videos, read a couple books,ect... but, there is one thing they all lack, telling you what you are doing wrong!!!  I started by going to my local exhaust shop and asking for some exhaust pipe scrap, they were more then willing to let me take what i wanted. I brought home a couple pieces and gave it a try. first, I seemed to cut holes, then after turning my gas/amps down, it worked better, or i would say, made an ok weld. after doing this for a couple of days, I wanted to try somthing else, so i got some 2x2x 1/8 square tubing... this is where my nightmare begins....   I am running proper size tungsten and cup, have my gas set to 20, anps about 120, ect....  now I have been trying to just tack 2 pieces together and what is happening is, the metal soon as it gets melted, just starts to cut in, like it is gouging the metal. so, instead of haveing a 1/8th wall, it is about a 1/16 now...  I keep trying and it keeps doing it... what should I try? All the books and videos I have read, teach you how to do it, some better than others, but none show what you are doing wrong if it looks like "this".  I am unsure about gas too, One person will tell ya to run it 20cfm, while another says always 30cfm. what should be a standard/average setting? thanks for reading this and giving me any help or ideas as to what I might be doing wrong, I do know one thing, I love to weld!!!!!   thanks all!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:Try cutting the amps down to around 80-90. The first goal for you would be to form the puddle on the surface. Then, work the puddle a bit, and add filler rod. You are concentrating too much heat in one spot for too long. It takes time to get the speed in tig welding, you have just got to practice a lot. Your biggest problem will come from the edges of your metal melting away when you try to heat it. Start your arc back from the edge1/8" or so to start, then pull the arc down onto the edge, and onto the other part. Try even less amps for your practice work. I used 60A on .083 sheet and tube when first starting tig. And I still blew through a lot at first. Use clean steel. Don't try to tig through rust or galvanized. It is just a pain in the neck with the contamination. Grind it clean and try it.
Reply:I agree with Rojodiablo, turn down the amps. At this phase you don't really need to concentrate on making proper penetration welds. You need to learn how to work the puddle with the torch and filler. Also I think you should just try running some straight beads on a flat surface and don't worry about connecting 2 pieces of metal yet. I did the same as you with the books and the videos, but there is only so much you can learn with those. I have learned a lot from hanging out at my local welding supplier and talking to folks there.
Reply:wow  starting with exhaust tubing...thats tough enough to do even with lots of experience..anyway do you have a footpedal?is the hi-frequency switch on "on"? it should be..is the machine set for dc straight?i suggest you go to a machine shop and get some stainless to practice on..(stay away from "400" seires..magnetic..yuk)fusing stainless is the best way to learn what the heat will do..CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!!!i'll be back......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:Possible problems:1) Power is too high. What you've said sounds reasonable to me, but then again I don't know what machine you're using.2) You're leaving the torch on too long. For a tack, you should press the foot pedal to max, then immediately let off. You just need the arc for a fraction of a second to get the metal to fuse3) Your joint isn't tight, so you're getting burn-through rather than a good tack. If there's any sort of gap between the two pieces of metal, you're going to have a difficult time getting a good tack. At least without filler...Edit: one other possibility is that you don't have the joint properly positioned. When the arc melts the metal, it's going to flow. And it will tend to flow wherever gravity pulls it. Ideally, you'd want gravity to pull the liquid metal toward the other piece, or from each piece into a common puddle. If you have the pieces positioned so that you have to weld vertically, for instance, that might be a problem.Last edited by sstorkel; 08-04-2006 at 11:23 AM.
Reply:yes I have a foot pedal, hi-F on, set for dc straight... I have a PowCon 300st. It runs from 10amps to 375amps, 220v single phase I think you are all right with the too much amps, I think that is were I am getting lost.... Ok, my unit has 3 settings, 10amps to 100amps, 60amps to 200amps, and 100amps to 375amps... with a fine control dial that goes 0 to 100% and also my foot pedal has 0 to 100% dial as well.   what setting do you think I should do?with what %?I have been useing 60 to 200 amps at about 30% with the footpedal at 100%and the argon at 20...also with this, I get full penatration and have a solid weld (rigorous torture test) it just isn't a pretty weld.  can a weld be proper strength without it being "pretty"?I don't have a camera to show you pictures, so I am stuck describing...sorry!!My welds are coming out about 3/8in thick in width about 1/8in in height, they look uniform "staight", but are lacking that stacked dime look...you can see a half circle pattern in the weld but it isn't defined like I see in pictures... the over all weld looks smooth...it kinda looks like a fat worm.hope you can understand my discription, I know it sucks that I don't have a camera but, can't afford one after putting together my tig setup!!!LOL!!!thanks again for all your guys time.....GOOD DAY!!!Last edited by dave1273; 08-05-2006 at 06:48 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by dave1273yes I have a foot pedal, hi-F on, set for dc straight... I have a PowCon 300st. It runs from 10amps to 375amps, 220v single phase I think you are all right with the too much amps, I think that is were I am getting lost.... Ok, my unit has 3 settings, 10amps to 100amps, 60amps to 200amps, and 100amps to 375amps... with a fine control dial that goes 0 to 100% and also my foot pedal has 0 to 100% dial as well.   what setting do you think I should do?with what %?I have been useing 60 to 200 amps at about 30% with the footpedal at 100%and the argon at 20...also with this, I get full penatration and have a solid weld (rigorous torture test) it just isn't a pretty weld.  can a weld be proper strength without it being "pretty"?I don't have a camera to show you pictures, so I am stuck describing...sorry!!My welds are coming out about 3/8in thick in width about 1/8in in height, they look uniform "staight", but are lacking that stacked dime look...you can see a half circle pattern in the weld but it isn't defined like I see in pictures... the over all weld looks smooth...it kinda looks like a fat worm.hope you can understand my discription, I know it sucks that I don't have a camera but, can't afford one after putting together my tig setup!!!LOL!!!thanks again for all your guys time.....GOOD DAY!!!
Reply:thanks for the "heads up " advice!!!!!
Reply:just practice practice  thats it ,and allways start low amps and turn up if needed till you get the power you need.  it s fine tune thats tricky my tig is set on medium amps and  fine tune on about 4-8 depending on the thickness i just switch from ac to dc and  fine tune it for my props