scratch tig, how much can you do?

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Been thinking to buy a small inverter stick welder with the intention to tig with it. As im planning to buy a proper tig in the future i was wondering what kind of tig welding you can do with one of these, i know its scracth tig but i dont know how limited it is, i know i cant weld aluminium with it but not much else.I would use it for home projects and mainly to hone my skills but would like to know what could i expect from it to see if the small investment is worth it or if i should keep saving for a proper tig. The welder im currently looking that fits within my budget gives 5-135A power output. There are more specs i could post.Thanks.
Reply:I can tell you that I trained with a guy that was scratch tigging with a Lincoln BuzzBox and a tig torch hooked up to an argon tank and he was doing pipeline stuff that had to pass QA. What the NDT was, I don't know. But it was going on a rig and it was pretty big. I think a person with skillz can do a LOT!Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Whoever hired a guy with a buzzbox that can only do 125Amps DC for code work is a bigger idiot than the guy doing the workTiger 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:I do a lot of scratch start dc tig welding with my Idealarc 250.I have passed stainless pressure pipe welding tests with scratch start tig. Bend tests, not xray.Any solid performing dc stick welder will also scratch start dc tig weld.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:Tig on steel in its' basic form is maybe the least complicated system- but the process is a bit more involved.Agree with the comments above; you should be able to do some decent tigging with a few dozen hours of practice.Oh yeah- if you get good at scratch start with that machine........ you will rip- ahss with a good machine later!!And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:I spent many years TIG welding boiler tubes, using the "scratch start 'method, and every joint was X-rayed. It took a little time to master the technique, both the start and the "run-off" to end the weld, but obtained good results. The running pressure of the units we worked on is 750 p.s.i., and near the end of my career, the "single drum" units run at 2200 p.s.i. Go ahead and learn to do this, but you will probably be limited to mild steel and stainless steel.Bgbkwndo.
Reply:Originally Posted by R.A.D.Been thinking to buy a small inverter stick welder with the intention to tig with it. As im planning to buy a proper tig in the future i was wondering what kind of tig welding you can do with one of these, i know its scracth tig but i dont know how limited it is, i know i cant weld aluminium with it but not much else.I would use it for home projects and mainly to hone my skills but would like to know what could i expect from it to see if the small investment is worth it or if i should keep saving for a proper tig. The welder im currently looking that fits within my budget gives 5-135A power output. There are more specs i could post.Thanks.
Reply:Ok thats great news since its a not so expensive way to start practicing tig. So now to convince the woman how much nice things im gonna make with a welder in the house I was referring that i couldnt weld aluminium since the welder im looking is dc only, besides i would probably make a mess of it right now.
Reply:I haven't done alot of TIG yet. I own a Miller blue charger DC welder/generator. Bought a Tig torch and a S bottle of argon. Right now only have 1/8" tungsten setup (give me time and some $$) and have welded up 1/8 plate and angles with it so far. I didn't find any porosity when i ground it flush and it was nonstructural. IMO sccratch start is like learning to weld with stick, anyone can run a bead with a MIG gun, running a smooth bead with stick takes practice to get good at.I found a book on TIG welding at my welding supplyer, distributed by ESAB, it has lots of info on AC,DC,gases and technique.
Reply:Originally Posted by fourXFordI haven't done alot of TIG yet. I own a Miller blue charger DC welder/generator. Bought a Tig torch and a S bottle of argon. Right now only have 1/8" tungsten setup (give me time and some $$) and have welded up 1/8 plate and angles with it so far. I didn't find any porosity when i ground it flush and it was nonstructural. IMO sccratch start is like learning to weld with stick, anyone can run a bead with a MIG gun, running a smooth bead with stick takes practice to get good at.I found a book on TIG welding at my welding supplyer, distributed by ESAB, it has lots of info on AC,DC,gases and technique.
Reply:How long gas for tig lasts is dependent on what flow you use. If you have the flow rate set at 40 CFH, you go thru 40 cubic feet in an hour. lower it to 20 CFH and you jsut doubled your weld time. 10-20 CFH is typical depending on what you are doing, so a 100 cf cylinder would last 5-10 hours of weld time.( assuming you don't forget and leave the gas valve on that is...) Metric works the same way, but I don't do metric...The only down side that I see to what you plan might be duty cycle. We'd need to know the machine to know more. Small, inexpensive, DC units often have a very low duty cycle at max power. While 135 amps will do 1/8" steel, 100 or maybe even 80 amps might be a more reasonable output when you start adding in duty cycle. That would limit you to 3/32" or less probably..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:Originally Posted by DSWThe only down side that I see to what you plan might be duty cycle. We'd need to know the machine to know more. Small, inexpensive, DC units often have a very low duty cycle at max power. While 135 amps will do 1/8" steel, 100 or maybe even 80 amps might be a more reasonable output when you start adding in duty cycle. That would limit you to 3/32" or less probably.